Emily Merrell

CEO, Six Degrees Society

San Francisco

Not many people would consider taking the leap of faith from a thriving New York fashion career into the mysterious world of networking, but Emily Merrell, founder and CEO of Six Degrees Society, did just that and quickly discovered her true calling. Since hitting the New York City market in 2014, Six Degrees Society has been quickly gaining clout in major cities across the United States, now with ten chapters including Washington DC, San Francisco, Atlanta and Boston among others.

Emily spent close to seven years in fashion marketing and events. The now entrepreneur graduated with honors from Denison University in 2009 with degrees in Spanish and Communications and immediately began her career in Buenos Aires, where she managed public relations and marketing for the country’s Cultural Concierge. Over the course of her career, Merrell has worked for leading fashion names such as Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, Club Monaco and INTERMIX. Though captivated by the creative energy of the fashion world, Merrell decided to follow her passion and build a women’s organization that sought to fix the pitfalls she found every networking group fell victim to.

Six Degrees Society was inspired by the need to create a non-judgmental, safe space where women aren’t defined by their looks, work experience or economic status, but rather by who they are. Merrell wanted to offer women the opportunity to connect on personal and professional levels while taking the guesswork out of networking. Armed with her knowledge of the industry, Merrell put her passion for connecting others in motion and founded Six Degrees Society.

"During the six years I worked in fashion, I networked frequently, but found it difficult to find a place to network where I wasn’t representing the brand I worked for," says Emily Merrell, Chief Networker and CEO of Six Degrees Society. "Six Degrees Society evolved out of gaps I saw in my personal life and the lives of my peers. Instead of seeking out other networks that always fell short of what I wanted, I decided to create my own networking group with the resources around me; each other."

Merrell first introduced her unique concept to close friends in the city, beginning with intimate dinner parties, and officially launched in the spring of 2014. In just a few short years, the brand has landed the stamp of approval from top publications including Forbes, Huffington Post, Brit + Co, PureWow and Levo League. Merrell aims to make Six Degrees Society a domestic and internationally recognized organization that transcends the barriers and stigmas around networking.