Ever since she was a little girl, Melissa has loved to bake.

So when she was fired from her job in advertising in 2008, Melissa decided from that moment on she was going to do what she loved.

Drawing on inspiration from the care-free rock 'n' roll culture of the '60s and '70s and the idea that people should be able to taste more flavors without that post-dessert guilt trip, Melissa engaged the help of some key people in her life, and in 2009 opened the first Baked by Melissa shop, in New York City's SoHo district.

^[1]