The Prevailing Women

Monique Rodriguez

Written By: Jasmine Tiffany

Meet Monique Rodriguez, CEO of faith based company, Mielle Organics. Mielle Organics is one of the fastest growing natural hair care companies for women of color. In 2014, Rodriguez started Mielle Organics in her garage. Now, Mielle has come from the garage to the shelf and grown to become a multi-million-dollar company sold in over 100,000 major retailers. However, this family business was birthed as a result of a catastrophic tragedy.

In 2013, Rodriguez was 8 months pregnant with her son Milan. Her uterus ruptured and she was rushed to the hospital. She was released to go home but while at home she had no idea that her son was losing oxygen to his brain daily. When it was time for Monique to deliver, her son was born brain dead. She didn’t want to let Milan go, so she decided to keep him on life support until he passed away at 6 months.

At this time, Monique was feeling distraught, empty and felt she had no purpose in life. In order to take her mind off reality, she started researching and playing around on her Instagram with hair products. She had no intentions of creating a line and only wantedto talk about her passion for beauty products. Whenever she would post on Instagram, people wanted to know her hair regimen, so she began with one bottle of oil that she sold online. The business started to grow rapidly and that’s how Mielle Organics was born. Rodriguez was always passionate about hair and beauty and didn’t discover that until she went through her pain. She believes that each time a woman shares her life’s journey–the challenges and triumphs, insecurities and setbacks–it heals and empowers another woman. It’s her mission to help empower and unite women everywhere with her testimony and foundation, Mielle Cares. We had a chance to sit down with this mogul to talk more about family, God and women entrepreneurship.

Your story is compelling in a powerful, irresistible way. At what point did you realize that this should be heard?

I realized it needed to be heard after speaking with a hairstylist at Essence fest and I opened up and told her my story. That was my first time opening up about my tragic situation and I feel like she was a vessel. She told me to share my testimony and be obedient to God's will. This is my testimony to show others the power of God and how he can bless you, he can change your life. I realized it wasn't about me, I learned that it's about the impact I make on others' lives. It's about God and how he brought me through that. I would not be obedient if I did not share my testimony and how awesome God is.

What inspired you to make your business a priority, when first starting out?

My business is a priority but I always prioritize by keeping God first, family and business because I never want my family to resent me for starting a business, they are a part of it. It may be times they ask a question and I say hold on a second, but I am present with them at all times, when they are asking questions or want to have convo.So I run my life with God, family and business in that order. Once I started keeping God at the center and making him a priority everything fell into place.

Has entrepreneurship affected your family dynamic in any way?

It has changed the trajectory of our family's life and our legacy. Our goal is to leave a legacy for my girls and inspire them. Seeing their mommy follow her dreams, inspires them to do the things that they love to do. They also know whatever they love doing they can make a career out of it. It has given me more flexibility, I can take vacations whenever, and bring my kids to work if I need to. It has changed for the better. For my girls to be a witness of it and see it is truly amazing.

Women face a lot of adversity and doubt. What advice would you give to someone looking to overcome this obstacle? My advice is that I’d rather succeed in faith than to fail in fear. Fear causes doubt and anxiety. Every entrepreneur may have doubt but we choose to feed our faith and not fears. In business, there are roadblocks and challenges but the ones that survive and make it are the ones that know how to navigate through the adversity. It's a mindset shift and you have to have a positive perspective about things. It truly matters when you are hit with adversity.

You stated on your website that “big things often start small”. What was that process like in terms of growing and becoming a global business?

I started in my kitchen, it was just an idea. My little idea turned into a major successful business that is in over 100,000 major retail stores. It was a challenge growing and scaling the business but definitely worth it. We started with one product and turned into a global beauty business.

Your podcast “The Secret Sauce To Success” sounds perfect for women who may need that extra push for motivation. What can you share with us (without revealing much) from the podcast that you would say is a part of the “secret sauce”?

Part of secret sauce is being authentically you. Knowing that God created you and not a duplicate. What I tell everyone is being true to yourself, your values and what you represent. No one can ever replace that.

With over nine years of experience in nursing, how was thattransition for you into the hair care business?

