With partnerships around the world, premium shelf space in 100,000+ stores inside leading U.S. retailers and much more on the horizon, Mielle Founder Monique Rodriguez is taking her beauty empire to new heights.

There's a hierarchy of influence Monique Rodriguez, Founder of Mielle and the force behind the fastest-growing Black-founded, woman-led beauty brand in the world, recites daily: “God first, family second, and business third,” she says. “When I stay anchored in my faith and the people who matter most, it becomes much easier to remember why I started.”

The success behind her brand is staggering. Mielle sells in more than 90 countries and sits in 100,000+ U.S. stores, among them Target, Walmart, Ulta and Sally Beauty, with a community of 1 million+ strong who call themselves Mielle Mavens. In 2021, she secured a non-controlling 9-figure investment from Berkshire Partners. In 2023, came a landmark partnership with P&G Beauty. In the NFL, Mielle became the league's first official textured hair care partner, following an earlier WNBA deal.

The industry noticed and she was recognized in The Glossy 50, WWD'sPower Playersand Fast Company's Brands That Matter. Philanthropy became the focus outside of the boardroom, from Mielle Cares and the M5 Rodriguez Legacy Foundation to the Obama Foundation, the Council of Fashion Designers of America and Florida A&M. With her husband, she also owns WIND ATHLTX, a luxury wellness destination uniting a gym, digital training, recovery and longevity science all under one roof. “I believe real influence comes from staying true to who you are, not trying to be someone you're not,” she says. “Success is meaningful only when it's aligned with who you are and what you stand for.”; MielleOrganics.com.  

Words Sable Marenne    |     Photos Will Sterling