Melissa Ballate Reaches New Heights at O’Hare

After two decades in her company and over 15 years of ties with the airport, this entrepreneur knows exactly how to keep contributing to her city.
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By Migdalis Pérez

While Melissa Ballate is best known as the founder of Blue Daring, a renowned creative and strategic services firm, she is also a partner and investor at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, as another way to support the city where she was born.

On the occasion of opening another store at the airport, *Gallery ORD*, the entrepreneur of Cuban-Dominican heritage stated that this new achievement represents “a symbol of the evolution of an already long-standing relationship,” as her business ties with the airport date back to 2009.

Proudly, Ballate emphasized, “This new store is something beautiful; it’s an investment to continue the relationship with the airport, to make it more attractive, more interesting, and to offer more products for customers.”

Regarding the recent opening, the entrepreneur noted it was a complete success. “It’s been great for the airport, and customers love it. [In fact], aviation and architecture magazines have already profiled it because of how beautiful the store is.”

According to Ballate, this duty-free store not only enhances the traveler’s experience but also elevates Chicago’s brand on the global stage. Gallery ORD delivers “what customers expect” while complementing the offerings of the other stores.

As for her company, Blue Daring, which has been in business for over 21 years, Ballate mentioned that her focus is on making the company “more refined, stronger, and more solid.” Notably, she shared the news of two new team members joining and the company’s recent move to a new location.

Ballate described the new office as much larger and carefully designed to reflect the company’s identity. “It’s a completely different space, but it still feels like Blue Daring; it carries our collective energy,” she affirmed.

In addition to expanding her team and office, Ballate highlighted the launch of “We’re Doing Good,” a corporate giving initiative that empowers her team to decide how the company’s donation funds are allocated. “Basically, I gave them control over how the company donates to underfunded organizations, nonprofits, and corporate giving efforts.”

Each employee has the power to choose an organization, individual, or cause close to their heart and determine where the company’s money goes. The goal of this initiative is to support small-scale local organizations where donations can have a direct and meaningful impact.

Looking ahead, Ballate emphasized her commitment to refining the services Blue Daring provides. “Everything we do, we do better: client relationships grow stronger and larger, and the bond between colleagues becomes more solid as well.”

She also plans to strengthen leadership within her team to ensure Blue Daring doesn’t rely solely on her. “I started this company 21 years ago, and I’m the leader and president, but in recent years, I’ve focused on developing my leaders,” individuals who already hold significant influence in the business.

“What I envision for Blue Daring in the coming years is for my team, my leaders, to have more influence and decision-making power, so that Blue Daring becomes not just Melissa Ballate’s company but a team of phenomenal people doing phenomenal things for the city.”

It’s clear that this entrepreneur has a well-defined vision and a strong commitment to the growth of both her team and her company. “I focus on ensuring my team makes decisions and feels confident to move forward; that way, I can concentrate on thinking about the company’s future and what we can achieve together,” she concluded.