About

Sandra Lilia Velasquez

Sandra Velasquez is the Chicana founder of Nopalera, a modern Mexican beauty & lifetstyle brand. 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. Today, the brand can be found in Nordstrom, Credo, and over 400 boutiques nationwide.

She is the winner of five grants and has completed six accelerators including the Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures Lab and the Stanford Latino Business Accelerator. She was one of nine finalists selected globally for the inaugural Business of Beauty Global Awards hosted by the Business of Fashion. In January 2023 she appeared on Shark Tank Season 14 where she infamously turned down two offers by standing in her worth.

Sandra is the host of The Nopalera Podcast and a frequent keynote speaker. Prior to launching Nopalera, Velasquez was the leader of the Latin Alternative band Pistolera, which toured internationally, released three studio albums, and had its music featured on hit TV shows like Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy, and NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert.