The Messy Parts “Who the Hell Do I Think I Am?”: Melissa Ben-Ishay on Running Baked by Melissa While Doubting Herself
What happens 48 hours after you get fired? For Melissa Ben-Ishay, it was the beginning of Baked by Melissa. But this isn’t just a startup success story — it’s a conversation about rejection, imposter syndrome, and learning to own your voice. Melissa reveals to Maryam how she built a cupcake brand from her apartment, rode the subway making deliveries, and still didn’t believe she deserved to be CEO of the company that bears her name. She shares the pressure of being the face of a brand, the loneliness of leadership, and why confidence must be earned through experience. If you’ve ever struggled to ask for help, felt unworthy of your title, or wondered whether to take the opportunity in front of you — this episode will hit home.
Key Moments
She Thought She Was Getting Promoted, Then Got Fired 💔
Melissa walks into HR expecting good news — and leaves without a job. What she does in the next 48 hours changes everything.
48 Hours After Getting Fired, She Starts a Business 🚀
Still crying, still in shock — her brother says, “Let’s start a business.” No plan. No funding. Just cupcakes. Here’s how fast it moved.
Delivering Cupcakes on the Subway (Feeling Like a Fraud) 📦
She’s gluing logos onto pastry boxes in her apartment, while pretending she’s a real company. Inside, she’s thinking: Who do I think I am?
The Imposter Syndrome Nobody Saw 😳
The brand was growing. Orders were coming in. But privately, Melissa felt completely undeserving of her own success.
Her Brother Was CEO for 8 Years — Not Her 👀
The company had her name on it, but she wasn’t in charge. Why didn’t she think she was worthy of leading it?
The Founder Meltdown (Phone Thrown Against the Wall) 📱
Family tension. Leadership clashes. Emotional overload. This is the messy side of building something with people you love.
“Melissa Will Be CEO.” (She Didn’t Feel Ready.) 😰
With a baby at home and zero warning, the board names her CEO. She’s up all night questioning everything.
“Why Didn’t I Think I Deserved This?” 🎤
Melissa confronts the hardest truth: she was giving everyone else credit for her own success.
COVID Nearly Crushed the Business. Then She Pivoted 🔥
Sales drop. The world shuts down. She pounds the table and changes the messaging overnight — leading to 98% e-commerce growth.
The Subway Epiphany That Changed Her Leadership 🧠
One realization: you can’t control anything except yourself. That mindset shift becomes her superpower.
The Accidental Salad That Got 30 Million Views 🥗
A random post. Zero strategy. Massive response. The moment she decides to take the opportunity instead of ignoring it.
“It’s So Heavy.” The Truth About Being CEO ❤️
Behind the cupcakes and viral videos is pressure, burnout, and weight. Melissa admits what leadership really feels like.
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