Retail Is Your Business: Baked by Melissa

It’s true—she’s real. There really is a Melissa at Baked by Melissa, the popular and unique New York born bakery known for its seemingly endless varieties of tiny cupcakes, with 14 retail locations and a burgeoning ecommerce business that now outpaces the brick-and-mortar. She’s a mom, a company president, and a self-described mad scientist. Rarely do you see the leader of a successful brand, much less one that has weathered the bursting of a trend bubble, who remains so in love with their business and continually creates new and exciting recipes, product concepts, and inventive marketing and partnership strategies. Melissa Ben-Ishay shares her journey and insights with hosts Chris Hansen (IgnitionOne) and Rebecca Fitts (Warby Parker).

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• Baked by Melissa’s origin as an e-commerce company operating out of Melissa’s apartment, where she would bake and deliver cupcakes around New York City
• How Baked by Melissa grew from a small retail store at the tail end of the 2008 recession to a famous brand with a successful omnichannel strategy
• How Baked by Melissa is using innovate technology to connect the customer experience in-store and online and to build brand engagement
• What the future looks like for Baked by Melissa, including how she comes up with new recipes, and why they are putting a focus on e-commerce and pop-ups in the coming year