Black Women In Business and In Charge

Meet Melinda Herron

Melinda Herron, Founder and CEO 103 Collection

The brains behind 103 Collection, Melinda Herron, is one of very few in her enterprise. As a female in a male-driven self-care category, she has developed a chip on her shoulder and is committed to paving her way in the proverbial ‘boys club’. After being set into motion in 2019, the vegan and leaping bunny-certified brand instantly attracted a faithful following due to their amazing unisex skin products, and soon caught the attention of big names in retail including Target.

With a background in cosmetology and styling hair, Melinda Is beyond knowledgeable on products that work best for beauty and grooming of all types. A time went by and she continued to nurture her then-struggling brand, she developed an idea that changed things completely – integrating beard care! With a new identity attached to their name, 103 Collection began attracting the attention of males with healthy lifestyles in mind. Not only were the products healthy, vegan, and at a great price, they were created by a woman. This dynamic has continued to pose the brand as a heavy hitter in the world of grooming. And as an added bonus shows how a woman can be just as successful as men in their “own industry”! 

After hearing such an inspiring success story we sat down with Melinda to ask her about her entrepreneurial journey and to see what it’s like entering into a male-dominated industry.

Why did you decide to create beard care items?

“My inspiration to add beard care products into our collection was our consumers. I believe men need a product that would remedy all these issues and check all the boxes of clean beauty.”

She also gave us a bit of insight on how her previous job led to her expertise as a founder.

‘My years as a cosmetologist provided me with the knowledge of knowing exactly what would garner amazing results. I then had to ask myself, why would a man want to grow a beard? I looked at it from the same perspective as to why women want thick healthy hair. We all want to look good and feel good and having a healthy beard just makes you feel confident inside and out. I was able to apply those same ideas and create vegan beard care for all hair types. My goal is to provide beard care products that a man will love but a woman would love more.”

When asked about experiences as a woman in a male-dominated product industry Melinda said: 

“The best way to describe being a woman in this male-dominated industry is defined in one word, confidence.”

She continued on to say that tackling daily tasks as an entrepreneur not only requires confidence but knowledge, accountability, and the determination to make every day better than the last.

It’s clear that Melinda’s hard work and dedication are paying off. This month, the brand’s beard care items launched on Target.com. Other items can be found at 103Collection.com.

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