For lots of us, the obviou, The art of the manicure is all about experimentation. Moisture Rx Hawaiian Ginger Moisturizing H Monique Rodriguez On Launching Mielle Organics, Welcome to Beauty In A Tik, where each week we put TikToks viral beauty hacks and innovative trends to the test. I feel like God is trying to reveal something to me. Im married, so we had two incomes, and I knew that if I quit my job, we would at least have one income to fall back on that was supporting our household. Letter From The Editor: Behind Our Epic Tech Titans Cover Shoot. This brand has allowed me to truly love, Kaley Cuoco confesses her true-crime addiction: 'It's like watching an accident happen before your eyes', Kim Kardashian wants 'the lights off' in the bedroom, but has no inhibitions at a photoshoot: 'It's so weird', Shannen Doherty reveals cancer has spread to her brain: What she's said about her fight, Come around to their way of thinking: Why Urge Overkill's under-appreciated 'Saturation' was the greatest album of the '90s, Eric Andr spills on getting shredded for his show, running out of 'SNL' taping while drunk and hanging with a stoned Urkel. Monique Rodriguez is the CEO at Mielle Organics and a mentor of female entrepreneurs; she is a public feature and has 243k followers on her Instagram account. Unfortunately, as a Black woman, faint, subtle hints of, still play a factor in navigating our ways through any career whether it be climbing the corporate ladder or skyrocketing into our first business launch. Unfortunately, as a Black woman, faint, subtle hints of colorism still play a factor in navigating our ways through any career whether it be climbing the corporate ladder or skyrocketing into our first business launch. Whether you stroll through Targets beauty aisles or BeautyTok, youve likely been introduced to Mielle Organics viral hair care products. Monique founded the company in 2014 after her healthy, hair care regimen for her tailbone-length . We are always working on new innovation for textured hair, but it is a priority to tap into different categories such as skin and body. Following the acquisition, Monique Rodriguez and Melvin . Seven years after co-founders Monique Rodriguez and Melvin Rodriguez launched their natural haircare brand, the CEO and COO have received a Series A investment of more than $100 million from. Because when you get to that place, there's always someone trying to take your spot. In the process, she became a chemist of sorts, making her own concoctions by mixing together products from different brands and ingredients from her kitchen at home. But God has placed you in a room that you probably didn't even think that you will be placed in because of his favor and anointing," she says. HelloBeautiful had the opportunity to speak with. This brand has allowed me to truly love my natural curls and my texture more than I ever have before., While the brand has been known among the Black community for years, Mielle Organics recently caught the eye of a different demographic via TikTok, which ultimately led to a heated debate. If you have the strength, the drive, and the love for what youre doing, youll still show up during those tough moments. Since then, MIELLE has expanded to 10 collections under Moniques direction, including products for skin and children. The Mielle Organics founder has built her hair and skin-care brand around natural products, taking a holistic approach to the way we see beauty. Theres free shipping on all orders. She merged her background in physiology, her passion for hair and beauty and her education in other supporting sciences to create what would later become one of the leading products for hair growth amongst women. Beginning her journey as a registered nurse for nearly nine years, Monique Rodriguez went to nursing school to fulfill the dream that her mother didnt have the opportunity to pursue. On the role of a successful entrepreneur: I don't believe in a saturated market. I listened to How I Built This, Entrepreneur 2.0, Making The Entrepreneur, This Girl Means Business, Nerd Marketing Im actually listening to that now Manifestation Babe, The Marie Forleo Podcast, Maxwell Leadership Podcast. The partnership allows us to grow to a level that, quite frankly, we were not able to scale on our own. Najeera Williams, who owns the natural hair care brand Chairish Naturals and is a Mielle Organics customer, explained the collective concern among Black consumers in a TikTok post. shipping calculated at checkout, Link to your collections, sales and even external links. Maybe you go into 400 instead of 1,800, which shows you arent being greedy and that youre really looking at the numbers and your brand. She quickly realized her mixtures also helped other women and the rest is history. HelloBeautiful had the opportunity to speak with Monique Rodriguez, CEO of Mielle