The country's top chefs, designers, media personalities and businesses are part of this dynamic city. We know that Chicagoans are used to the highest standards.

Work is changing for men as much as it is for women.

Hiring great people is almost the most important thing you can do as a leader because they enable you to scale, and they create better leverage for you and your time.

So there's no typical day, but I transition through the course of my business day by doing everything from construction meetings on the development project under construction to design meetings for an upcoming apparel delivery to acquisition meetings about projects we're looking to acquire. It's very diverse in terms of content, substance, and what I address on a typical day.

If people think they can elicit from me whatever terms they want, they are mistaken.

I've never had a sense of entitlement. I saw how hard my father worked for his money, and it was always made very clear to me that things wouldn't just be given to me.

Accessories are crucial. A great bag and a piece of statement jewelry are the fastest way to elevate an otherwise understated look.