The transition was different but I was up for the challenge. I was excited about the entrepreneur journey and I was ready for whatever curve balls it threw at me. I knew I was fed up with my job and even though I wasn't making money, I saw growth month over month and year over year and was able to officially leave my job.

Has offering mentorship through your business taken Mielle to new heights? What would a mentee of Monique say the experience is like?

My mentorship program has gotten me more exposure as far as my Monique Rodreguez brand. A lot of my Mielle consumers are hair people and they love to talk about hair. My personal page is for hair advice and also business advice. A mentee of mine would say I am transparent and truthful about building a business. I give tactical steps in order to help grow and scale the business. I talk about the highs and lows. Instagram makes entrepreneurship look easy so my mentees love that I am open and honest about everything.

What can we look forward to from Mielle Organics?

More innovation, more products. Continuing to meet the needs of my consumers and delivering them great products and a great experience all across the board.

I realized it wasn't about me, I learned that it's about the impact I make on others' lives.

Yolanda Smilez

Written By: Porsha Ari

If you keep up with entertainment news, then you probably understand the anticipation of seeing remarkably gifted people awarded for their talent . The long list of popular award shows include the Grammys, Oscars, BET Awards and now the Roc Awards Show that takes place annually in Rochester, New York. This inner-city award show happens every February and has received a lot of attention over the years.

The Roc Awards began eight years ago when local comedian Yolanda “Smilez” noticed there were no events that recognized the everyday people that made the urban community she lived in. Smilez is a professional traveling comedian, so she undoubtedly has a special connection with people. When there was a brief conflict among local entertainers in Rochester, she determined that something to honor the people within the community would resolve many of those issues. Smilez along with a few friends created a public platform that recognizes local residents of color by highlighting their accomplishments and celebrating their contributions and talents.

“This awards show is for the people and by the people”, said Smilez. “There were so many people in my community that mattered to us and we never heard their names. So many talented people are overlooked, so I decided to create an award show for us.” With over 40 award categories, The Roc Awards Show is truly a celebration and an amazing way to bring the community together.

Smilez developed The Roc Awards as a vehicle to reinvest in her community. Each year her charitable organization, Roc Award Cares, donates partial proceeds to another not-for-profit organization that benefits the less fortunate. In the past, Roc Awards Cares has donated funding that allowed children with autism to attend a local summer music program. This year, the organization donated to an orphanage in

the Democratic Republic of Congo to support the less fortunate children. “Roc Award Cares is a fundraising team dedicated to giving back to people and organizations in need,” explained Smilez. “We have a lot of fun at The Roc Awards, but we are truly servants to our community.”

Over the years, the event that was once in a hotel ballroom has gained support from local residents and city stakeholders. Today, it has evolved into a stellar night of entertainment . This past awards show included a tribute to families of victims of violence, where local artists gathered to perform a hip hop cypher in a remake of the 1989 song “Self-Destruction” by The Stop The Violence Movement.

The Roc Awards Show allows guests to celebrate the magic of being black and gifted. The event is a salute to community, black excellence and artistry within the area. Award show categories include Best Stage Play, Best Author and Salon of the Year. There are so many areas to acknowledge, it is difficult to exclude anyone. Without a doubt, The Roc Awards Show sends a message to its urban community that says,

“ We see you. Keep doing your thing!

Catherine Williamson Hardy

Women in Government: 10 Steps to Getting In & Moving Up Written by Rosalyn Harris

If you haven’t been bit by the entrepreneur bug yet, and considering a career in government, you’ll want to grab your tea cup and take notes for this one.

Boss women don’t just occupy the business world. They also occupy our government agencies. Catherine Williamson-Hardy, the Deputy Director of Durham County’s Department of Social Services (DSS) in North Carolina, has over 25 years in the government sector, operating in various management roles across multiple state and local departments. Williamson-Hardy is the first person to ever employ this role within Durham County DSS, as the role itself is also new to the department. Specifically, the Deputy Director role was birthed from a need recognized by the department’s board and county management that there was an essential need for a different management structure within the department; one which could effectively ensure continuality of operations and manage the complexities that arise from an ever-changing agency that employs 500+ employees, is federal and state mandated, and has a $64 million dollar budget. Williamson-Hardy was asked to assume the role of Deputy Director after serving as interim Director for six months.