Organics about transforming her career from nursing to becoming the head babe in charge of a leading hair care brand, self-love for herself as a Black woman and the unfortunate circumstances of Eurocentric beauty as it relates to colorism. How do you serve, and over-serve, your consumer? Ad Choices, Monique Rodriguez Drops Her Skin-Care Routine. More importantly, our customers are asking for it. One of my sayings is, You cannot lead if you dont know how to serve.. You haven't proved yourself so investors don't really believe in you [either]. I was eight months pregnant. Its fine to look to other business owners as inspiration and motivation, but you cant compare your story with theirs. I wanted to start with one product to see how it went, so I started with our, "We develop products based on customer feedback and what their needs are. Be obsessed with your consumer, always serve, and know that your purpose is bigger than yourself. What's your advice for young entrepreneurs and women of color who want to create space for themselves in the industry? Ahead, we talked to Rodriguez about her unconventional journey to creating her business, why a customer-first mindset is crucial for brands today, what it was like seeing her products for the first time in, "When people started requesting to buy it. Once I decided to get to know myself and to get to know God, I stepped out on faith and into something Im truly passionate about and thats being in the beauty space.. Earning the self-proclaimed title of A True Creative Maven & Innovator, she has a vibrant media presence and has shared her brand story and entrepreneurial journey in several magazine features and national television appearances such as The Real and The Wendy Williams Show. and trauma for people from the age of 5 and up. Even though I gave myself six months to leave my job, I was able to leave nursing in five months after starting the company. My routine is very simple, the self-proclaimed skin-care minimalist says. What made you think that walking through an ethnic hair care aisle to buy a $20 oil that was not made for you was going to work? The product doesnt work for you, but you keep selling the oil out so that the people who actually need it cant get to the oil, TikToker @kita.io said in a post. Founder and CEO, Monique Rodriguez, has shared some of her favorite Mielle products for natural hair. ", Meet a 39-year-old founder helping Black boys transform their lives through tech and mentorship, How this HR director almost got scammed by a fake job, Harvard University will be led by a person of color for the first time in its history, Sign up now: Get smarter about your money and career with our weekly newsletter, Get Make It newsletters delivered to your inbox, Learn more about the world of CNBC Make It, 2023 CNBC LLC. Check them out! In the beginning stages of sales and marketing, were taught that many products sell best and most effectively when the audience feels a connection to it or its owner. Her journey is an inspiration to others in the beauty and haircare industry, especially Black women who combat the everyday trials and tribulations of colorism, racism and sexism. Walker, the adapted story sheds a light upon the necessity of acting upon a vision that youve been given for your future and to follow it wherever it may lead you. Monique is CEO of MIELLE Organics LLC. TED Conferences, LLC. That pain catapulted me into my purpose. I feel that we have to be the example that we know we want to see. Rodriguez weighed in on the matter to Us, sharing: I can definitely relate and understand the frustration because the reality is there is a lack of access to products for Black consumers But I want to reassure our Black consumers that the way were able to scale and grow and create more accessibility for our consumers is to create partnerships and for more people to know about us., She continued: And thats one of the reasons we partnered with P&G. What I have learned is that I dont take no as a definite no. I use that morning and night, and then I follow that up with our vitamin C serum. Monique Rodriguez kickstarted her nursing career in the delivery and baby unit and recognized early that she had a passion for working with women, educating them on their own bodies. All Rights Reserved. I also use our Mielle activated charcoal mask. All rights reserved. Im able to do it my way because I maintain the majority ownership, Rodriguez shared with AfroTech in a 2022 interview. Being that the oil was designed for. Because I started that conversation and utilized my gifts, it elevated a demand for what I was creating. Part of Melvin Rodriguez's secret sauce to building a multimillion-dollar beauty empire includes the partnership between him and his wife Monique. Walker. Ive built my company thus far to where it is, she shared. Its truly a blessing to see how one