Michelle Denogean has worn many hats in her career but few know that her first ambitious hat had "Writer" written across it.While she has made herself known as a marketing guru and sought-after strategist in the business world, she spent her early years writing short stories and poems.Born and raised in West Hills, California, Michelle kept busy with school, dance, and writing. In the summer, she worked in her father's accounting business, but she had zero desire to lead in business. However, Michelle received her Bachelor's degree in Communications, with a Minor in Literature Writing, UC San Diego. It was there that she began to understand the intricacies of business.With the advent of the highly accessible internet, Michelle saw kids starting businesses out of their garages and people investing millions in them. Because "business is business," she knew they would need someone to pick up the inevitable pieces.

That led her to Pepperdine University, earning her MBA.Entering the business sector, Michelle oversaw divisions of Fastclick and Edmunds. Over the past fifteen years, she has held the role of Chief Marketing Officer for Edmunds, Roadster, and currently, Side. She also served in leadership positions at eHarmony and Move.com. Her hard work has paid off. To her delight, in 2023, Michelle received the coveted Icon Award for Top Marketer of the Year.A few years ago, Michelle got passionate about helping more than just the company she served.

Her inability to stay in the marketing box and her passion for asking provocative questions made her the perfect resource for anyone looking to take their start-up to the next level. But she realized she could reach out to many more start-up founders with books. With three in the works, she has now added the hat "Author" to the others.Michelle resides in Newhall, California with her husband, son in high school, and middle-school age daughter. They are avid skiers, snowboarders, and off-roaders. She says her children believe that CMO stands for "Chief Mommy Officer.".