We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sandra Velasquez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sandra below.
Hi Sandra, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I was a professional musician for 20 years. Being a working artist requires you to deal with a lot of rejection. It was hard at the time but in retrospect it was the best training for entrepreneurship.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Sandra Velasquez is the Chicana founder of Nopalera, a culture forward Bath & Body brand powered by the Mexican nopal. Velasquez launched Nopalera in the middle of the pandemic from her Brooklyn apartment with no outside funding or savings while working three jobs and raising her daughter. The brand can be found in Nordstrom, Credo, and over 400 boutiques nationwide. She is the winner of five pitch competitions and grants and has been in six accelerators including the Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab. In January 2023 she appeared on Shark Tank Season 14 where she infamously turned down two offers by standing in her worth. After bootstrapping for two years she raised over 2 Million in a seed round. Velasquez hosts The Nopalera Podcast and mentors other founders.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
A clear vision and WHY is critical for building a brand. It is also what is going to get you through the hard days. Your WHY must be bigger than you.
Resilience. The journey of building. brand is mostly difficult with small moments of peace. It is important you remain resilient.
Financial modeling. If you do not have experience with this, you’ll need to find someone who can help you. This is one of the most under-discussed skills you will need.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
I was accepted into the Morgan Stanley Accelerator and it has transformed me as a leader. I have a better understanding of company and departmental KPIS.
I know what to measure in my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nopalera.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nopalera.co/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandraliliavelasquez/
Image Credits
Photo Credit: Amanda Lopez
