Melvin Rodriguez: The “Man Behind The Brand” Reveals His Secret Sauce To Building A Multi-Million Beauty Empire

No one says being the Chief Operating Officer of one of America’s fastest-growing natural hair care companies would come as an easy feat, but then again, Melvin Rodriguez is not one for instant gratification.

With twenty years under his belt at one of the biggest multinational package delivery and supply chain management companies in America, Melvin proved his diehard ambition during these meaningful decades. Starting at UPS during his early high school years, the Chicago-native successfully climbed the ladder at the delivery company, eventually landing a position as a Systems Engineer. 

So, how does a man with a Bachelor’s in Computer Information, and a strong technology background become the COO of a lucrative beauty empire? It’s all courtesy of his high school sweetheart turned wife, Monique Rodriguez. 

“Mielle Organics was the idea and vision given to my beautiful wife, Monique, from God,” Melvin shared with Delux Magazine exclusively. “While battling the loss of our son in 2013, it was extremely difficult for us to mentally find balance. In search of peace through prayer, Monique decided to simply do what she loved, and that was tapping into beauty.”

Using her education as a Registered Nurse, Monique created an Instagram dedicated to educating followers on natural hair care, giving hair tips, and cooking up hair recipes in their kitchen. When a loyal fan inquired about purchasing the products, it sparked a fire that created Mielle Organics, which has been in business since 2014.  

“We knew we were onto something when every single bottle of our first product, Mielle Almond Mint Oil, sold out on the first day of our launch,” Melvin proudly expressed. “We had several thousand units, gone.” 

Melvin later brokered a deal with their first major retailer, Sally Beauty. Currently, they have over 50 different products found in over 100,000 retail stores in the USA, and over 35 countries internationally. The rest is his/her story.

According to Melvin, paying close attention to their customer feedback is what keeps their product flying off the shelves, and makes Mielle Organics a top competitor in the beauty business. “We pride ourselves in developing products that our customers need,” Melvin shares. Using this business platform, Mielle Organics has managed to increase growth year-to-year from 40% to 80%.

Melvin lives by the motto, “Don’t compare your chapter one of running a business to someone’s chapter ten.” He says that these words allow him to focus keenly on his family’s business empire so that it continues to flourish. 

“Be sure that it’s something that you have a passion for,” he informs. “Don’t build a business just because you think it’s good money. Running a business is like a roller coaster; it has its highs and lows, and when things are not going according to plan, you want to be able to still get up with the same energy and intensity to keep going.” 

Don’t be fooled by the tailored suit, even as the man behind the brand, Melvin manages to seamlessly find the balance between faith, family, and finances. 

“It’s truly a gift from God to be able to operate a family-owned business,” he says. “It allows me the freedom to spend time with my beautiful daughters, Mia and Mackenzie.”

Melvin says that the secret sauce to his success is God, family, and business. “This is the exact order of how I live my life. This allows me to balance my day, week, month, and year. When I leave work for the day and go home, it’s all family time.”

The Rodriguez power couple recently created a 6-week mentorship program titled, The Secret Sauce to Success Academy, to share their knowledge of business with women entrepreneurs. “It’s the woman’s time to flourish and utilize their gifts because they deserve it. Women should be treated with the same respect in the boardroom as men,” he explains. “I also encourage women to support each other because there is room for all to win.”

We would be remiss if we didn’t ask the prosperous millionaire the five business practices he lives by. “Strategy, People and Operations, Customer Responsiveness, Leadership, and Infrastructure,” he shared before offering this advice. “Remember, dreams do come true. If you put in the work for whatever you want to do in life, a positive outcome is what you will get in return. If you fail to plan, then you have just planned to fail.”

Well said. 

Melvin confirms that Mielle Organics will continue to offer high-quality hair care and beauty products in the future as they also expand their brand. 

To learn more about Melvin and the Secret Sauce to Success Academy, visit www.thesecretsauceacademy.com/