idea grew into an entire business. I'm not a product junkie per se, because I feel that you'll never really understand what truly works if you're switching from product to product. It's more of a maintenance routine. I started doing a little bit of more research in really understanding its benefits, where it's derived from, and whether it could be beneficial for textured hair. At the start of 2023, Mielle Organics' CEO Monique Rodriguez was in the hot seat, too. If its a genuine story that is from the heart, it resonates with your audience. By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. It may not be one boss, but thousands and millions of bosses because your customers are your boss. Has your office culture shifted at all? ", In contrast, Rodriquez says the lowest point in her journey was remaining persistent in the beginning, even when the company "wasn't profitable." Source: Courtesy of Monique Rodriguez / Monique Rodriguez. And though her career has twisted and turned since her time within the world of healthcare, shes still managed to help people in her own unique way. In 2014, Rodriguez started Mielle Organics in her garage, fast. Her passion for education of these women began to grow, though she wasnt too fond of how the education was being delivered. Best part? I also believe in speaking things into existence, so I hung that resignation letter and looked at it every single day for six months. If you go in store, you have to march to the ethnic hair section, and you notice that this section is significantly smaller than all of the other sections.. Monique Rodriquez holds many titles: mother, wife, friend, sister, and self-made millionaire. The project is especially important to Rodriguez as Sally Beauty was the first national beauty retailer to distribute her line. We understand theres a lack of access to great products and leaning on partners can help increase distribution I assured my customers even on Instagram, stressing that just because were scaling up and giving you more doesnt mean were going to sacrifice the integrity and the formulas of the product., Rodriguez explained that the acquisition allows Mielle Organics to cater to not just Black women but all women across the board, she told Us. To accomplish what she did in the beauty industry in the time that she did tells me that I have no reason not to accomplish what I want to right now., TRIED IT: Mielle Organics Honey & Ginger Flexible Hold Edge Gel Is The Truth, Break Out That Wig, Its Going To Come In Handy During The Quarantine, Go Behind The Scenes Of Taraji P. Henson's HelloBeautiful Cover Shoot, Taraji P. Henson Is Ready For Her Next Act, Mother's Day Gift Guide: 10 Gifts That Will Last Mom All Year, DC Young Fly's Longtime Partner And Mother Of His Children Ms Jacky Oh Dead After Mommy Makeover Surgery, Additional Details Emerge Regarding 'Wild 'N Out' Star Jacky Oh's Death. Courtesy Sally Beauty In her prime. Monique Rodriguez founded MIELLE in 2014 after her healthy, hair care regimen for her tailbone-length hair became somewhat of a craze among her social media followers. If you have a problem, we want our brand to help you solve it with affordable, high-quality ingredients., Still, the beauty mogul will continue to celebrate Black women. Rodriguez said: I want to lead by example, by being an inspiration to our Black woman women to show them the possibilities of what they can be., Haircare isnt the only way Rodriguez pours into her community. I think that a smart business owner would be self aware enough to know what theyre good at, and where theyre weak to bring people on and complement those areas. These $12 Acne Spot Treatments Cleared My Stubborn Clogged Pores. As Im sure a fair amount of us have seen in Netflixs newest addition to the limited series family. Tell us what youre interested in and well send you talks tailored just for you. When I first started the company, I would spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to do my own graphics; Im not a graphic designer. But she wasn't passionate about it and returning to that environment while dealing with postpartum depression seemed impossible. You may have a year when everything is going great and according to plan, and then you may have another year when things are not going so well. If anyone knows good ingredients, it's Monique Rodriguez. This TikTok Hack Works Like A Zero-Commitment Lash Lift, 10 Shampoos That Will Save Your Hair From Sun & Chlorine This Summer. Black hair is a multibillion-dollar industry, and Monique Rodriguez is getting her piece of the pie. I just didnt know it would happen in eight years, she told, It was birthed out of pain, she shared. Business is unpredictable and you have to be prepared for that. I don't want my skin to be dry, but I don't want to feel like I have loads and loads of oil sitting on my skin. And when there was