Ever since she was a little girl, Melissa has loved two things: arts and crafts and baking. So when she was fired from her job in advertising in 2008, Melissa decided that she was going to do what she loved. Drawing on inspiration from the carefree rock ‘n roll culture of the 60s and 70s, and the idea that people should be able to taste more flavors without a post-dessert guilt trip, she engaged the help of some key people in her life and in 2009 opened the first <a href="http://www.bakedbymelissa.com/checkout/index.aspx">Baked by Melissa</a><a href="www.baksedbymelissa.com">&nbsp;</a>shop in New York City’s SoHo district. Five years later, Baked by Melissa operates 12 store locations, including a shop at JFK’s JetBlue Terminal 5, and ships nationwide. Melissa develops all of Baked by Melissa’s product offerings, including Seasonal Collections, a Mini of the Month, and holiday cupcakes. Follow Baked by Melissa on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/bakedbymelissa">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/bakedbymelissa">Twitter</a>&nbsp;and &nbsp;<a href="http://instagram.com/bakedbymelissa">Instagram</a>.&nbsp;

Founder, Baked by Melissa

Melissa Ben-Ishay

Michelle Young is the founder of <a href="http://untappedcities.com">Untapped Cities</a>, a web magazine about urban discovery and exploration in NYC and around the world. She’s traveled to over 40 countries, always with her SLR cameras in tow, and her photography has been published in the Wall Street Journal, and exhibited at the 2014 Venice Biennale and The Museum of the City of New York. She is also an adjunct professor at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, and is the author of two forthcoming books on the history of Broadway and the hidden bars and restaurants of New York City. Follow Untapped Cities on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/untappedcities">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/untappedcities">Twitter</a> and&nbsp;<a href="http://instagram.com/untappedcities">Instagram</a>.&nbsp;

Founder, Untapped Cities

Michelle Young

Adrian Granzella Larssen is the editor-in-chief of <a href="https://www.themuse.com/advice">The Daily Muse</a>, the career advice publication that’s helped millions of people find and succeed at their dream jobs. With a longstanding mission to support women at work and in life, she speaks regularly to corporations and women’s groups and has been featured as a career expert in Forbes, Mashable, and Business Insider. Previously, she oversaw print and digital communications for the George Washington University Medical Center, did stints as a marketer and event planner, and earned an MBA from Pepperdine University. In her spare time, you’ll find her scheming up her next dinner party and flying back and forth between the coasts. Follow Adrian on <a href="https://twitter.com/adriangranzella">Twitter</a>&nbsp;and The Daily Muse on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thedailymuse">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/dailymuse">Twitter</a>.&nbsp;

Editor-in-Chief, The Daily Muse

Adrian Granzella Larssen

Dorie Golkin Smith and Emelyn Northway are the co-founders of <a href="http://bit.ly/1APxUfS">Of Mercer</a>, a contemporary women’s workwear brand of fashionable but office-appropriate apparel for the desk-to-dinner lifestyle. The pair started Of Mercer while attending Wharton Business School and bonding over a shared frustration of finding great work clothes in their previous jobs—Dorie in consulting and Emelyn in private equity. The two believe women shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality for price or style for an office dress code. By selling their designer-quality, NYC-made clothing directly through their website, they (and their customers) avoid those hefty retailer markups. Since its launch in 2013, Of Mercer has been featured in Forbes, Refinery29, People Stylewatch, and InStyle. Follow Of Mercer on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OfMercer">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/OfMercer">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/ofmercer">Instagram</a>.&nbsp;

Co-Founders, Of Mercer

Dorie S. & Emelyn N.

Mary Kate McGrath is a lifestyle expert and Editor-in-Chief of <a href="http://www.purewow.com/index.htm">PureWow</a>, a popular online publication with a mission to “Elevate the Everyday.”&nbsp;Mary Kate joined PureWow after more than a decade working with women’s magazines, including Real Simple, InStyle and Food Network Magazine (as a result, she has one of the most organized and stylish linen closets around).&nbsp; At PureWow, Mary Kate is responsible for the brand’s overall editorial strategy, including the launch of new editions and the expansion of video series and web franchises across multiple platforms. She also oversees the production of custom PureWow content created for large brand advertisers like Hyatt, Cartier and L’Oreal.&nbsp;Follow PureWow on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/PureWow">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/PureWow">Twitter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://instagram.com/purewow">Instagram</a>.

