Wearing a variety of hats her whole life, Michelle Denogean has an impressive resume. Still, few know that her first ambitious hat had “Writer” written across it. She spent her early years writing short stories and poems and always had a book idea in mind. “I had to put my thoughts to paper.” Born and raised in West Hills, California, Michelle kept busy with school, dance, and writing. She spent her summers working in her father’s accounting business but had zero desire to lead in business. She was a creative and believed she would do something that sprung from those resources. She got her Bachelor’s degree in Communications, with a Minor in Literature Writing, from the University of California, San Diego. Through her studies, she learned the intricacies of business. With internet access growing, Michelle saw a surge in company start-ups by younger founders, with people investing millions in them. She felt they would need help to make it. That led her to Pepperdine University to earn her MBA. She entered the business sector, gaining experience helping start-ups achieve scalable success. Early on, she oversaw product development at Fastclick, and analytics and operations at Edmunds, and more. Since then, she has held the role of Chief Marketing Officer for successful automotive and real estate brands—Edmunds, Roadster, and Side. Her hard work has paid off. To her delight, in 2023, Michelle received the coveted Icon Award for Top Marketer of the Year. Combining two of her greatest passions, Michelle knew she would one day write a book about business. A few years ago, she became passionate about helping more than just the companies she served. She realized she could reach many more start-up founders through books. With three in the works, she now wears the hat “Author.” Michelle resides in Los Angeles, California with her husband, a teenage son, and a middle school daughter. The family are avid skiers, snowboarders, and off-roaders. To Michelle’s children, CMO means “Chief Mommy Officer.”