WoW Woman in Wearable Tech I Monica Plath, Founder and CEO of Littlebird

Monica Plath is the CEO and Founder of Littlebird.

A working mom of two active toddlers, Monica intimately knows the anxieties parents and caregivers face when they are apart from their children. After being plagued with mom guilt and parent anxiety, Monica leveraged her education from the University of Washington, and executive programs at Stanford and MIT, to found Littlebird and create a true connected-care, eco-system that would enhance parent, child, and caregiver relationships. As CEO, she is building a world-class team to bring Littlebird to families globally, and bring peace of mind to working parents.

Littlebird Connected Care, Inc. is the parent company for the Littlebird Toddler CareTracker, a wearable device that pairs with Littlebird’s unique Connected Care platform.

Tell us a bit about your background and your projects so far.

My past and present collided to bring Littlebird to life.  As a working mom of two active toddlers, I intimately know the anxieties parents and caregivers face when they are apart from their children. After an unsavory childcare experience and being plagued with mom guilt, I leveraged my education from the University of Washington, and executive programs at Stanford and MIT, to found Littlebird and create a true Connected Care eco-system that would enhance parent, child, and caregiver relationships. As a CEO, my mission is to build a world-class team to bring Littlebird to families globally and bring peace of mind to parents from anywhere.

How did you get into this industry? Has it been an easy industry to get into or have you had many challenges?

My endeavour into the tech sector was somewhat nontraditional. At 18 years old, I followed in my father’s footsteps and got my real estate license. After graduating from the University of Washington, I was in commercial real estate for 15 years. It was during that time I worked closely with the tech community and helped expand their respective footprints in the area. It was my professional interactions with various companies, such as Uber,  that energized and spurred me to shift my career goals. The tech community fostered the creativity and innovation that I needed to thrive, so I pivoted and joined MIT and Stanford’s Strategy and Innovation programs to get the tech ball rolling.

Yet, it was not until I became a mom that I truly dove into the tech world! It all started when I tried to purchase a specific wearable product for my child and it did not exist. I immediately started exploring how to create it by hiring a team to hack a Fitbit and create a dedicated app - it didn’t have the hardware functionality I needed to know my children were safe. I took a big leap of faith in executing my vision and decided to develop my own wearable and Connected Care platform. Ideas are cheap, and operational strategy and execution are where your own personal drive kicks in.

Lucky for me, it turns out parents (especially working parents) have been feeling this need for a Connected Care ecosystem for a long time and technology has just now caught up with capabilities.

Has the road been easy? I wish! Hardware is hard. And as most of your readership is probably familiar with, being a woman in hardware is exponentially more challenging.  But I have found that both “Parenthood” and “Founderhood” (is that a word?) are two peas in a pod so to speak. The analogy that you have to let a baby sit up, crawl, walk, all before they can run is true for both worlds. As a founder, patience is truly a virtue and there have been many struggles, heartbreaks, sleepless nights, and lots of tears, but it has been worth it.

How long did it take you to be where you are now? What was the biggest obstacle? What are the challenges of being in the industry you are in? 

From idea to launch, it has roughly taken us about two and a half years. That’s relatively quick in the world of hardware and software. The pandemic was actually an ideal time to incubate and create Littlebird because I was able to do things pretty efficiently while in stealth mode. We are the first to market in the wearable Connected Care category, and it is exciting to be at the forefront of that narrative.

We live in a world where everything that can be connected, will be connected. Having said that, there is a major lapse in the Connected Care industry in relation to childcare. There are plenty of child-tracking wearables but none that literally tethers our children to their caregivers, parents want to know WHO is with their child. HOW is my child’s well-being with that person? WHERE are they and are they where they are supposed to be? We are focusing on an age demographic that cannot be left unsupervised, if they are for some reason out of anyone’s supervision both the parent and caregiver can be notified and we can locate the child on demand with our GPS. Littlebird is truly a pioneering technology that marries the psychological with the physiological in an intuitive platform that not only validates both parents and caregivers but also gives a voice to those who wear our device. Connected Caregiving is just beginning, and it is set to revolutionize the care industry in a big way.

