Linda McMahon was born Linda Edwards on October 4, 1948, in New Bern, North Carolina. When she was 13 years old, she met 16 year old Vince McMahon at church. The couple married in 1966, right after she graduated high school. She joined her husband at East Carolina University and earned a BS Degree in French and a certificate to teach. In 1970, Shane McMahon was born and their daughter Stephanie followed in 1976. Shane married former WWE commentator Marissa Mazzola and Stephanie married WWE Superstar Triple H.

The family founded Titan Sports, Inc. in 1980 and two years later purchased Capitol Wrestling. Around this time, Linda and her family settled in Greenwich, Connecticut.