Monique Rodriguez, the founder and CEO of Mielle Organics, is proudly celebrating the brand’s 10th anniversary. Mielle has enhanced the beauty routine for women of color while staying at the forefront of the natural hair movement. The brand, now a household name, led the celebration of women who opted to embrace their authentic beauty with confidence. Host Tanika Ray interviewed Rodriguez for rolling out’s cover story on the beauty maven. Join us as we look back at Rodriguez’s journey from a registered nurse, wife and mother of two girls to her current role as CEO of a major self-care and beauty brand.
Tanika Ray: I am so honored to finally meet you. Back in 2004, I was wearing natural hair on national television. It’s extraordinary what you’ve created, especially at a time when women like us are really owning our hair and beauty. Can you describe the hair care product landscape in 2014 when you founded Mielle Organics?
Monique Rodriguez: From my perspective, there [were] a slew of products out there. It was definitely a saturated market. But in the midst of all those products, I felt there was no connection or authenticity. As a consumer, I had all these products at my fingertips, but the ingredients didn’t feel beneficial or high performing for my hair. There wasn’t enough education to help navigate my hair journey. … There was no relatability or connection, no one who looked like me and understood my needs. I felt like a small fish in a big pond when looking for products. I realized there was an untapped market and a need I could solve. As [entrepreneurs], we are solution-based. We find problems and solve them better than competitors. That’s what I aimed to do.
TR: What were your specific issues? What was the result you were looking for?
MR: … The result I was looking for was to restore my hair from a lot of heat damage. I never had a relaxer, but the amount of heat I was using on my hair did as much, if not more, damage than a relaxer. Every time you use a flat iron or blow dryer, you’re breaking the hydrogen bonds that hold the hair together. Sometimes these broken bonds can be damaged more by heat than by a relaxer. I was putting heat on my hair from the age of 12 until almost 30, literally flat ironing my hair every two weeks. So, my hair was completely damaged.
… But I remembered having these beautiful curls when I was younger. My mom used to style my hair, and it had nice growth. I wondered what happened to my curls. … I would use products, and the result was shrinking, undefined curls that were also frizzy. The frizz was due to the amount of heat I was putting on my hair, which basically fried it. I also had color in my hair at the time, which added to the damage.
One of the products I created was our Babassu Oil Mint Deep Conditioner, a protein moisture replenisher. I shared this journey and these products with my audience and community, and they were dealing with the same issues. That’s where the authentic, relatable connection came into play. We were all going through the same thing and looking for advice but couldn’t find it anywhere until I stepped up and became the answer.
TR: How much did your medical background as a nurse come into play when creating these hair products?
MR: I credit a lot to my nursing background. Understanding the science and anatomy behind the hair follicle, how hair grows, how our body works, and how it functions played a huge role in choosing ingredients. I knew what ingredients to avoid [in order] to prevent issues like eczema, psoriasis, and other skin problems. I didn’t want customers to have any issues using my product, especially with my name on it. It had to be safe, effective, and have the efficacy to sustain their hair and skin health.
Building trust was also crucial. … I spent eight years educating patients, five as a labor and delivery nurse and three as a home health nurse. I had to step out of my comfort zone and use my voice to educate my patients. I realized that if I could do that for years, I could educate people on something I truly love — hair care.
TR: I know your products are for the curly hair girls, but can girls who are still a little bit addicted to that straightening iron still use these products effectively?
MR: Absolutely. Our customers, or “Mavens” and “Mavericks,” can use our products regardless of hair type. We have a product collection for everyone. If you are curly naturally, we have products and collections that meet your needs. If you still want to straighten your hair, we have our Avocado and Tamanu collection, which is a frizz-free collection.
TR: What is the origin of the company’s name?
MR: … The name is actually after my daughters, Mia and Mackenzie. So, I have Mia Gabrielle and Mackenzie Arielle. So, they’re “My Elles.”
TR: How important was it for you when the big dogs came knocking and the big money came through, to still own a piece of the company and have a say? You sold to P&G, correct?
MR: Yes, correct. I really want people to understand that when businesses scale and grow, the goal is to create generational wealth for your family and community. Having a great … exit strategy is what all brands desire. It was a dream come true to even sit at the table with a partner like P&G. It was rewarding and fulfilling because it was a dream I had in my kitchen years ago. Who would have thought that something I built from the ground up would interest a conglomerate like P&G?
… As a result of this partnership, we’ve dedicated $20 million to Mielle Cares, which was created to help underserved communities suffering from mental health issues. We can set them on a path of entrepreneurship and success by giving them a strong mental health foundation. This is why brands need to have successful exits.
TR: Life, life be lifing. Specifically, bringing P&G on has allowed you to have the $20 million venture, as well as how were you able to fully expand your line? Is that when you went into skin care?
MR: We’re actually exploring skin care right now. As part of our partnership with P&G, we’ve been able to do groundbreaking things. … We’ve had significant partnerships with P&G, such as with the WNBA and, most recently, with the Olympics. Being the first textured hair care brand at the Olympics was huge. These are some of the things that global expansion has brought about through our partnership with P&G.
TR: And you have Angel Reese as a brand ambassador, which is huge. How do you ensure the brand stays within your intentions and doesn’t go off the rails, and that you remain the boss?
MR: For us, we are very intentional about making sure our voice is always loud. Melvin and I are still on board as CEO and COO, driving the brand and the company forward. Our voices are loud, and they matter. We have to ensure we always maintain the magic and keep the authenticity. When we sat at the table with P&G, we negotiated that we must keep the magic. Nothing will disrupt what we have built. The formulas have not changed. Our employees are still with us, and we are still in Merrillville, Indiana. We have truly operated as an independent subsidiary under P&G, which has helped us drive the vision forward and stay focused on maintaining the magic.
Images by STERLINGPICS
