Monique Rodriguez didn’t just build a beauty brand—she built a movement, a multi-million-dollar empire, and a message: that even in your darkest moments, there is purpose, there is power, and yes, there is glory.

As the founder and CEO of Mielle Organics, one of the most recognized textured haircare brands on the market, Monique stands as a powerful example of what it means to turn pain into purpose. Her new book, The Glory in Your Story, releasing April 15, digs deep into the heart of that transformation—from growing up on the Southside of Chicago with a father battling addiction, to grieving the loss of her infant son, to becoming the first Black woman to secure a historic acquisition deal with Procter & Gamble.

But this story didn’t start in a glossy boardroom or with a team of investors. It started in a basement, a kitchen, and with a woman simply looking for healing.

“I didn’t set out to create a business,” Monique says. “I was sharing my experience, using social media as a creative outlet to express my passion for haircare. I’d suffered a traumatic loss, and that moment of pain sparked a shift—I knew I had to make a change.”

In 2013, Monique lost her son during a high-risk pregnancy. At the time, she was a registered nurse, having followed a practical path her mother encouraged. “I never felt fulfilled,” she reflects. “Beauty was always my passion, but nursing was stable. After losing my son, I knew I couldn’t keep going through life unfulfilled. I needed purpose.”

She began mixing her own haircare concoctions at home and documenting her regimen on social media. Her followers noticed. Her results became a talking point. And suddenly, Monique had an idea—and a community. “It became clear that Black women weren’t being educated on how to care for their natural hair,” she explains. “I saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to do something bigger than myself.”

In 2014, Mielle Organics was born. With her husband Melvin—who also serves as her co-founder and business partner—Monique launched her brand from the ground up. They packed orders from their basement, reinvested every dollar, and poured their hearts into building a company with intention and integrity.

The couple knew it wouldn’t be easy. The beauty industry is competitive, often exclusionary, and rarely offers a seat at the table to Black founders. But Monique didn’t wait for a seat—she built her own table. “We didn’t have access to capital, we didn’t have mentors. We funded everything ourselves,” she says. “That lack of resources could’ve stopped us, but instead, it made us more creative, more resourceful, and more committed.”

That commitment paid off. What started as a small, niche brand grew rapidly. Mielle Organics exploded in popularity, stocked in over 100,000 stores globally, beloved by everyday women and celebrities alike. The brand became synonymous with healthy natural hair, especially within the Black community.

Still, the road to success came with hard decisions and plenty of trial by fire. Monique recalls an early opportunity to place Mielle products in Walmart, which they initially turned down. “We knew we weren’t ready. We only had one shot to get it right,” she says. “That was a defining moment. You have to be self-aware enough to know when to slow down and build your foundation before scaling up.”

Even as Mielle flourished, Monique faced moments of doubt—financial instability, navigating shady business deals, and balancing the pressures of being a wife, mother, and CEO. But her guiding force? Faith. “I always say, feed your faith, not your fear,” she says. “When you step out on faith, doubt will creep in. But I had to trust that the vision I had was divinely inspired. I just had to keep going.”

That mindset helped her weather one of the brand’s biggest transitions yet: the acquisition by Procter & Gamble in 2023. The move made headlines, cementing Monique’s legacy as the Black female beauty founder with the largest acquisition deal in history. For some entrepreneurs, that could have marked the end of the hustle. But for Monique, it was just the beginning.

“Our goal was always global impact,” she says. “I knew that in order to reach more people, we had to grow—and that meant asking for help, aligning with the right partners, and scaling up strategically.”

That said, growth doesn’t come without growing pains. Following the acquisition, some loyal customers expressed concerns about potential changes to product formulas and even shared complaints of hair loss on social media. Monique didn’t shy away from the criticism.

“We take those concerns seriously. Hair loss can be incredibly emotional,” she says. “But there has been no medical link between our products and these claims. Our formulas have not changed. They’re dermatologist-tested, and I still personally use them, as does my family.”

She emphasized Mielle’s continued control over product development, despite the P&G partnership, and pointed to the recent achievement of earning the Skin Health Alliance seal—an industry first for a textured hair brand. “That’s the level of transparency and care we’re committed to,” she says. “We’ve always been, and will always be, community-first.”

Community is also at the core of Monique’s next chapter. Alongside her book release, she’s expanding Mielle Cares, the brand’s nonprofit arm aimed at advancing education and economic opportunity in Black and Brown communities. “This is about more than beauty,” she says. “This is about legacy. About giving back and creating paths for the next generation of entrepreneurs.”

And she’s not stopping with haircare. Monique sees skincare, wellness, and holistic beauty as the next frontiers for Mielle. “We’re not just watching trends, we’re forecasting what our consumers need before they know they need it,” she says. “That’s how you stay relevant and innovative.”

Still, empire building doesn’t come without boundaries. Monique is clear about protecting her peace—something she’s learned is essential to her success. “I’m really big on self-care,” she says. “Every morning I dedicate time to myself—working out, taking my vitamins, hydrating, focusing on my mental and physical health. True wealth starts with good health.”

As she looks ahead, Monique hopes The Glory in Your Story will inspire readers to see their own potential through a lens of faith and resilience. “We all have something special within us,” she says. “But you have to be willing to lean into the struggle, trust your journey, and keep going—even when it’s hard. That’s where the glory lives.”

From the Southside of Chicago to store shelves around the world, from personal grief to global impact, Monique Rodriguez built more than a business—she built an empire. And she’s doing it with her crown on, so every woman watching knows they can too.