Beyond the title
A life shaped
by curiosity.
And purpose.
The doctorate tells you something about my education. It doesn't tell you where the questions came from, what I've built, or why access matters so much to me.
Ronell Pugh, Ph.D.
Where it started
The reason
behind the work.
I've always been interested in what makes people move forward — and what holds them back. That curiosity eventually took me into marketing, consumer psychology, teaching, and entrepreneurship.
But the commitment to business literacy began much closer to home. My family's experience with the loss of a small business showed me what can happen when hard work isn't matched by information, protection and access to support. It left a lasting impression.
I came to believe that people shouldn't have to learn every important business lesson through loss. Knowledge, delivered with dignity and practical relevance, can change the choices available to a family.
That belief runs through my research, the ventures I build, and the communities I seek to serve.
One person, three expressions
Scholar. Entrepreneur. Advocate.
The scholar
Understanding how people think, decide and interact with the systems around them.
Explore researchThe entrepreneur
Building practical pathways for business literacy, access and sustainable opportunity.
Explore the workThe advocate
Keeping people, dignity and economic possibility at the center of the conversation.
Explore the purposeThe formal record
A foundation
for the work.
I earned a Ph.D. in International Psychology from The Chicago School and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Redlands. My work as an educator includes marketing, consumer behavior and strategic business topics. These experiences inform the work; they don't define its limits.
A guiding principle
Knowledge should open doors.
Purpose should determine which ones.