Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but no one said they had to be real.

This week on SUPERWOMEN, I’m joined by Melinda Maria, founder and CEO of the $40M jewelry brand that’s redefining luxury. From selling handmade pieces in Starbucks to seeing her designs on the red carpet, she’s built an empire without caving to investors, gimmicks, or the pressure to conform.

We discuss how focusing on one thing helped her brand stand out, making “fake” diamonds feel more aspirational than the real thing. Two decades in, Melinda still owns 100% of her business, crediting every major decision to what’s right for the brand, not her ego.

Episode Guide:

(00:00) Meet Melinda Maria, founder of Melinda Maria Jewelry

(03:45) Moving to big cities with $2,000 and no plan

(07:18) Making luxury accessible for every woman

(10:44) Turning down retailers to go all-in on e-commerce

(15:43) Slow growth is the winning strategy 

(21:05) Trade-offs between work and personal life

(24:39) Inside Melinda Maria Jewelry’s first flagship store 

(28:59) Why you need to build brand equity

(31:13) Luxury isn’t about price, it’s about how you feel

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