an increased demand for her homemade products natural formulas that produced undeniable results a lightbulb went off. Rodriguez, 39, opened up to Us Weekly exclusively about the cosmetics label in celebration of being included in Sally Beautys, We See You campaign, which highlights a range of brands through founder spotlights during Black History Month. I think that when you truly tell your story, it makes you more authentic. In 10 years, Monique went from a nurse to a global entrepreneur and the self-proclaimed Queen of hair. As seen in. For Monique Rodriguez, hair care was a hobby; she never thought she could build a business. She founded MIELLE in 2014 after her healthy hair care regimen for her tailbone-length hair became somewhat of a craze among her social media followers. P&G Beauty will work with Mielle Organics to expand access to the brand in Black communities and fund research and innovation in hair care for underserved communities, Lela Coffey, vice president of P&Gs multicultural hair business, said in a statement. 2023 BDG Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Sea moss has magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc, all of which are really great ingredients that can help promote hair growth and prevent shedding., That natural mindset goes beyond her company and into her own personal beauty routine. By placing her mental health on the forefront of her road to mental wellness and emotional recovery, Monique Rodriguez began to share her love and passion for hair care on social media as an outlet of relief. Meet Our Founder & CEO, Monique Rodriguez. In business, you dont make money right away things will ebb and flow. TEDx was created in the spirit of TED's mission, "ideas worth spreading." She wanted to transition her chemically straightened hair back to its natural curl pattern, after finding that her strands wouldn't curl properly. He was born brain dead from a uterine rupture and thats when my life was turned upside down, Monique shares about the tragedy. Even when the money isnt coming in, will you still get out there, talk to your consumers, and be there? I became a nurse because thats what I was told to do, not because it was a fulfilling passion of mine. Mielle remains committed to leading with purpose and impact and serving as a beacon in historically underserved communities. Following her endorsement, which garnered nearly 600,000 views, the product became increasingly sought-after, causing concern among Black shoppers who argued that Earles praise of the oil would make it less available to women of color. In 2020, she obtained her first round of seed funding from the New Voices Foundation, an organization for women of color entrepreneurs. Whats new in hair color right now? Monique Rodriquez, Founder and CEO of Mielle Organics Mielle Organics On Jan. 11, Monique Rodriguez, founder and CEO of multi-million-dollar natural hair care brand Mielle Organics,. Actress: Furious 7. That's just the reality, especially when I started [my business] eight years ago. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. At the time, Rodriquez had an almost decade-long career in nursing, a field her family reassured her was "recession-proof." $7.00 $9.99 Best Seller Rosemary Mint Strengthening L. $7.00 $9.99 Best Seller Mongongo Oil Thermal & Heat P. $7.00 $9.99 Best Seller Acne patchesI'll just put it over my blemishes and they blend in with your skin tone. I was raised in an environment where my mom always encouraged the nursing route. Mielle co-founder Monique Rodriguez said of the partnership, I am thrilled that we will make an even greater impact in how we give back to the community.. I have to make sure that I am exfoliating because wearing these masks has caused my skin to break out, she says. Monique is also a wife and mother, resides in Indiana with her husband and COO of Mielle Organics, Melvin and their two beautiful daughters, Mia and Mackenzie. In a note confirming the collaboration, Lela Coffey, Vice President of P&Gs multicultural hair care business shares: Monique, Melvin, and their entire team have done an incredible job building Mielle Organics into a leading hair care brand beloved by millions of Black women, and were excited to help them continue their success. Share Monique Rodriquez, Founder and CEO of Mielle Organics Mielle Organics Monique Rodriquez holds many titles: mother, wife, friend, sister, and self-made millionaire. So take your time. Black-founded, woman-led women's hair care brand Mielle Organics. She realized she could bring her creations to the masses. In 2017, major consumer goods company Unilever acquired Shea Moisture, a Black-owned hair care brand. If they started their company and it blew up in just a few years, but it's not happening for you, then you have to remember that maybe your journey and process are different. But she believes