Cathy Taylor was a former high-profile executive with the American Express global marketing group when she had the extraordinary opportunity to serve in the White House fellowship program as a National Security Council policy director under Condoleeza Rice.

“I really wanted to serve [my country] and broaden my horizons,” Cathy says of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The White House Fellows program is America’s most prestigious program for leadership and public service, and offers first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government.

After serving in the program, Cathy worked as a hedge fund manager and chose to take another path as an entrepreneur. She melded her professional and community experiences, leading her to open her own business.

“I wanted to have a more direct impact on people,” Cathy explains. “I started to look at other market opportunities and learned about how to create an emotional attachment to the consumer using technology.”

This past September, Cathy opened her flagship store, Startiste, in the Roosevelt Field Mall. Startiste is a distinctly different shopping experience not found in the usual cookie-cutter mall stores. Cathy describes Startiste as a “revolutionary retail entertainment company” but could be described as a fashionista’s version of Build A Bear. She raised the capital needed to open the store in only four months and now employs about 25 people.

“With Startiste, our goal is to build an emotional brand. We wanted to have a place for girls to hang out and to feel good about themselves,” Cathy explains.

Startiste’s target market is young girls between the ages of 8 and 16 and features three studios where the design process is connected to empowering themes. Handbag styles are linked to inspiring women leaders, jewelry items have philanthropic themes, and beauty products focus on wellness issues. Cathy hand-picked the inspiring women who embody the spirit of helping others, including Taja Seville, founder of Urban Farming, and Dacis Toll, educator and founder of Achievement First charter schools. Long Island’s own Merrick-based teen-run not-for-profit One is Greater Than None is also represented at Startiste.

Cathy’s business model might seem unusual for someone with an MBA from the Wharton School, but she is intent on her mission. “It’s not just about designing a handbag, it’s about focusing on the girls’ individuality and self-expression,” says Cathy.

Startiste customers first choose the type of product they want to create, either a handbag, jewelry or beauty product, and then select from an assortment of “ingredients,” all using one of the 16 computer kiosks or iSparkle Pods. The creative process culminates in a completely personalized design that is packaged in a beautiful box and includes information about their design’s empowerment theme. Cathy also has a comfortable spot in the store set up as a community area where girls can meet and discuss their designs.

“We see people looking for value,” Cathy said, and has kept the price points for designing individualized fashions at a reasonable price starting at about $20.

“Our goal is to expand the brand,” she says. “People are cultish about it. We have girls and their parents who want to design.” Her customer base is skewing older than she first thought, with a large portion of her clients in the 18- to 28-year-old range. Designing has also become an activity that mothers and daughters are sharing together, Cathy says.

Cathy’s mission is to help young girls be all they can be: “I want to make this [world] a better place for girls. We still have so much to do.”

For more information go to www.startistegirl.com or call 516-294-3219.

If you know a super woman who deserves good Fortune—and a profile—e-mail your nominations to Beverly at bfortune@longislandpress.com.