How Mielle Organics CEO Monique Rodriguez Gets It Done

How I Get It Done

Successful women talk about managing their careers, and their lives.

Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Will Sterling

Mielle Organics, the brand behind the rosemary oil that went viral for hair growth, may seem like an overnight success. But that level of visibility only came after years of “grinding,” as CEO Monique Rodriguez puts it. She co-founded the brand with her husband out of their kitchen and basement in 2014 as an outlet after the traumatic loss of her infant son. “I was able to go through a period of grief in my life and find purpose in that pain,” she says. In 2023, Procter & Gamble acquired Mielle in a major deal that included both companies pledging $10 million to support Black entrepreneurs. While the company is still growing, Rodriguez says she spends a lot less time on the grind these days. Instead, she works to prioritize family, rest, and prayer. She also is releasing a memoir, The Glory in Your Story, which explores grief, triumph, her vision, and her faith in God, on April 15. Rodriguez lives with her husband and two children in South Florida; here’s how she gets it done.

On her morning routine:I wake up before everyone in the house. My oldest is in college and I have a 15-year-old at home, so I have to make sure she’s getting ready for school. I like to have warm water and lemon to open up my digestive system. I grab something quick to eat, take her to school, grab some coffee, and then I’ll work out. Before everything, I’m also praying and reading the devotional. That’s how I set the tone for the day.

On a typical workday:Meetings start around 11 a.m. Between then and 5 p.m., I’m on Zoom calls or in meetings or lunch dates. My daughter is in activities, so she gets out of school around 6 p.m. When I’m done, I can pick her up, get home, have dinner, and get ready for bed. I like to go to bed early. It’s a lot different now than when I was in the grinding stages of my business, when I did a lot of traveling and was in the office every day. We have over 300 employees now, so I don’t have to be in the building as much. A lot of things I do can be done over Zoom or in phone meetings. I have a little more freedom and flexibility. I have autonomy to say my mornings are dedicated to God, my family, and having a slow morning so I can be my best self and tackle and make decisions in the meetings that lie ahead. I value not having to get up early and go to a meeting straight at 9 a.m. That was the grind-and-hustle days, and I don’t have to do that anymore.

On delegating tasks:My schedule is a job within itself. My assistant spends 80 percent of her time doing scheduling for my husband and I. I like to save my thinking and brainpower for big decisions I have to make. Any small detail or minutiae, it takes extra brain capacity I don’t have to give. We make a lot of decisions every day that can easily be delegated, but some are super important and I want to be able to make sound, conscious decisions. Having an assistant alleviates a lot of the stress and responsibilities I carry as a CEO. She takes on that role so that I can operate in my full capacity as a decision maker.

On managing stress:I love working out. Exercise trains your body so that when you deal with stress, your body has already built up this resilience. You put your body through positive stress with weight training and cardio, and that allows you to tackle challenges. Your body doesn’t look at a stressful moment as a huge blow because it is already used to that environment.

On the unexpected challenge of her position:Being the CEO and the face of the brand are two different roles. As a CEO, you’re focused on the state of the business, the operations. And being the face of the brand, you’re faced with the scrutiny, the criticism, and also the fans. I think people see me as the face and think it looks easy and glamorous. They see me at Fashion Week or Essence Fest having a great time. But they don’t see me on calls with my team about innovation strategy or what our numbers look like. Being at the forefront of the business is a lot of weight and responsibility that I carry, and a lot of people don’t really understand how hard it is.

On the advice she wishes she’d gotten early in her career:Own who you are, believe in yourself, and know that what you’re building is going to come with criticism and negative reactions. Not everyone is going to appreciate or value what you’ve accomplished.  I remember the first time that we got criticized really harshly, and it was hurtful. I thought it was going to tarnish my reputation. But I learned that your good character and your good deeds will always outweigh the bad and negative things people may say.

On self-doubt:Entering into this space and not having any mentors or guidance, I had a lot of doubts. It was trial and error. We had to feed our confidence and our faith more than our fears and our doubts. That came with practice, perseverance, and a lot of prayer, knowing that God gave us the vision and equipped us with the resources and strategies to be successful in our endeavors. Everyone deals with self-doubt at some point in their career, and I still deal with it, especially when I step out of my comfort zone.

On ambition:I’ve always been a big dreamer, visionary, and a hard worker. I think if you love what you’re doing, there’s no reason to retire. You have to keep working, keep your mind sharp, and stay in business. You have to keep setting goals for yourself and shooting for what seems to be impossible. You never know who is learning from you or who you’re inspiring. Having that ambitious spirit also shows my daughters to never stop learning or growing.

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