Meet Monique Rodriguez: Founder and CEO of Viral Haircare Brand Mielle Organics

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

If you happen to be dialed in to the beauty industry, chances are you’ve come across the haircare brand Mielle Organics on TikTok or Instagram. Founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez launched Mielle in 2014 with a single product, the Mint Almond Oil. Just a year later, the product sold out in a staggering 95 Sally Beauty stores. Today, Mielle boasts an impressive range of 10 collections, each designed to address specific haircare needs. Its products can be found on the shelves of over 100,000 stores, making it a household name in the beauty industry.

It was Rodriguez’s passion for crafting high-quality, natural products that resonated with consumers, fostering an overwhelming response and building a loyal following. After facing a tragic life event, Rodriguez found solace in her love for beauty products and the science behind them. She decided to channel her energies into experimenting with hair product formulations, often concocting mixtures in her own kitchen. To share her personal haircare journey and educate others about the benefits of certain ingredients, she turned to social media. Rodriguez’s authentic and informative content quickly gained traction, attracting a dedicated following of beauty enthusiasts. Her followers soon began encouraging her to transform her homemade haircare creations into marketable products. Thus Mielle was born.

The brand's early success was a testament to Rodriguez’s unwavering commitment to her mission: to provide women with healthy, natural haircare solutions. Mielle's rapid growth over the years reflects the brand's dedication to creating products that cater to diverse hair types and textures. In fact, in a historic milestone for Black female beauty founders, Mielle was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 2023. This groundbreaking achievement marked the largest exit ever for a Black female beauty entrepreneur. 

But before Rodriguez began breaking barriers in the beauty industry, she actually started her career in the medical field working as a registered nurse in the labor and delivery unit at high-risk hospitals. She spent eight years in the medical field before finally taking the leap to follow her passion. Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Rodriguez started navigating the beauty industry to eventually building her own brand while remaining true to herself.

And keep scrolling to shop some of Mielle's best sellers.

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