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.<p><i>Can’t live with the daily offerings from Banana Republic, Nordstrom and Fab.com, and yet can’t live without them?</i><p><i>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.</i><p><i>Students pay $1,499 per eight- to ten- week course, which include video conferences with career coaches and real world professionals.</i><p>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.<p>But the best part by far:<p><i>...we would never speak badly about our city, but the rent is too damn high.</i><p>Yeah, well, growing the market for designer underwear sure isn't helping.