Michelle Madhok- She Found SheFinds.com
By Teresa Rodriguez Williamson
The girl loves to shop. And bless her heart because she’s figured out a way to make money at it.
Of course, it took years of dedicated trend watching, hours of store strolling, and years of product perusing before she became the darling shopping Diva that she is today. And you can trust her insights and choices because she spends her days searching for the best products, at the best prices, for the best people. Us! So, now you don’t need track down those oh-so-perfect stilettos for your evening on the town, because Michelle has already done all the hard work for you! Thank Goodness.
Michelle Madhok- this girl has so much style and sass that people pay her to shop for them. Unfortunately, we’re not all born with the savvy shopping gene. So, that’s why Michelle, for the past, um, decade, has been the personal shopper for many busy New York women who long for her fabulous fashion wisdom. After a few stiff cosmos and the perfect handbag, Michelle decided to launch www.SheFinds.com, and all the Divas in New York said, “Amen!”
Before her exciting incarnation as the Founder and President of SheFinds, Michelle enjoyed a career in new media. First, she was the Director of Entertainment Marketing for CBS Broadcasting New Media, and then she was the Group Director of Editorial Products for women and oversaw all female-friendly content at AOL. As "Ms. M," the online beauty advisor, Michelle recommended products on a monthly basis to consumers everywhere who regularly expressed an interest in online shopping suggestions.
Michelle's knowledge and experience is what attracts time-starved, fashion forward New Yorkers to SheFinds. They know that Michelle provides not just info, but instant access to the latest trends and deals. Working with women-focused companies, such as HARPO, iVillage, Elle and Women.com gave Michelle incredible insight into what women- of all different shapes, sizes and economic backgrounds- want and need today.
Michelle is a recognized industry expert and has made TV appearances on Oxygen, ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox. She has been profiled in national magazines and newspapers and currently writes a weekly column for the Metro Paper in NYC and Boston. Not to mention moonlighting as the Contributing Style Editor for Fit Body Magazine.
We cornered Michele on the third floor of Barney’s and asked her some important Tango Diva questions:
1. What was the best decision you made in your life?
To take the chance on becoming an entrepreneur. I never want to go back to corporate America.
2. What are your most memorable travel moments?
Do I have to choose only one? I love to travel.
Turtle stalking under nothing but moonlight in Costa Rica, making a splash in the phosphorescent bay of Vieques, zooming around in a tut tut in Bangkok (and almost getting left on the street when the driver tried to extort money from us), swimming with Manta Rays in Key West, eating Tapas in San Sebastian, sleeping in a mountainside windmill in Majorca and watching the sunset from the roof of a mansion in Chennai.
3. What is the worst travel experience you’ve had?
There’s nothing worse than looking forward to a relaxing vacation and arriving to find that the place was misrepresented. Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic is very disappointing. The ocean is oil slicked and the sand is an ashtray. We spent 1 day there and then got ourselves to blissful Punta Cana.
My other worst times are when I get sick on vacation. I had a fever at the Acropolis, food poisoning on the Mayan Riviera and pneumonia in Delhi.
4. What have you learned about yourself through traveling?
After college I spent two months backpacking through Europe with just a loose itinerary and no advance reservations. After 4 weeks of living day to day I feel I am able to be less rigid in my life and my travel plans.
5. If you could choose your ultimate travel companion, living or dead, real or imaginary, who would it be?
Oprah seems like a lot of fun…and she can afford to treat me to some 5 star accoutrements.
6. What moment in your life did you feel the most alive?
I really don’t have just one. Everytime I travel and wake up to a new spectacular vista with days of exploration ahead of me I feel rejuvenated.
7. If money and time were no object, where on earth would you go?
I would really like to go on the ultimate luxury Safari. In the past I haven’t had the time to commit and now I don’t have the funds.
8. Who is your hero?
I admire many people, but mostly women who took a chance to build their own brand and were rewarded. Martha Stewart, Oprah, Marcia Kilgore and Kate Spade come to mind.
9. Name a place that you’re an expert and would be a great resource for our Divas. Tell us about it.
New York City! I eat, sleep and breathe NYC. I am a native Californian, lived in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, but no place is like New York. I love to share my New York “finds” with people. In fact I’m running a trip on October 14 in NYC to show people the fashionista’s New York.
10. And finally a word from our Featured Diva, you in your own words- give us a stirring, Diva-worthy battle cry for women everywhere to hear!
This one is on my fridge: “There are people who handle situations and people who are handled by situations.”
I always try to remember that when my travel plans hit a bump.
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But Wait- There’s More!
If you want to celebrate a shop-till-you-drop weekend with Michelle, she’ll make your dreams come true October 14 - 16, 2005.
Come spend the weekend with SheFinds in NYC and experience the city, fashionista-style!
You'll visit the trendy boutiques that you've read about in all the fashion mags and cruise the aisles of the three big "Bs," Bergdorfs, Bloomingdales and Barneys, and hit the little-known discount spots to score deals on "it" bags. As a member of this very exclusive SheFinds group, you'll get special deals and gifts at many of the stores you'll visit. Enjoy a private cocktail party at a New York boutique Eat at a hot spots and live like a NYC fashionista for a weekend.
And just for you Divas, SheFinds will give you a 15% discount- just let her know you’re a proud Tango Diva member.
More details: SheFinds