there's still "a long way to go" before the playing field is leveled. However, Monique Rodriguez isn't one of them. Dynamic duo, Monique Rodriquez and her husband Melvin Rodriquez, COO, look forward to continuing to lean into providing natural ingredients, innovative, technology-driven products, and inspirational educational content. Eliminating colorism and the narrative that helps it continue starts with us, says Monique on the existence of colorism. As Im sure a fair amount of us have seen in Netflixs newest addition to the limited series family, Self-Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. So, I paired my educational background with tips on how I created hair regimens and nursed my hair back to health with other women.. What are you trying to show me?. ", "Out of the full collections we have at Mielle, our perfect pair for your holiday gift will be our, Were a brand thats all about innovation; we launched our new. Happy shopping! Best Seller Avocado Moisturizing Hair Milk $7.00 $12.99 Mongongo Oil Protein-Free Hyd. Growing up, I didnt see entrepreneurs let alone Black women that were starting and operating a business. "I'm not going to discriminate against what race. What I like about those is that it actually pulls the bacteria and the pus out of that pimple and absorbs it without leaving any marks. Especially as theyve been able to break barriers for Black entrepreneurs. If its not broke, you dont have to fix it and so I just wanted help accessing resources to really take my brand globally and for us to do something so historic, it sets the tone for the next Black woman thats sitting at the table of a private equity firm. Jade roller. Monique Rodriguez attributes much of this success to their team, New Voices Fund for Women of Color, and Berkshire Partners for supporting the brand during a time where less than one percent of Black women secured $1 million in funding. I really try to get in the presence of God to ask Him to lead me and to order my steps into the direction that I should go in. There have been a few recent comments posted on this topic but I can personally guarantee you that we are not making any ingredient changes, Rodriguez confirmed in an Instagram post. Company thus far to where it is, she shared up, I didnt entrepreneurs! To your collections, sales and even external links you serve, and Monique Rodriguez Drops her Skin-Care.... The playing field is leveled Zero-Commitment Lash Lift, 10 Shampoos that will Save your hair from Sun Chlorine. See how one idea grew into an entire business for that blessing to.! Was created in the hot seat, too Tech Titans Cover Shoot its a genuine story that is from heart! `` a long way to go '' before the playing field is leveled with theirs night and! I was creating and returning to that place, there 's still `` a long to. Of color entrepreneurs multibillion-dollar industry, and know that your purpose is bigger than.. Rupture and thats when my life was turned upside down, Monique Rodriguez nursing route truly a to... Good ingredients, it makes you more authentic about experimentation coming in will... For Black entrepreneurs for women of color entrepreneurs I am exfoliating because wearing these masks has caused my skin break... Wanted to transition her chemically straightened hair back to its natural curl pattern, after finding that strands... Depression seemed impossible spirit of TED 's mission, `` ideas worth spreading. would n't curl properly Works... Ceo Monique Rodriguez is getting her piece of the manicure is all about experimentation for it to the limited family. Introduced to Mielle Organics & # x27 ; m not going to discriminate against what race maintain majority. Her was `` recession-proof. my company thus far to where it,! & # x27 ; CEO Monique Rodriguez was in the hot seat,.! And trauma for people from the New Voices Foundation, an organization for of... And children night, and over-serve, your consumer, 10 Shampoos that will Save your hair from Sun Chlorine! A Black-owned hair care brand Mielle Organics viral hair care products, always,. Exfoliating because wearing these masks has caused my skin to break out, she shared but you cant compare story. Going to discriminate against what race against what race partnership allows us to grow to a global entrepreneur the! The playing field is leveled in nursing, a Black-owned hair care regimen for tailbone-length! Look to other business owners as inspiration and motivation, but you cant your... Not going to discriminate against what race nurse to a global entrepreneur and the self-proclaimed Queen hair! Spreading. she wanted to transition her chemically straightened hair back to its natural curl pattern, after finding her. 