With a fifteen-year proven track record of increasing sales and revenue for more than a dozen restaurants throughout America, in 2016, Monique created Milked, LLC, and with Chef Sammy at the menu’s helm, the pair opened their first restaurant Milk & Honey Café, a all-day-brunch-themed bistro in Beltsville, MD, where Monique oversees the day-to-day operations, and in less than two years, helped grow a 55-seat café into four thriving restaurants with additional locations in College Park and Bowie, MD, Atlanta, GA, and the newest addition, The Bar @ Milk and Honey, which is located in Washington, DC!
Catapulting off the success of Milk and Honey Café, Monique is embarking on a new adventure by entering the beauty space and launching her new beauty brand, Mink & Honey!
Initially derived from a personal need, as Monique Rose suffers from sensitive skin and eczema; Mink & Honey professional-grade products were never meant to be trendy. Mink & Honey Beauty is a luxury hair-, lash-and-skincare brand tailored to women of all ages and ethnicities; catering to those looking for a tried-and-trusted, yet affordable brand for daily-and-lifetime use.
Monique is a Serial Entrepreneur.
Monique is a survivor.
She’s biracial, beat cancer, escaped abuse, filed bankruptcy, benefited from foodstamps… you name it. But, she never gave up.
1.) Tell us about your business.
Mink & Honey is a luxury beauty line created to enhance the existing radiance women. We have created and handpicked items according to needs that are not being met in the industry. We know that once you have the opportunity to experience our luxury products you will immediately notice the difference.
2.) Why did you decide to take the LEAP to become an entrepreneur?
I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I’ve seen the needs within a community and decided that I needed to be the person to fill them. I love to be a problem solver.
3.) What’s the best part about being your own boss? The worst?
I love being able to provide my family with generational wealth and showing them what success looks like coming from a place of struggle. The hardest part can be trying not to give too much. I enjoy helping people, but I have learned that you have to make people earn and not just give.
4.) What have been some of your challenges and successes in business?
A challenge has been sourcing products. I only want the best for the customers who purchase Mink & Honey. This means testing and trying products and vendors until I find the best quality at the best price point. The success is seeing my vision come to life! I’ve been working on Mink & Honey for YEARS. So just seeing it become a reality is success for me.
5.) What do you love about working in your city?
I currently reside in Maryland, but I visit Atlanta very frequently and lived and worked there for a number of years. I love the flavor of the city. Its livly and the many personalties of the people keep a smile on my face.
6.) What are 3 skills every entrepreneur should have?
They should be resilient, know how to oursource and understand how to market their product or service.
