Celebrating Female Entrepreneurship on International Women’s Day

On International Women’s Day, we celebrate the remarkable achievements and contributions of women around the world. Today and every day should be like this!

I love being a woman, I love being a wife and a mother, and I love raising a strong daughter. I still have many role models who have come before me (including my mom) who have taught me and many others how to be a strong woman. Kudos to all of them!

I thought today would be the perfect day to spotlight one of my favorite brands founded by two women that I am grateful to work with as a content creator. 

MERSEA, based in Kansas City, was introduced to me a couple of years ago by a good friend, and I have loved the brand ever since.

Meet the dynamic duo behind MERSEA, two inspiring female founders blazing a trail this International Women’s Day!

Here is our recent Q&A with Melanie (‘Mel’) Bolin and Lina Dickinson:

MEET THE MERSEA FEMALE FOUNDERS

Q: How did the two of you meet?

LINA: Our two children attended the same preschool class and we became fast friends! As we were raising our kids, we discovered that we shared the same spirit for travel and wanting to start a business. 

Q:-What/When did you start MERSEA?

MEL: While we were raising our kids together, we both felt the itch to do something new. We had both previously been in the corporate world and had always wanted to build something of our own. We started the business in 2013 in Lina’s kitchen, doing everything ourselves. We’ve always been very scrappy! Our first product was a candle in a bag—we partnered with a woman in St. Joseph, Missouri, who made feed bags for horses, and convinced her to make our bags. We had originally set out to make the ultimate hostess gifts. The name MERSEA is a double entendre, since “merci”—the way that it’s pronounced—is also a way of saying thank you in French. But, “mer” and “sea” are also symbolic of where we both longed to be—near the ocean. 

Q: What makes your brand stand out from all the other clothing and lifestyle brands out there?

LINA: Because of our love for travel, we are true road warriors, and these pieces have been battle-tested. Travel always came with the pains of “what to pack” and not wanting (or able) to do laundry at every stop. These pieces are meant to be lived in and survive any road or plane trip. Our first product outside of candles was our Classic Travel Wrap, which is still one of our best sellers today. Customers gravitate towards ease and functionality—we knew we were onto something, and began creating more one-size, easy-care sweaters, that are still a part of our line today. Another aspect that sets us apart—we have had a hand in every step of the process, from packing and shipping, to design and production, and more. We truly understand every aspect of the business, and have a high-touch approach to the process. 

Q: Name one thing that is going really well right now with MERSEA, and also name one thing that is a challenge right now for MERSEA.

MEL: Can Oprah be the answer for both?  We were so excited to be selected for Oprah’s Favorite Things in 2023—and our mittens flew out of the warehouse far faster than we anticipated…we were sold out in three weeks—but the downside was we were sold out and left a lot of people wanting the mittens and disappointing anyone is never our goal—most especially Oprah!  It was a great lesson on being prepared!

Q: Who is your ideal customer? Describe her for us.

MEL: Any woman who has ever packed a suitcase! WE are the ideal customer—and so are you, Nina. We know it’s hard to pack for travels, while also needing easy, functional clothes on the go at home. Versatility is key, so we want to offer her denim that she can explore the world in comfort, or a sweater that you can roll into a suitcase and wear multiple times throughout a trip.

Q: Considering your achievements as female founders, what advice would you give to aspiring women entrepreneurs who are looking to make a significant impact in their respective industries in 2024?

LINA: Entrepreneurship is so multifaceted. Our tagline, ‘Crafted for the Journey’, encapsulates our mission for anything we make—whether it’s a candle or clothing. Our advice is to know who you want to sell to and why – and then create the product or service specifically for that person.  Tell them why you make it and why it’s perfect for them…and stick to that. Creating a business is really about being consistent, reliable and trustworthy. 

Q: I know travel inspires you both and inspires your brand too, what destination is currently on your travel bucket list?

MEL: India! We were supposed to visit our Indian manufacturers…and then Covid hit. We continue to meet with them in the U.S. but it is very important to us to personally visit each factory. We want to meet all the team members and factory workers and fully experience their culture.  We have close relationships with our partners and these personal visits are really important to maintaining that friendship.  

Q: What’s next for your brand, MERSEA?

LINA: We are re-launching our Spring denim in mid-March—and we listened and learned from our first foray in denim this fall. We have perfected our fabric and fit and it’s even softer and more comfortable this time. We call it ‘travel denim’ so it’s critical that it’s truly ‘crafted for the journey’ whether it’s a short flight to California or a long haul to Europe and beyond. We live in denim personally, and what we learned from our customer is that she wanted a roomier fit. We reworked our patterns and added in a couple of really important styles she is looking for in her wardrobe.  Between fit and fabrication and a couple of new key styles – we are very confident that our girl will feel great in our jeans and will be ready to go anywhere, anytime. 

Q: How can everyone follow along for updates on MERSEA?

MEL: You can follow along with us on social media: @merseaco on Instagram and @merseaco on TikTok. We’ve let our kids take the reigns of our TikTok. It’s been a fun way to tap into a new audience! 

A special thank you to Mel and Lina for sharing their ‘good news’ story with all of us.

I hope you enjoyed reading more about their beautiful brand and the two female founders who inspire all of us as they bring their brand to life.

To help celebrate International Women’s Day, they gave us a discount code for anyone who wants to shop the MERSEA brand. Please use GOODNEWS20 to save 20% off at checkout. That is good news because we all love to save money right now (do not forget that promo code!).

Happy International Women’s Day (today and every day) and here’s to more female founders!

Thank you all for reading this,

xoxo Nina