The Fashion Time Magazine

Michelle Madhok (left) is simply the most qualified woman in the New Fashion Media. Her impressive resume includes a BS in Communications from UC Berkeley, a MS in Marketing from Northwestern University, a stint as  Director of Entertainment Marketing for CBS Media and Group Director of Editorial Products for women at AOL.

Michelle currently serves as a style columnist/contributing editor for MSN Shopping, Cotton Incorporated, and the American Heart Association.  And as the sole founder and owner of White Cat Media, she has brought forth She Finds.com and Mom Finds.com, two sites that make it much easier for busy women to seek their fashionable delights…

We thank Michelle for taking time off from her busy schedule to participate in our interview.

Fashion Time: What inspired you to work in fashion?

Michelle Madhok: While working in D.C. in 2003, I used to shop at the outlet malls for friends who didn’t have time. Meanwhile,  that  Christmas was the biggest online shopping season ever, with an increase in spending of nearly 20 percent over the previous year. So after five years at AOL, I started thinking… say you want to buy black pants. No one was telling you the best place to buy black pants on the Internet. Shopping magazines like Lucky were popping up, but the online content did not exist, so I created SheFinds.com.

Fashion Time: You were Director of Entertainment Marketing for CBS Broadcasting New Media. Can you tell us what that experience was like for you?

Michelle Madhok: I was really a pioneer in the online content industry for  TV.  When I arrived at CBS I was in the marketing department and they asked “do you do internet?” I said I have an AOL account and my boss said “you’re in charge of CBS.com”. I started at CBS in 1995 as Director of Entertainment, building CBS.com from 0 to 6mm users.

I love things, ideas that change people’s lives for the better, and the Internet has changed the entire world. I never would have been able to create SheFinds if it weren’t for the Internet, because the established media wouldn’t let me in. Even with years of consumer experience from AOL and CBS and a Master’s degree from Medill, I went to a major fashion publisher to try and develop editorial content and they told me flat out, ‘We’re sorry, but you’ll have to start as an intern.’ I thought to myself, ‘I’ll create my own publication.’”

Fashion Time: Can you tell us what your typical day is, as founder of SheFinds.com and MomFinds.com, and style columnist/contributing editor for MSN Shopping, Cotton Incorporated and the American Heart Association?

Michelle Madhok: I’m lucky to have a great staff  of editors and writers and my husband is the COO. I spend most of my day trying to figure out what we’re going to do next and making sure my vision is getting translated into useful content.

I also do a lot of work marketing the business. I speak at conferences and appear regularly on better.tv.

Fashion Time: The fashion media on the Web is so over-saturated these days. There are just so many sites to choose from. What is about Mom Finds and She Finds that stand out in your mind?

Michelle Madhok: We are extremely focused  on online shopping. We want to  help women find solutions and only promoting items that can be bought online. We don’t give relationship advice or post runway photos for next season’s trends.

Fashion Time: What’s a fashion don’t for you?

Michelle Madhok: Uggh Dress over pants - horrible.

Fashion Time: If you hit the lottery, you would?

Michelle Madhok: Fly  only  via private jet.

Fashion Time: What are your thoughts on the beauty and fashion magazines photoshopping so many of the images we see?

Michelle Madhok: It makes everything look really boring - I think that’s why we like the paparazzi photos - they’re just like us!

Fashion Time: Which designer, dead or alive, would you like to have lunch with, dishing fashion ideas?

Michelle Madhok: Isaac Mizrahi - wish he was my gbf .

Fashion Time: What rule of fashion do you always break?

Michelle Madhok: I wear flats as much as possible.

Fashion Time: What movie or TV cast has had the biggest impact on fashion?

Michelle Madhok: Friends - I had the Rachel hair-do.

Fashion Time: What do you want for you birthday?

Michelle Madhok: Irene Neuwirth  moonstones from http://www.ylang23.com/shop.cfm?ShopBy=Designers&CategoryName=necklaces&DesignerID=99

Fashion Time: What’s the Number One style advice you can give to anyone?

Michelle Madhok: Quality not quantity.

Fashion Time: What’s the worst fashion trend you’ve ever seen?

Michelle Madhok: The cowboy tuxedo (known also as denim jacket)…

Fashion Time: So what does the future hold for you?

Michelle Madhok: White Cat plans to build a network of sites based on the SheFinds.com model.  The next site will be bridefinds.com. Ultimately, this network will offer advertisers an integrated marketing solution which aggregates a high-value, motivated consumer base.

Images: Courtesy of SheFinds & Momfinds.