Founder, Product Strategist, Published Writer
About The Founder
Melissa Henderson is an international lifestyle writer and businesswoman. Throughout her career, she has managed to overcome many apparent and invisible barriers that lead her into many successful and revenue-driven opportunities, as proven from the many pages of this website.
2011-2014
She graduated from The George Washington University with a degree in Political Science and has since developed her career working with publishing houses, fashion, tech, and beauty brands. She also writes about her experiences and shares culturally relevant insights on various platforms. Since 2011, Melissa has worked on content strategy campaigns for clients like eBay, LS&Co, WebMD, WURD radio, and LOL Kids Armonk. At Publicis Advertising Agency, she wrote, executed, and launched a $3 million marketing automation campaign for a woman-focused lifestyle drug on the Nexxus platform. Fun fact: She also used to tweet and curate CRM strategy documents for Red Lobster.
In 2014, the Philly- native contributed her thoughts on style to the New York Times Best Selling book Women in Clothes, published by Penguin House. In 2015, the beautiful soul penned an article in her Huffington Post column based on her Marxist love theory that was made into a short film by fellow high school classmate Sanford Jenkins. Later that year, she decided to self-publish a zine entitled, Violet Summer Zine, about style and maintaining relationships that was released on Amazon.com.
2016
In 2016, Issue 2 of Violet Summer Zine went global. The issue featured original interviews from Grammy-nominated artist Kelsea Ballerini, Kandace Springs, and Indie singer Kilo Kish. The issue also featured Sanity Addiction: Part 1, which was distributed on XO Jane and Yahoo.com platforms. The provocative storyline of Sanity Addiction Part 1 caught the attention of The Daily Mail UK for spreading awareness for revenge porn and internet slut-shaming, and calling for regulation for digital human rights.
2017
In 2017, Melissa was invited to explore Paris by the French Government and A’tout France Tourism Agency. Her assignment was to write about the city in relation to Harlem on her Huffington Post blog. From this life-changing trip, Melissa released a series of articles entitled From Harlem to Paris. She was invited back to France to document her journey touring golf courses, where she was able to write remotely for Jet Magazine, Ebony Magazine, and numerous other publications. Later on that year, the writer released her third issue of Violet Summer Zine, collaborating with entrepreneurial women from Los Angeles to New Zealand, selling/printing over 60 copies, and garnering over 10,000 organic views in three months on Joomag.com, a digital publishing platform. The zine and the author were both recognized in The New York Post for inspiring people to do projects outside of work. This was a busy and transitional year, indeed. By the end of 2017, Melissa joined A Complete Skincare to focus on female empowerment by collaborating with women lead NGOs from all over the world, as well as build her expertise in Latin America Business.
Melissa discovered blockchain technology while working alongside impact investors and top family offices.
2018
After her stint in entrepreneurship and working with family offices, Melissa was recruited to work with Gizmodo Media, formerly Gawker Media as a strategist for Lifehacker, Gizmodo, The Onion, The Root, Jezebel, Jalopnik, Kotaku, and other affiliate sites.
2021:
Her experience working with and exploring tech, cultural and multicultural companies has managed to propel her career in the digital space. She is currently exploring partnerships and roles within the crypto open-source spaces and is excited about building community with Web 3.0.
In July 2021, Melissa designed and built a VR-lifestyle platform that merges content with e-commerce
She joined a python blockchain software startup as Head of Community.
2022:
Melissa founded Violet Verse, Inc., a content management software powered by blockchain for publishers, creators and Web3 communities.