Linda Collins: Leading With Purpose To Create Sustainable, Health-Driven Consumer Brands

With wellness becoming a top priority, consumers are growing health conscious and turning to healthy food and beverages that combine nutrition and hydration. This shift has given rise to the health and wellness drinks segment, a rapidly growing category that includes enhanced waters, apoptogenic teas, and probiotic beverages. Organizations are now intentionally investing and promoting health forward beverages as they have become an essential part of daily routines, blending convenience with purposeful nutrition.

At the intersection of sustainability, wellness, and brand innovation, Linda Collins has established herself as a dynamic force in the consumer goods industry. As Co-Founder and CSO of ZENWTR, Core Foods, and MYMUSE brands that she co-created with her husband Lance Collins, Linda has facilitated the development of clean, functional products tailored to health-conscious consumers.

Beyond her entrepreneurial ventures, Linda is also active in media and advocacy, producing documentaries, acting in international films, and founding Models with a Cause to amplify humanitarian efforts. With a deep-rooted passion for giving back, Linda has served in advisory and operational capacities for cause such as the Rett Syndrome Research Trust and Light School Uriri, where she played a key role in classroom construction and strategic communications. Her influence extends through her board work with Visionary women and longstanding dedication to philanthropy.

What have been the most defining moments and key influences in your professional journey?

My early career in modeling and media may seem worlds apart from the business environment I operate in today, but it laid a surprisingly strong foundation. It taught me how to confidently own a room, communicate beyond words, and cultivate genuine relationship. These skills became cornerstones in how I lead teams, present ideas, and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics.

Co-founding MYMUSE was a turning point that challenged me to evolve from being a brand ambassador to becoming a brand architect. It pushed me to lead with intention and empathy, embedding transparency, wellness, and sustainability into the company not as trendy buzzwords, but, as core, non-negotiable values that drive both our culture and strategy. Co-creating with my husband, Lance, became a pivotal chapter that helped shape my professional identity.

At the core of our team culture is a powerful example set by women leaders in her organization, who embody seamless balance between professional excellence and personal commitment. Their leadership is driven by authenticity, connection, and an unwavering dedication to health and wellness.

Take us through your professional journey and crucial turning points.

Media was my first classroom in business psychology. Working in media introduced me to the power of branding and storytelling at an emotional level, but it was my transition to consulting for purpose-driven brands that deepened my understanding of business strategy. That behind-the-scenes work sparked a realization that I was ready to lead from the front, not just amplify messages, but craft ones that truly mattered.

My entrepreneurial journey with Lance is rooted in a shared passion for wellness and a belief that what we consume should serve our health. We are not just building a beverage brand, we are cultivating a team of purpose-driven leaders, each contributing to a product that truly impacts lives.

Follow through on your commitment and lead by example with all your heart

What motivated you to move towards social development and sustainability in your work? Outline the various projects you undertook in these sectors.

While I support several wellness-driven brands like RECOVER180, Core Foods and ZENWTR, MYMUSE remains my top priority, it is what I believe in, use daily, and trust for my family. As I travelled more, I became increasingly aware of how everyday consumption choices affect the environment and local communities. That awareness sparked a deeper purpose, to use business a s a platform for meaningful change.

I got involved with grassroots efforts, from ethically sourced fashion to clean water projects with NGOs. This mission ultimately inspired the creation of MYMUSE, and continues to guide every brand my husband, Lance and I support like RECOVER 180, an organic sports hydration drink, WTR+, a vapor-distilled premium water, Casa Azul, an ultra-clean organic tequila, and ZENWTR, the first beverage in a bottle made from 100 percent ocean-bound plastic. Our impact is collective, and I see every partner as equally essential to our shared purpose of doing good.

What led you to establish MYMUSE Organics?

I have co-founded several brands such as Core Foods, ZENWTR, and MYMUSE. Each brand has its own unique position and purpose to serve. MyMuse was born from that exact moment, recognizing a gap in the market for hydration that was both genuinely healthy and enjoyable to drink.

Consumers were growing more mindful, but many existing options were either too clinical or lacked real flavour appeal. We set out to create a beverage that delivered on both, organic, low-sugar hydration that supports immunity. Together, my husband and I have focused our expertise on building functional, organic, electrolyte beverages that prioritize wellness without the artificial extras.

As a business leader, how do you approach leadership?

In my experience, when your values, your product and your people, all are in sync, success becomes a natural outcome. I lead with clarity, compassion, and consistency to lead with focus and build team connectivity. For me, the foundation is built on integrity. None of the worldly success would be possible without the extraordinary women on my team who lead with strength and lift each other up.

What larger impact do you wish to create through your work and contributions?

Our long-term vision centres on advancing public health and well-being through accessible, high-integrity products. I strongly believe that purpose-driven leadership is no longer optional, it is the future. I am passionate about redefining wellness through products and platforms that serve both individual and collective well-being.

With MYMUSE as a starting point, I aim to inspire more founders, particularly women, to build companies rooted in values, not just valuation. At the core, MYMUSE stands for meaningful hydration, nourishing the body and supporting a greater good for the people and planet.

Linda Collins, Co-Founder & CSO, Mymuse

A multifaceted leader in the health and wellness space, Linda Collins is the Co-Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of ZENWTR, Core Foods, and MUSE Organic. Her strategic foresight, brand-building expertise, and commitment to clean-label innovation have made her a driving force in the functional beverage and nutrition sectors. She has actively engaged in philanthropic leadership roles, notably advising the Rett Syndrome Research Trust and contributing to educational development and visibility for a non-governmental school in rural Kenya.