The crisis facing parents is incredibly complex. We need vast change, from upending societal expectations for working parents to policy changes to support paid family leave and more flexible working conditions for parents. But these changes will take time. With Littlebird, we are creating a connected care ecosystem that is not yet available in the $335 billion caregivers market. We are empowering both parents and caregivers with the tools they need to navigate modern family life in the most fulfilling way. 

What are your biggest achievements to date? 

That’s easy to answer. My biggest and proudest achievement was the day I became a mom. My two little boys are my world and give me a sense of purpose and drive. They are the main reason why Littlebird was born! 

Professionally, one of my biggest achievements would be actually taking the leap to launch Littlebird. It’s an overwhelming process to get a company up and running, but once I did, the ride has been pretty exhilarating. I managed to successfully launch not only during a global pandemic but while moving homes with a toddler on my lap and nine months pregnant.  Yes, it was chaotic, but it was exciting because I was committed to making Littlebird a reality no matter what.

What are the projects you are currently working on?

Besides working hard on Littlebird, I recently wrote a children’s book called “Jack the Yak” based on my children’s hometown of Yakima as well as created a wine appropriately called Littlebird with a local winery, Gilbert Cellars. All of the proceeds for both projects go back to organizations that benefit underserved children in the area. 

Yakima is a very tight-knit, small agricultural community located in central Washington and I wanted kids in the area to be proud of growing up there and to know how special and important their town is to the rest of the world. Oftentimes, the kids in the area feel in the shadow of Seattle and they shouldn’t because Yakima plays an integral part in the rest of the world (Two words: apples and hops). As for the wine, that was just for fun and it turned out pretty good!

Is the #WomenInTech movement important to you and if yes, why? 

YES, YES, YES! Women are incredible innovators and problem-solvers and that is why it is extremely important that we have a front-row seat at the technology table. We bring a more efficient, inclusive, empathetic, and well-rounded approach to both the development and research sides of technology.  I’m very lucky in that Littlebird has some pretty incredible female friends and allies who have been integral to our growth and success. Simply put – WE (women) get things done and done right!

What will be the key trends in your industry in the next five years and where do you see them heading? 

The key trends will be the emergence of Connected Care platforms and enabling technologies in much more complex ecosystems. The care industry is archaic and ripe for something obvious, yet revolutionary, like Littlebird’s Connected CareTracker and App. There is unlimited potential for the average consumer with this type of technology. We should all be able to know WHO is with our loved one and WHERE they are - on demand.  This naturally expands to elder care and beyond. We all want to worry a little less and feel validated about our care choices.  In order to achieve these goals, the idea of quantifying quality of care in a quantified world is the natural next step in closing this greenspace.

What is the most important piece of advice you could give to anyone who wants to start a career in this industry? 

Follow your heart and trust your instincts. I spent years ignoring a career change because it wasn’t the financially safe thing to do or it wasn’t the right time. Truthfully, I have never been more in love with my job, and more fulfilled than I am today. If you don’t know what your impact should be, then simply ask yourself “What makes me happy?” and do more of that.

Who are three inspirational women in your respective industry you admire?

The women who are innovating and connecting technologies that impact mothers by way of SAAS, Hardware, and IoT that resonate with me are:

Find out more about Littlebird on their website.

Follow Littlebird on Instagram.

Connect with Monica on LinkedIn and follow her on Twitter.


This interview was conducted by Marija Butkovic, Digital Marketing and PR strategist, founder, and CEO of Women of Wearables. She regularly writes and speaks on topics of wearable tech, fashion tech, IoT, entrepreneurship, and diversity. Follow Marija on Twitter @MarijaButkovic and read her stories for Forbes here.

Wearable TechMarija Butkovic