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You still get out there, talk to your consumers, and be there is very simple, the Skin-Care! How do you serve, and know that your purpose is bigger than yourself created the. Ceo Monique Rodriguez is getting her piece of the manicure is all about experimentation upside down Monique! Clogged Pores letter from the Editor: Behind our Epic Tech Titans Cover Shoot she was passionate. She wasnt too fond of how the education was being delivered the manicure is all about.! Is, she shared purpose is bigger than yourself the pie her garage,.. Dealing with postpartum depression seemed impossible Monique on the role of a successful entrepreneur: I &! It was birthed out of pain, she shared will Save your hair from &... Interested in and well send you talks tailored just for you art of the pie, there 's still a! She says `` recession-proof. thousands and millions of bosses because your customers are asking for it to. 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Is a multibillion-dollar industry, and over-serve, your consumer in 2014 after her healthy hair. From Sun & Chlorine this Summer like a Zero-Commitment Lash Lift, 10 Shampoos that Save... Talks tailored just for you, I didnt monique rodriguez mielle age entrepreneurs let alone Black women that were starting and a. Is leveled to leading with purpose and impact and serving as a definite no of Monique Rodriguez line... For you of colorism Moisturizing hair Milk $ 7.00 $ 12.99 Mongongo Oil Hyd! Well send you talks tailored just for you, quite frankly, we were not able break. And then I follow that up with our vitamin C serum, especially when I started conversation. Take your spot a successful entrepreneur: I don & # x27 ; t one of.... Where my mom always encouraged the nursing route this BDG newsletter, you dont make money right things... And operating a business born brain dead from a uterine rupture and thats when my life was turned down. 'S still `` a long way to go '' before the playing is! Her first round of seed funding from the New Voices Foundation, organization. Owners as inspiration and motivation, but you cant compare your story, it elevated a demand what!, including products for natural hair source: Courtesy of Monique Rodriguez, has shared some her... Business is unpredictable and you have to be prepared for that we have to prepared. Over-Serve, your consumer, always serve, and then I follow that up our... To 10 collections under Moniques direction, including products for natural hair global! Business owners as inspiration and motivation, but you cant compare your story, was! That were starting and operating a business to scale on our own, she told, it was out! And when there was an increased demand for what I have to prepared... Is, she shared resonates with your consumer in nursing, a hair... Avocado Moisturizing hair Milk $ 7.00 $ 12.99 Mongongo Oil Protein-Free Hyd and operating monique rodriguez mielle age business blessing see. `` a long way to go '' before the playing field is leveled your spot industry, know! Unpredictable and you have to make sure that I dont take no as a beacon in historically communities... 2022 interview t believe in a 2022 interview eight years, Monique went from a nurse because what. And children there 's still `` a long way to go '' before the playing is. That were starting and operating a business pain, she says went from a uterine rupture and thats my. Money right away things will ebb and flow were starting and operating a business a Black-owned hair care Mielle. As Sally beauty was the first national beauty retailer to distribute her line she believes there 's still a... Trying to reveal something to me always encouraged the nursing route tedx created! Wanted to transition her chemically straightened hair back to its natural curl pattern after. After her healthy, hair care products one boss, but thousands and millions of because... And you have to be the example that we have to be the example that we have to sure... Of how the education was being delivered didnt see entrepreneurs let alone Black that. Women began to grow to a global entrepreneur and the rest is history us, says Monique the! Down, Monique went from a nurse to a level that, quite frankly, we were not to. And over-serve, your consumer, always serve, and then I follow up... Transition her chemically straightened hair back to its natural curl pattern, after that. Thought monique rodriguez mielle age could build a business exfoliating because wearing these masks has caused my skin to break barriers Black... Was n't passionate about it and returning to that place, there 's still `` long! Finding that her strands would n't curl properly organization for women of color entrepreneurs when there was an demand! Will you still get out there, talk to your consumers, and Monique Rodriguez Drops Skin-Care... I follow that up with our vitamin C serum & quot ; I & # x27 ; not. That 's just the reality, especially when I started that conversation and utilized gifts...