Williamson-Hardy recalls openly sharing with the board when she was appointed interim Director that she had no desire to permanently fill that role and would not be applying for the position. She intended to go back to her role as an Assistant Director. However, her work ethic told a different story. She worked like she wanted the job, not because she did, but because that’s who she is. In any position that Williamson-Hardy has taken, it’s been her natural response to perform that job well above 100%. She intentionally sets her mind on making sure that she is always presenting herself and working in such a way that would fit any opportunity that might come her way. Basically, she stays ready. Central University. Starting from a temporary position and later serving in various roles throughout the department, she was consistently promoted to higher ranks. Those promotions did not skip a beat when she and her family relocated to Maryland in 1997, or when she left the government sector for the academia world after being recruited by Appalachian State University to join their team that led staff development and training for child welfare systems around the country and internationally. Williamson-Hardy’s stint with academia lasted 7 years before she returned back to Durham County DSS for the third time. All three times she’s returned, Williamson-Hardy has always been welcomed back without pause. It’s proof that being a valuable asset to your organization is priceless and will ensure hinges are on your former place of employment.

Williamson-Hardy opened up her toolbox to share with us everything it took for her to build her professional brand and successfully progress through her career in government. We’ve taken those tools and compiled a list of gems for the professional woman who is interested in working in or advancing in government agencies. These

Intentionally Prioritize Your Mind, Body, and Spirit. Williamson-Hardy emphasizes the importance of women maintaining their identity in the midst of pursuing professional goals and life in general. Carving out time for yourself mentally, spiritually, and physically so that you have enough mental fortitude to be able to show up in all of the other aspects of your life is critical. Give yourself a break sometimes and recognize that there will be seasons in your life where this task is much harder than other times; but if you constantly make this a priority, it will never fall off your radar. If you find yourself struggling with holding on to your identity or giving your all to your career, family, etcetera, then you should stop, rewrite the equation and add yourself back in. Identify those things that make YOU whole and complete and hold on to them for your life. For Williamson-Hardy, those things are her spiritual life, her family, friends, and doing the things that are just about Catherine (not Catherine the mother, Catherine the wife, or Catherine the Director) – just Catherine.

Build Really Great Relationships. Williamson-Hardy has been able to explore career opportunities at multiple agencies and institutions while leaving and coming back to Durham County DSS three times. This is partly due to her ability to build excellent rapport with colleagues and consumers alike. Even when first entering the government sector as a temporary employee for Durham County DSS, she was called upon by a sorority sister and asked if she’d be interested in the job. Williamson-Hardy has learned that most often, a lot of the places that she wanted to go and tables she wanted to sit at, she did not have access to in the moment that she desired it. So, it was important for her to position herself so that the people who did have access to those tables could introduce her name into the conversation whenever opportunities were being discussed that she had already proven herself capable of handling. Ensure that the relationships you build enable people to feel confident speaking positively on your behalf. realized that all of the opportunities that presented themselves to her and that helped her to advance professionally, were happening at tables that she didn’t even know existed. Her name would come up at those tables partly due to her relationships, but ultimately because of her professional brand and reputation. As you continue to grow in your respective profession, the weight of your name and professional brand should also grow. That weight shouldn’t be measured by title or stature, but by your competency and work ethic.

Stay Prepared for Expected AND Unexpected Opportunities.

When Williamson-Hardy’s husband’s job relocated their family to Maryland, she initially interviewed for a temporary position at St. Mary’s County DSS managing contracts. She did not get that job. However, the Director was so impressed by everything Williamson-Hardy had accomplished that she created a temporary position for her, based on a need that the Director had, that she felt would be a better fit for Williamson-Hardy. Fast forward a few months later while Williamson-Hardy was out of work on maternity leave, (yes, she got the job while 6-months pregnant) the same Director gave her a call to commend her on her great work that she had done for the agency thus far and offered to make her temporary position permanent. In less than three years,

Consciously Build Your Reputable Professional Brand. Williamson-Hardy has always been conscious of building a solid professional reputation for herself from the very early stages of her career. She found that it was very important who people said she was when she wasn’t in the room. If you’re trying to move ahead and grow, most of the time the opportunities that you seek present themselves outside of your presence. As she grew her career, she

she became an Assistant Director at that Agency. It goes to show that opportunities can land in your lap when you least expect it; even while working and preparing for the ones that you actually know about. Trusting God and being a good steward over the gifts and opportunities He has afforded you naturally creates other opportunities that continue to prepare you for future ones.

