Designers and retailers are looking for ways to expose their brand to customers. Pop-ups have become an increasingly popular strategy for both emerging designers and large companies.

Melissa Hall, founder of The Emerging Designer will interview Melissa Gonzalez, founder of The Lionesque Group, a firm of pop-up architects and author of the new book "<a>The Pop-Up Paradigm</a> on how pop-ups can benefit your brand along with insider tips on producing one and making it a success.

Run of Show

6:30-6:45: Networking and arrivals

6:45-7:30: Discussion

7:30-7:45: Q&A

7:45-8:00:Networking and book sales

Note: We'll be selling "The Pop-Up Paradigm" for a special price of $10 at the Meetup. Read our review on The Emerging Designer.

About Melissa Gonzalez

Melissa Gonzalez is CEO & Founder of The Lionesque Group. She is a retail strategist that provides pop-up activation consulting services to leading brands in fashion, beauty and lifestyle industries.

Gonzalez began her career on Wall Street at Credit Suisse in Institutional Equity Sales, while juggling a dual t.v. career hosting BETs Latin Beat for 3 seasons. Since leaving Wall Street, she has become the go-to Pop-Up Architect for companies looking to either launch their brand, or insert it into strategic conversations. She and her team have produced over 80 pop-up stores since 2009.

Beginning with the vision of the branded experience, the Lionesque Group guides clients throughout the entire lifecycle of the "pop-up experience. In 2014 their work was honored with the CLIO Image Award for experiential engagement, and were finalists for the New York Design Award for marketing and branded experiences. In the fall of 2009, Gonzalez also co-founded RSPOP with the Roger Smith hotel and has since grown the venture into 3 street level revolving storefronts, called The Market, with clients including Prince Tennis & Apparel, Johnnie-O, Ariana Rockefeller and Ellen DeGeneres' Halo Pets Foundation. In 2013, she joined the Advisory Board of the innovative online marketplace for short-term real estate spaces, TheStorefront.com, and actively works with them to expand business.

Gonzalez is an active guest blogger on pop-up and immersive retail strategies and presents at conference across the country. She has been awarded the Wall Street Journals Donor of the Day, one the top 20 Most Inspiring People in New York City and one of the Top 100 Young CEO's- via Our Time's White House Initiative.

Follow her online @melsstyles