Monique Rodriguez’s journey to founding Mielle Organics began after a deeply personal tragedy—the loss of her son in 2013. At the time, she was a registered nurse, but she turned to creating natural hair care products in her kitchen as a way to heal. Her passion for nourishing and healthy hair quickly grew into a business, and she started sharing her story on social media, connecting with women who also sought natural solutions for their textured hair. What started as a personal project blossomed into a thriving brand that everyone from LeToya Luckett to Angel Reese uses.
In a recent conversation with ESSENCE’s VP of Content, Nandi Howard, Rodriguez reflected on Mielle’s 10-year legacy, discussing how her kitchen experiments turned into a multi-million dollar brand. She also shared details about the company’s acquisition by Procter & Gamble (P&G), a move that stirred mixed feelings within the community. Some Black women expressed hesitancy, concerned that the brand’s original focus and commitment to quality would be compromised. However, Monique reassured that the P&G partnership was a strategic decision to expand Mielle’s reach while maintaining its mission of serving and empowering Black women. “This was something that I prayed on. It was always a vision and dream of mine to build up a successful brand and partner with a major conglomerate like P&G,” Rodriguez explains.
She emphasized that, despite their growth, Mielle remains committed to uplifting and empowering their community, especially Black women. “When I started this brand back in 2014, I started it being rooted in the community,” Rodriguez says. “Before I even had a product, engaged and connected with people solely off the fact of the education I was providing. So that engagement allowed me to build up this trustworthy community.”
Like a rose that grew from concrete, Rodriguez built Mielle Organics into a brand that not only provides natural hair care products but also creates a community of women who embrace their beauty and self-care. The partnership with P&G allows Mielle to reach even more people, however, she is dedicated in her mission to honor the brand’s origins and the women who supported it from the very beginning.