Say Yes Now. Learn How Later. When Williamson-Hardy said “yes” to her sorority sister regarding the temporary position with Durham County DSS, she didn’t know she would be asked to be the supervisor of the program which she was onboarding. The purpose of this program was to help seniors of low income families who need help paying for their heating and cooling bill. Williamson-Hardy accepted the call as supervisor of the program, which is only offered during a specific time period each year. She was given a manual and had about two weeks to learn the program, policies and procedures before the employees that she was going to be responsible for training and ensuring they understood the policies and procedures came on board. From that one manual, she was able to effectively perform that job without any other prior relevant experience and do so well enough to earn her a permanent entry level position within the agency. Capitalize on the opportunities that you want, even if you think you’re not qualified for them, and do the work to learn the ropes as you go.

Master Your Work. Mastering the tasks and responsibilities of her job was the foundation on which Williamson-Hardy built her professional brand. Williamson-Hardy’s belief has always been placed in doing the work, and trusting God to do the rest. She believes that it is imperative to demonstrate a level of mastery of your current job, while seeking advancement. This signals to those who can open doors for you that you are ready to move up. Often this is a challenge, but demonstrated competencies are priceless and become part of your professional brand. It’s not about magic, luck or even being special. It’s about doing the work and being prepared for opportunities when they present themselves.

Always Be Hungry to Learn. Having a learner mentality and not getting complacent set Williamson-Hardy up for having more breath, depth and knowledge in her industry and work settings. For Williamson-Hardy, that learner mentality looked like taking on new roles and responsibilities that would position her to learn more within the agency even when there was no additional compensation. It also looked like seeking out mentorships, attending conferences, joining professional groups and doing whatever she saw other people doing who were presenting themselves in the ways that she aspired to present herself. Look at those people who are showing up and delivering in the ways that you aspire to, then take the time to understand what it takes to get there and do your best to expose yourself to that same process.

Choose Mentors Strategically. When choosing mentors, Williamson-Hardy had a strategy that she recommends. Seek out two types of mentors: ones who are like you and ones who are completely different from you. Between the two types, they will help reveal your strengths and weaknesses to you and eliminate your blind spots that subconsciously hinder you from growing.

Meet the Expectations. Williamson-Hardy’s job has long required her to screen and hire suitable candidates within the agencies she’s worked in. What does she look for? o Technical competencies o Vision o Ability to effectively make decisions and recommendations o Communication skills o Emotional intelligence o Adaptive leadership skills o Integrity o Someone who has high levels of compassion and courage o Self-awareness o Demonstrated relationship management skills o Someone who supports learning and development in others and is a life-long learner themselves

Ambitiously Envision Where You’re Going, While Ambitiously Excelling Where You Are. It’s okay to have grand ambition and a willingness to work for it. Williamson-Hardy applauds women for having grand ambition. However, starting off in your career, you can get so caught up in the discontent

of the position you’re in, that it impacts your performance, which then limits future opportunities for you; because the only thing people have to go by is what you’ve done. You don’t want to lose sight of what you’re tasked to do because you’re too busy looking forward to the future. WilliamsonHardy says, “I applaud you for having grand ambition and thinking about what you want to do next, but I implore you to work the job you’re in as if it’s your dream job, so that when an opportunity presents itself, someone can look at the work you’ve done to say you’re the right person for that next opportunity.”

Applying these tools has propelled Williamson-Hardy from her start as a temporary worker to the first Deputy Director of her Agency. In addition, as the founder and lead trainer of Creative Approaches to Talent Development, LLC, she couples her experiences and training skills to share her considerable knowledge as a leader to equip individuals and teams for success. We trust that one or two of these gems will resonate with you and you will add to your tool box.