Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Milokssy Resto of Monarchs Is Helping To Change Our World
Hype burns hot and disappears. Impact compounds slowly, but it creates something that outlives headlines and doesn’t require constant noise to survive.
As a part of our series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Milokssy “Milo” Resto. Milokssy “Milo” Resto is an entrepreneur, media executive, and social-impact builder who rose to national visibility after winning The Big Shot with Bethenny Frankel. She is the founder of Monarchs, a wellness company focused on stability and dignity, and President of Telenovisa43 International, expanding Dominican voices globally. Her work now extends into nonprofit efforts centered on direct aid, transparency, and restoring dignity to underserved children and families.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I didn’t arrive here through a straight line, I arrived through friction. After The Big Shot, I assumed doors would open, instead many quietly stayed shut. That forced me to confront a hard truth: visibility does not equal security, so I stopped waiting for permission and started building companies and platforms that reflected my values instead of chasing validation.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
The most interesting moment wasn’t a press headline, it was silence. After launching Monarchs and stepping into leadership at Telenovisa43 International, I realized how uncomfortable it makes people when you don’t ask to be legitimized. That silence taught me that real leadership often starts where applause ends.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I was first starting, I took “being accessible” a little too literally. I gave out my personal phone number to everyone, partners, vendors, customers, thinking it showed leadership and hustle. Within weeks, I was getting texts at 2 a.m. about minor issues that absolutely could have waited, including one message that simply said, “Quick question 😊” with no question attached. It was funny in hindsight and exhausting in real time. The lesson was critical: accessibility without boundaries isn’t leadership, it’s chaos. I learned that strong leaders don’t disappear, but they do design structure so the mission doesn’t depend on their constant availability.
Can you describe how you or your organization is making a significant social impact?
We are 𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐨 challenging the idea that charity needs a middleman, 𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 direct-to-community aid models, and 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐠 a shift from performative donations to accountable impact. My nonprofit work focuses on delivering clothing and essential support directly to children and families, starting in the Dominican Republic, without resale, profit, or dilution. The goal is dignity, not optics.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
On one trip to the Dominican Republic, a young boy received a pair of sneakers my son had outgrown. He didn’t run off excitedly, he sat down and put them on carefully, like they were something fragile. That moment made it painfully clear to me that what we casually discard can fundamentally change how someone walks through the world.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
First, demand transparency in donation systems and stop labeling resale as charity. Second, incentivize direct-aid nonprofits that prove distribution, not just collection. Third, include affected communities in decision-making instead of designing solutions from a distance.
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Leadership is the willingness to absorb risk so others can have stability. It’s not about titles or platforms, it’s about standing in uncertainty and still choosing responsibility. Real leaders don’t outsource consequences.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1. Visibility is not leverage.
National exposure taught me that being seen does not mean being supported. If you don’t have infrastructure, ownership, and control underneath the spotlight, it fades fast. Substance has to come first.
2. Permission is a trap.
Consensus feels responsible, but it often disguises fear. The most meaningful progress I’ve made came from decisive action, not unanimous agreement.
3. Self-reliance has a ceiling.
Doing everything yourself looks strong until it quietly breaks you. Sustainable growth only happens when systems and people replace constant personal effort.
4. Principles are expensive, but non-negotiable.
Holding your values will cost you deals, speed, and sometimes comfort. Losing them costs your credibility, and that’s impossible to rebuild.
5. Endurance beats attention every time.
Hype burns hot and disappears. Impact compounds slowly, but it creates something that outlives headlines and doesn’t require constant noise to survive.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
One of the most formative lessons in my life came early in my career from Richard Parsons, a mentor and friend. I was in my early twenties, working nonstop, convinced that constant overtime was the price of success. He looked at me and said, “Kid, go home and enjoy your family. At the end of the day, everyone in corporate America is just a chair. You will be replaced within minutes. Someone else will be sitting there tomorrow. But you are never replaceable to your family.” That perspective changed how I define success. I have carried that lesson with me ever since, building ambition that never comes at the cost of the people who matter most.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
I would choose Bela Bajaria. She is shaping the future of global storytelling and redefining what leadership in media looks like at scale. I would want to learn how she navigates power, culture, and content while building something that resonates across borders, languages, and generations. She is, quite simply, the queen of streaming, and I would listen more than I spoke.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
A movement that ends charity as a business model and replaces it with accountability, proof of impact, and human dignity as the standard.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Through Monarchs, Telenovisa43 International, and upcoming nonprofit initiatives that will be publicly documented with transparency and results.
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Milokssy Resto of Monarchs Is Helping To Change… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.