Erika Pugh

I am an entrepreneur, investor, and founding mentor of Second Act whose career has been shaped by a passion for growth, reinvention, and lifelong learning.

I was born and raised in central Pennsylvania, where I began dancing at age four. At seventeen, I received a full scholarship to study at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow. Ultimately, I chose to leave the professional ballet track and pursue higher education, graduating from Penn State’s Schreyer Honors College with degrees in Finance and Russian. The discipline, resilience, and work ethic I developed through dance became the foundation for my next chapter.

Over the next several years, I built a career in investing and growth strategy, working with founder-led businesses, high-growth startups, and consumer brands at firms including BDT & Company, Heyday, and Erie Street Growth Partners, where I most recently served as Vice President.

Today, I am the founder and CEO of Cha Cha Noi, a clean skincare brand inspired by Thai wellness rituals and traditions. After spending years helping entrepreneurs build and scale businesses, I made my own leap into entrepreneurship and now lead Cha Cha Noi full-time.

Having navigated multiple career transitions myself, I am passionate about helping dancers explore new opportunities, build confidence beyond the studio, and recognize the unique strengths that make dancers exceptional professionals, founders, and leaders. As a founding mentor and board member of Second Act, I enjoy supporting mentees through career exploration, professional development, entrepreneurship, and the personal growth that comes with defining a new chapter.