Maria Caruso

Operations Generalist

People Manager

Project Manager

Former Startup COO

A little bit about myself:

I studied Philosophy through graduate school, putting myself through college as a dental assistant. Philosophy taught me how to think, not what to think. It trained me in conceptual analysis, how to research thoroughly, and how to ask good questions. That's shaped everything since.

I went from scheduling contractors at a small business to teaching myself SQL, JavaScript, and project management through a local nonprofit. That led me to IncentFit, a tech wellness startup where I was the first hire and spent nearly a decade as COO. I left in April 2025 to go solo.

How I do things differently

Handing off your operations is scary. It's the foundation of your business. I always aim to learn before I teach. If there's one thread through my education and career, it's that I love learning, and I place open-mindedness at the center of my approach:

You have to understand a process before you can change it
There isn't one "right" way to do anything
Helping others means listening to what works for them
There is ALWAYS more to learn
Asking questions is better than giving advice