Editor-in-Chief, PureWow

Mary Kate McGrath

Erica Cerulo is the Co-Founder of <a href="http://www.ofakind.com">Of a Kind</a>, a site that sells the pieces and tells the stories of emerging fashion designers. Prior to launching the site in 2010 with her business partner Claire Mazur, Erica worked as an editor at Details and Lucky,&nbsp;and she continues to be passionate about the power that editorial can have in driving consumer behavior. Follow Of a Kind on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ofakind">Facebook</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ofakind">Twitter</a>, and <a href="http://instagram.com/ofakind">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;and Erica on <a href="https://twitter.com/ericacerulo">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/ericacerulo">Instagram</a>.&nbsp;

Co-Founder, Of a Kind

Erica Cerulo

Emily Schuman lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Geoffrey, and their two cats, Luna and Rocco. She began her professional career working in media at Condé Nast publications’&nbsp;Domino and Teen Vogue magazine. In March of 2008, Emily created <a href="http://cupcakesandcashmere.com">Cupcakes and Cashmere</a> as a way to document the things she loved.&nbsp;More than a blog, Cupcakes and Cashmere is a mantra and aesthetic that celebrates the little pleasures in life. The goal of Cupcakes and Cashmere is to encourage and inspire readers through fashion, food, beauty, and interior design.&nbsp;In August 2012, Emily released the book <a href="http://bit.ly/1yukyki">Cupcakes and Cashmere: A guide for defining your style, reinventing your space and entertaining with ease</a>. The book became a national best seller and Emily went on a six city international book tour where she got to meet readers and sign copies of her first published work. Follow Emily on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cupcakesandcashmere">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/byemily">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/emilyschuman">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/CupcakesandCashmere">YouTube</a>.&nbsp;

Founder, Cupcakes and Cashmere

Emily Schuman

Everyone has to eat. That’s why there is <a href="http://www.thenewpotato.com">The New Potato</a>, a food, fashion and lifestyle destination – founded by sisters Danielle &amp; Laura Kosann, Creative Director and Editor-in-Chief, respectively. The two used their combined experience in fashion, design and entertainment to create an online magazine that presents the world through the lens of food. Taking a voyeuristic approach, The New Potato deals with the culinary experience in a different way, by continuously blurring the lines between food, fashion, design and media. Profiling everything from the health routines of the biggest celebrities, recipes and city guides from actors, models and chefs, to dinners in the homes of your favorite tastemakers, this breakout site covers a far more extensive palate of tastes and trends. Follow The New Potato on <a href="https://twitter.com/thenewpotato ">Twitter</a>,&nbsp;<a href="http://instagram.com/thenewpotato">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-New-Potato/190056217763288?ref=bookmarks">Facebook</a>.&nbsp;

Founders, The New Potato

Laura & Danielle Kosann

Nicole Gibbons is an interior designer, tastemaker, blogger and on-air personality best known for her fashion-forward point of view on style for the home. She can currently be seen helping families re-imagine their living spaces as a designer on the Emmy nominated television show Home Made Simple airing Saturday mornings on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Nicole has been featured in top media outlets such as TLC and InStyle and has also collaborated on special projects with home and lifestyle brands including Target and One Kings Lane.&nbsp;Nicole regularly shares decorating tips, trends, product finds and inspiration on her blog, <a href="http://www.sohautestyle.com">So Haute</a>, and serves as a guide to stylish living for décor obsessed readers around the globe. Her mission is to inspire her audience to design a life they love and to do it with style. Follow Nicole on <a href="http://instagram.com/nicolegibbonsstyle">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/nicolegibbons1/">Pinterest</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/NicoleGibbons">Twitter</a>.

