Sandra Velasquez: From Front Woman to Founder
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 the Valde Latinx Entrepreneur Grant, the Clean Beauty Summer School Pitch Grant, and won Latino Start-Up of the year at the L’attitude Match Up Conference.
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 2.7 Million in a seed round. Velasquez hosts The Nopalera Podcast and mentors other founders.
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About Our Guest
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 the Valde Latinx Entrepreneur Grant, the Clean Beauty Summer School Pitch Grant, and won Latino Start-Up of the year at the L’attitude Match Up Conference. 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 2.7 Million in a seed round. Velasquez hosts The Nopalera Podcast and mentors other founders.
