What does it mean to be a Thinking Cap Princess?

You aren't afraid to tackle problems. You cheer others on and draw on each other's strengths all the while embracing your princess self.

How do your experiences figure into Thinking Cap Princesses?

I am the Executive Director of the Coach K Leadership & Ethics Center at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business. In my job, I engage with CEOs, educators, entrepreneurs, military leaders. My role gives me a pulse on what the next generation needs to know in order to succeed.

Something that comes up over and over again is that we need to create a generation of problem solvers - people who know how to define problems and then use both IQ and EQ to tackle them. As a science and engineering major, with a business degree, I understand the importance of core skills. However, in my role, I also get to see how vital socio-emotional development s for success. We almost make sure to incorporate both into the books.

I love writing. I share advice and insights with "grownups" through pieces for WSJ, Huffington Post, and Fortune. I thought we can take all of that learning and insight and apply it to children.

How did you come up with the idea for Thinking Cap Princesses?

One day, my eldest daughter (then 4 years old) asked me to help her with a problem. When I suggested that she try figuring it out first by herself, she responded"

"I can't mom. I don't have a prince with a sword."

Considering that I had just started up a Women's Leadership Initiative at Duke, this was an alarming statement. Somehow, as young as age 4, my daughter was picking up messages from society telling her that she, as a girl, can't solve problems. We started looking for books about princesses who solve problems for her age group, and found a huge gape in the marketplace.

The products we were searching for didn't exist, so we created them.

Why the princess theme? Isn't the idea of a princess the opposite of what you are trying to help girls accomplish?

In order for the stories to capture our readers' imaginations, they need to meet them where they are. My daughters and many of their friends love princesses. They are drawn to the idea of being a princess. So, why fight that? Why not let them be them? Instead, let's just redefine what it means to be a princess!.

Why is there no one single princess character in each story? Why are there always multiple princesses?

The ability to work in teams is one of the most important skills for tomorrow. And for girls, there's a societal dynamic that tends to set them up as competitors rather than collaborators. We need to change this. So, it's important for us to show multiple princesses, show them working together, drawing on the diversity of talents that each person brings, and cheering each other on.

Why don't you ever describe the princesses as smart?

There's a book called Mindset by noted psychologist and educator Carol Dweck, that I absolutely love! The book shows that it's a learning mindset rather than a fixed mindset, that ultimately determines success. It's less about being "smart" and more about using what you have, being fearless in learning, and using resources around you.

What makes Thinking Cap Princesses different from the other products in the marketplace?

I am excited about all the other products out there from Rock the Doodle to Goldiblocks that encourage girls to learn and believe in themselves. The more there is, the more of a norm that this mentality of learning and being confident will be for our girls.