Founder, So Haute

Nicole Gibbons

Brewed between Belgium, Kenya, and Switzerland, Nahema is the consummate interdisciplnarian, successfully merging her background in business, luxury, and entrepreneurship. She is the Founder and CEO of <a href="http://www.artremba.com/splash">Art Remba</a>, a subscription platform designed to democratize access to the art world by allowing you to borrow and invest-to-own art from top galleries at accessible monthly rates. Follow Art Remba on <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtRemba">Twitter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ArtRemba">Facebook</a>.&nbsp;

Founder & CEO, Art Remba

Nahema Mehta

Tracey Lomrantz Lester is Senior Editorial Director at <a href="http://bit.ly/1twD4tT">Gilt</a>, where she oversees the site’s content and lends expertise in sale curation and fashion direction.&nbsp; Prior to joining Gilt, Tracey was the contributing style editor at Glamour Magazine, where she wrote for their fashion blog and the print magazine. She also served as fashion news editor of elle.com from 2007 to 2008. Her written work has appeared in Details, Nylon, Marie Claire, Shape, style.com and The New York Post. Tracey has also appeared on a variety of national television programs as a style expert, including Good Morning America, The Today Show and Rachael Ray. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from New York University. Follow Tracey's editorial eye on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/lomrantz">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/tlomrantz">Instagram</a>,&nbsp;and be tempted by Gilt on <a href="https://twitter.com/Gilt">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/gilt">Instagram</a>.&nbsp;

Senior Editorial Director, Gilt

Tracey Lomrantz Lester

Kay Lee is the founder of <a href="http://bit.ly/1p2J3PS">Otte</a>, a boutique shopping experience for women with distinct taste for understated luxury and contemporary design. From its beginnings in Williamsburg in 1999, Otte has blossomed and now boasts five retail locations in New York City, a collaborative store in Malibu on the Calamigos Ranch, and a global presence online. As Otte’s head buyer, Kay is committed to discovering and cultivating young talent. With an impeccable eye and a concrete understanding of the Otte customer, Kay has developed a down-to-earth approach to finding clothing that is both beautiful and wearable. Follow Otte on <a href="http://instagram.com/ottenyc">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OtteNY">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/otteny">Twitter</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/otteny/">Pinterest</a>.&nbsp;

Founder, Otte

Kay Lee

Amanda Steinberg is the founder of <a href="http://www.dailyworth.com/">DailyWorth</a>, the leading financial media company for women. Steinberg is a thought-leader on the topic of women and money, working to advance women’s financial confidence and wealth. She’s an engineer by training, a sales woman by profession, and a serial optimist at heart. DailyWorth serves millions of women monthly via its daily newsletters and website focused on money and career advice.&nbsp; Since its launch in 2009, Steinberg and DailyWorth have been featured in the New York Times, TIME and Cosmopolitan and on NY1, CNN and NBC news. Amanda is a graduate of Columbia University. Follow DailyWorth on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DailyWorth">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/DailyWorth">Twitter</a>, and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/dailyworth/">Pinterest</a>.&nbsp;

Founder, DailyWorth

Amanda Steinberg

Kate Hakala is the Editor-in-Chief of <a href="http://www.howaboutwe.com">HowAboutWe Media</a>. For the past two years, she has been contributing to and running <a href="http://www.nerve.com">Nerve.com</a>, a long-established destination for honest, intelligent sex and culture coverage. Have any burning questions about love, sex and dating? Kate can probably answer them for you. Follow her on Twitter at&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/explikateme">@explikateme</a>&nbsp;and single ladies, sign up for <a href="http://www.howaboutwe.com/">HowAboutWe</a>!&nbsp;

Editor-in-Chief, HowAboutWe Media

Kate Hakala

Dawn is the co-owner of <a href="http://www.onegirlcookies.com">One Girl Cookies</a> with her husband, Dave Crofton. They have two shops in Brooklyn, offering breakfast, coffee and all manner of sweet treats. In her prior life, she was the Accessories Manager at <a href="http://bit.ly/10mjIKS">Barneys New York</a> where she played with beautiful baubles all day. She and Dave now live in Brooklyn, along with their two kids, Nate and Camille. Visit One Girl Cookies on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/OneGirlCookies">Facebook </a>and follow them on <a href="https://twitter.com/OneGirlCookies">Twitter.</a>

Founder, One Girl Cookies

Dawn Casale

For years, Rachel Hofstetter was paid to eat and drink as a food editor at places like O, the Oprah Magazine (dream!). But besides the copious amounts of chocolate and cheese, her favorite part of the job was talking with up-and-coming food entrepreneurs. Their stories led to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399162313/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0399162313&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=rast00-20&amp;linkId=NRURU6ISGN5VFQKK">Cooking Up a Business</a> (Penguin), an insider guide to the world of food startups. As she wrote the book, Rachel picked up the entrepreneurial itch (it’s contagious!). When an idea she and her husband created for their own wedding turned out to be immensely popular, she left her formal food editor career to launch <a href="https://www.guesterly.com">guesterly</a>. Today, the guesterly software platform enables anyone to create a custom photo directory for life’s special events like weddings, reunions, and more. Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/rachelhoffy">Rachel</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/guesterly">guesterly</a> via Twitter. &nbsp;

