Monique Rodriguez Says Founders Should Build Their Company As If It’s Going To Be Acquired, Even If That’s Not Their Goal

Monique Rodriguez believes founders should position their businesses for acquisition.

The former registered nurse is the founder of Mielle Organics, a textured haircare company that launched in 2014 from her kitchen without a formal blueprint, according to Fortune. She bootstrapped the venture, alongside her husband Melvin, who worked as an engineer. They used their paychecks and savings to fund the company, which she described as a “huge risk” in conversation with Emma Grede.

“We had to make this work because we didn’t have a plan B to fall back on. We took all of our life savings. We took all of everything that we were making to just solely put it into Mielle. And that’s the hard part that people don’t see. They see the glory on the outside, but not really understanding the turmoil that comes with the stress of not knowing where your next payment is going to come from to fund your inventory,” Rodriguez told Grede on the “Aspire” podcast.

Despite internal challenges, Rodriguez scaled the brand into a multi-million dollar business with thousands of retail locations, including Sally Beauty, Ulta Beauty, CVS, and Walmart, according to a press release. In 2021, Mielle Organics raised a nine-figure, non-dilutive round led by Berkshire Partners, per Inc. Forbes reports that Mielle Organics made history as the first haircare brand to secure more than $100 million in investment funding.

In 2023, the company was acquired by Procter & Gamble (P&G), as AFROTECH previously reported, positioning it to transform into a global beauty brand. For Rodriguez, that outcome wasn’t accidental. It was the result of intentional, long-term decisions. She focused early on building out a strong C-suite, bringing in key leaders across marketing, finance, and operations to create the infrastructure needed to scale and sustain growth. She also secured multiple manufacturers to ensure the company had the best pricing leverage and strong profit margins, which positioned the company to be a “well-oiled engine” when P&G entered the picture, she told Grede on the “Apire” podcast.

“The great thing about P&G was that they were interested. They have been watching us for a very long time. And that’s why, when I tell founders, ‘When you are building a company, always build it like someone is going to buy you.’ Because you never know who’s looking. So you have to operate like a Fortune 500,” Rodriguez said on the podcast.

“Build a company like you are going to have it acquired, even if that’s not your goal,” she added.