Like most places, their surrounding culture was a huge influence on their companies. To the point where I'd say these businesses weren't made in New York, they were made by New York.

Can’t live with the daily offerings from Banana Republic, Nordstrom and Fab.com, and yet can’t live without them?

So when one of his business school buddies left his $700 glasses on an airplane, the idea of selling inexpensive eyewear directly to consumers became crystal clear.

Students pay $1,499 per eight- to ten- week course, which include video conferences with career coaches and real world professionals.

Fashion, shopping, and luxury goods for wealthy individuals. There's nothing wrong with creating a business to serve your local market, and in fact that's precisely what you should do -- start with the market you know best. But when people like Bloomberg want to see more hard-core technology coming out of New York like other competing areas, it's a long hard road requiring a massive cultural shift. The engineering school will help, but it's going to take decades to break away from fashion, finance, and food.

But the best part by far:

...we would never speak badly about our city, but the rent is too damn high.

Yeah, well, growing the market for designer underwear sure isn't helping.