Co-Founder, Guesterly

Rachel Hofstetter

Katrina is passionate about helping women achieve everyday confidence. She founded <a href="https://www.stitchfix.com">Stitch Fix </a>to help women everywhere discover and explore their style through a truly client-focused shopping experience.&nbsp;Prior to founding Stitch Fix, Katrina developed extensive experience at the intersection of fashion, retail, and technology. She managed the blogger platform at venture-backed social commerce company Polyvore and consulted with a variety of e-commerce and traditional retailers during her time at The Parthenon Group. Additionally, she has invested in and worked with dozens of entrepreneurs and start-ups at Leader Ventures.&nbsp;Katrina holds a B.S. in Economics from Stanford University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. Follow Katrina via&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/kmlake">twitter</a> and her <a href="http://katrinalake.com">website</a>.&nbsp;

Founder & CEO, Stitch Fix

Katrina Lake

Jeni Britton Bauer opened <a href="http://jenis.com/">Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams</a> in 2002 with the singular goal to make better ice cream. Today she and her hands-on crew make every batch of ice cream in their Columbus kitchens with milk from grass-grazed cows, Ohio wildflower honey, whole fruits, vegetables and herbs from nearby farms, as well as rare, carefully sourced ingredients from around the world, including direct-trade vanilla and fair-trade, bean-to-bar chocolate. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams—a certified B Corp that works in tandem with the people who produce their ingredients—has been praised by The New York Times and Food &amp; Wine.&nbsp;Jeni is the author of the best-seller <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1579654363/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1579654363&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=rast00-20&amp;linkId=NLULTUPGKRRHEYJV">Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams at Home</a>, which earned her a 2012 James Beard Award. Jeni’s latest book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1579655920/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=1579655920&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=rast00-20&amp;linkId=3N37GWQN55FSP777">Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream Desserts</a>, was published by Artisan in 2014. Follow Jeni's via <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JenisIceCreams">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/jenisicecreams/">Pinterest</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/jenisicecreams">Twitter</a> and the <a href="http://jenis.com/blog/">blog</a>.

Founder, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

Jeni Britton Bauer

Katia Beauchamp is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of <a href="http://bit.ly/1pqc2Al">Birchbox</a>, a leading beauty and grooming e-commerce company for men and women. The Birchbox experience features personalized sampling, informative editorial content and a curated online shop. Headquartered in New York City, Birchbox now has more than 800,000 subscribers, extended into men’s grooming in April 2012 with <a href="http://bit.ly/1oHRK0c">Birchbox Man</a>, and acquired an international competitor with presence in France, the UK and Spain in September 2012.&nbsp;

Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Birchbox

Katia Beauchamp

The creative genius behind <a href="http://www.designformankind.com/">Design For Mankind</a>, Erin Loechner has been blogging for more than a decade and has garnered a loyal, design-loving following with over 1 million social fans on her combined <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/erinloechner/">Pinterest</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/erinloechner">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DesignForMankind">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/erinloechner">Instagram</a> channels. She now spends her days nestled in a sleepy Midwestern town, and her writing and design work has been showcased in Glamour, Lucky, Parenting, Dwell, Marie Claire, Elle Decor and, most recently, in a 2-year / 24-episode web show on HGTV.com.&nbsp;

Founder, Design for Mankind

Erin Loechner

Dana L. Oliver is the&nbsp;Executive Fashion &amp; Beauty Editor&nbsp;at <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/">The Huffington Post</a> where she reports on news and trends. Her work has also appeared on Stylelist.com, Glamour.com, AllHipHop.com and The NY City News Service. She currently resides in Philadelphia, PA and can be spotted on the weekends shopping for vintage Michael Jackson and Prince records and fierce shoes at Zara. Follow Dana on&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/HuffPostBeauty">Twitter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://instagram.com/huffpostbeauty">Instagram</a>.

