Hi! My name is Melissa Talbert, I am the founder of KAIA Consulting, and I specialize in design and business development consulting, with a focus on female-founded startups and manufacturing in Los Angeles. My mission is to provide support to women entrepreneurs as they launch direct-to-consumer fashion businesses. I have a comprehensive background in design, operations, and creative direction, with over 17 years of experience in the design industry working in both multi-million dollar global companies and bootstrapped startups.

I have always loved the start-up style environment, and thrive in situations that require quick problem-solving, and wearing lots of hats. My superpower is my simultaneously highly creative yet highly organized brain!Have you been thinking about launching a business, but you are unsure how and where to begin? Perhaps you have an idea for a product but you need technical drawings and manufacturers. Perhaps you have the design side covered but you want to learn more about structuring a direct-to-consumer business, and want help setting up things like a business plan, retail strategy, or scalable operations. I am here to help with all of these things and more:

– design
– sourcing
– operations
– art direction
– business development
– you name it!

Launching a new business is hard, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I believe that when women support each other and work together, everyone wins. I will help you build a strong foundation to create a sustainable, scalable business, and together, we will bring your dream to life!