If there was ever a name that was synonymous with hard work and dedication, it would be thee incomparable Monica Turner.
But to understand her billion-dollar career impact, you’d first need to understand her story.
Her journey began at Procter & Gamble in 1987. Yes, in the age of people jumping jobs left and right, Turner has risen through the ranks of P&G over the past 38 years to build something truly remarkable.
She came in as a sales rep fresh out of the University of Oklahoma, 22 years old, selling paper products out of Wichita, Kansas. It was the kind of starter job most people do for a couple years before moving on. Turner stayed though, because she had a bigger vision. She worked the Kmart account in 2001, then Family Dollar in 2005. She moved up to VP, then senior VP, taking on bigger roles each time until 2021, when P&G made her president of the entire North America operation.
Now more than $43 billion in sales later, with thirty-two thousand employees and more than half of P&G’s total revenue under her leadership, I’d say it wasn’t the worst bet you can take on yourself at 22 (and it’s definitely a lesson Gen-Z might want to take notes on). Every brand that’s been in Black households for generations—Tide, Pampers, Olay, Crest, Gillette—Turner oversaw all of it. And under her leadership, that business added $13 billion in incremental sales over five years.
When you ask Turner what drives her work, she doesn’t start talking about revenue or market share (which speaks volumes about her humility — because let’s be real, I know how I’d be leading conversations if I were growing a multi-billion-dollar business). Instead, she talks about people, which is the true testament of a remarkable leader. “At P&G, our people are our greatest asset,” she says. “We continuously invest in our employees to build an innovative, entrepreneurial culture and deliver a superior employee experience.”
She says it because she’s actually lived it. Coming up through P&G over nearly four decades is no easy feat (especially as a Black woman). And though, like many of us, likely faced incredible challenges along the way, she knows what it takes to build a career there because she did every job. She was working retail accounts when a lot of today’s executives were still in college, and she gets what her team is going through because she went through it too.
So when you ask what she’s proudest of from this past year, Turner doesn’t mention the billions. “I’m most proud of the North America organization that continues to lead with commitment and resilience every single day.”
Again, for Turner, it’s more about the people, not the numbers.
Her career has been what she calls a series of “high-impact problems to solve.” Sometimes it meant transforming businesses that had been around forever but needed new direction. Other times it meant building entrepreneurial teams from nothing to tackle whatever challenge came up. These are the kind of assignments where there’s no roadmap and you could actually fail. But not Turner — she did it in stride (and at the very least, she certainly doesn’t look like what she’s been through).
And Turner’s way through it? She calls it a “possibilities mindset.” You have to take the challenge and flip it into an opportunity. “I am passionate about this approach and its power in making more possible in any context,” she says. “That’s powerful!”
And it worked. When P&G needed someone to overhaul market strategy, they called Turner. When they needed leadership for North American sales, Turner got it. When they needed someone to run the whole region—every brand, every category, all the people—they gave it to Turner. She delivered every time.
The recognition followed. In addition to being an ESSENCE 2025 Black Women in Business Awardee, the Wall Street Journal put her on their list of top 250 board directors this year. She’s on Allstate’s board. She chairs the board of trustees at the University of Cincinnati. Mass Market Retailers gave her their Women of Influence Award this year. And in 2019, Savoy named her one of the top 100 most influential women in corporate America.
But Turner seems most interested in creating space for other people. “For me, it’s inspiring to have the opportunity to be a part of others’ growth,” she says. “Investing in people will always have the highest rate of return. I believe we can build stronger workplaces and communities with opportunity for all.”
It’s different leadership, especially at that level. She could focus only on quarterly earnings and beating competitors. Instead, she’s building up the people around her. And she’s making sure the next generation doesn’t have to spend 38 years climbing the way she did. But let’s be clear, it’s not because the climb isn’t worth it (we all have to pay our dues at some point), but because there should be more ways up.
Her advice to young professionals trying to follow her path: “Be unapologetically you. Don’t shy away from risks or new opportunities. Every experience is a chance to learn, grow and make an amazing impact.”
Find mentors, she says. Build real relationships. Believe you can make a difference. “And others will join you.”
And of course, her gems would be on point because it’s all advice from someone who’s lived it. Started as a sales rep in Kansas and ended up running a $43 billion business. Took on the hardest assignments and turned them into results that changed P&G’s trajectory. Did it all as a Black woman in corporate America, at a level where there still aren’t enough of us.
Now Turner’s looking ahead. In her new role focused on strategic growth, she’s thinking about what comes next for P&G: what new opportunities exist, how to build the right infrastructure, and what the company will need to succeed in the future.
Her goals haven’t changed. “I will continue to inspire others to believe more is possible, while delivering transformative impact and breakthrough results to shape industries, organizations, and the next generation.”