Executive Fashion & Beauty Editor, Huffington Post

Dana Oliver

Verena von Pfetten is the Executive Digital Editor of <a href="http://www.luckymag.com/">LuckyMag.com</a> and the founding editor of <a href="http://www.styleite.com/">Styleite.com</a> and <a href="http://www.thebraiser.com/">TheBraiser.com</a>. She lives in Brooklyn with her two French Bulldogs, where she eats pasta at least three times a week. Follow Verena on <a href="https://twitter.com/vonverena">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/vonverena">Instagram</a>.

Executive Digital Editor, Lucky Magazine

Verena von Pfetten

Dynamic fashion tech entrepreneur, Daniela Cecilio, is the woman set to change the way you search, discover and buy fashion online in 2014. The 33-year-old is a founding member of the uber successful fashion-portal, <a href="http://bit.ly/1oKd8WR">Farfetch.com</a>, and also happens to be the wife of its founder and CEO, José Neves. Now the Brazilian-born, ex fashion designer and ‘fashion obsessive’ has branched out on her own to launch <a href="https://www.asap54.com/">ASAP54</a>, the first ever fashion app that allows users to discover products through its social fashion community. ASAP54 also includes the latest in visual search technology and its own personal styling service. Follow ASAP54 on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Asap54">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/asap54com">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/asap54com">Instagram</a>.

CEO & Founder, ASAP54

Daniela Cecilio

The creative force behind the award-winning blog&nbsp;<a href="http://beautybets.com/">BeautyBets.com</a>, beauty and wellness writer Elizabeth Dehn spent her awkward years buying Mood lipstick and whipping up DIY face masks before embarking on an editorial career that has included Aveda, Nordstrom and Target. She founded BeautyBets.com in 2009 as a way to share candid product reviews and fresh beauty advice with real women everywhere. Elizabeth currently pens a monthly beauty column for <a href="http://mspmag.com/">Mpls.St.Paul magazine</a>, is a regular contributor to <a href="http://clementinedaily.com/">ClementineDaily.com</a>&nbsp;and is co-creator of <a href="http://bit.ly/1sOPdX9">Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics</a> skincare line. Follow Elizabeth on <a href="https://twitter.com/beautybets">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/beautybets">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/beautybets/">Pinterest</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/beautybets">Facebook</a>.

Founder, Beauty Bets

Elizabeth Dehn

<a href="https://www.soul-cycle.com/">SoulCycle</a>’s ultimate Senior Master Instructor,&nbsp;Stacey Griffith, has been hailed as a “miracle worker” by her cult-like band of indoor cyclists, as well as the press. A transplant from Los Angeles, Stacey’s motivational coaching style is uniquely her own, combining a passion for dance, athleticism and mind-blowing music—all set to the beat of her voice. Because of her extraordinary teaching and coaching skills, Stacey has become known as an inspirational fitness guru leading her to be featured in media outlets such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, Self and more. She has motivated a loyal and dedicated following over the years as well, including many celebrity riders like Madonna, Chelsea Clinton, Deepak Chopra, Kelly Ripa, Molly Sims, Nicole Kidman and Hillary Swank. Follow SoulCycle on <a href="https://twitter.com/soulcycle">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://instagram.com/Staceygnyc">Instagram</a> for your daily dose spin-spiration!&nbsp;

Senior Master Instructor, SoulCycle

Stacey Griffith

Lona Duncan is the Founder and CEO of <a href="http://www.stylelend.com/">Style Lend</a>, which is revolutionizing the designer clothing industry by providing luxury fashion labels for every occasion at an affordable price. Starting her fashion career as a model, Lona has spent over 10 years in the space. This is her 3rd fashion company, and she is a recent graduate from YCombinator. Follow Style Lend on <a href="http://instagram.com/stylelend">Instagram</a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Style-Lend/310711245718114">Facebook</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/stylelend">Twitter</a>.

Founder and CEO, Style Lend

Lona Duncan

Amy Miller is a stylist at <a href="http://bit.ly/1vDatUv">BHLDN</a>. Dreamed up by Anthropologie, BHLDN focuses specifically on weddings. Through one-on-one styling services online and in stores, BHLDN helps couples create an event brimming with unusually beautiful garments and objects reflective of their own personalities. BHLDN travels the world in search of emerging designers, superior craftsmanship and cultural significances. Follow BHLDN on <a href="https://twitter.com/bhldn">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/bhldn/">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/BHLDN/">Pinterest</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/BHLDN">Facebook</a>.