Norma has never been one to put limits on her career. She’s worn many hats, moved across the country more than once and is always ready to try something new. From customer service to cosmetology to baking to onboarding managers and to now running her own handcrafted skincare business! The throughline for Norma in all her roles is her passion for educating and helping others succeed.
ChloeBella Handcrafted—named after her two cats—didn’t start from a love of soap and body butter, it came from a desire to switch things up.
After moving back to Oklahoma to be closer to family in 2020, Norma worked from home supporting new leaders at Amazon through leadership onboarding coordination and laptop logistics—as a people person, this did not align with Norma’s workstyle.
“There’s got to be something bigger and better out there, especially with the economic change due to the pandemic,” Norma said, reflecting on how she felt during that time.
Norma did some research to see which industries were expected to thrive in 2021. Digital marketing, social media and website design topped the list, but she didn’t have a background in those. Then she spotted hygiene, and it clicked. With her knowledge of chemistry and biology from cosmetology, she decided to start a skincare business.
She began by making soap, body butters and more. But at her first market, a customer asked about the ingredients and Norma realized she wasn’t sure beyond the basics of the pre-made goat milk tablets she was using. That moment sparked something in her; she promised herself she’d know exactly what went into her products. From then on, Norma crafted everything from scratch, tailoring each recipe to be as gentle as possible for different skin needs.
“Everybody knows somebody who has eczema, everybody knows somebody who has psoriasis, everybody knows somebody who doesn’t want fragrances or preservatives—if they’re not buying for them then they’re buying for themselves,” Norma said. “I want people to buy something that they need and that could help them.”
Her sister, Monica Lopez, Cofounder of Salas Tree Service, supported her through teaching her the importance of creating a brand for herself. Norma decided that she wanted a more vibrant and modern feel that would appeal to more people and not box her in with similar companies.
Norma said, “If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have had the confidence I needed to launch a business.”
When she decided to pursue ChloeBella full time, she quit her Amazon job and sold her house. Even though she was scared, she knew that she had to take a big leap to make this really happen.
“I had to let go of insecurity and fear to do that,” Norma said.
Thanks to her hard work, Norma was able to support herself within three months of starting her company.
For two years Monica kept telling Norma how important it was to network and to come to REI Oklahoma events, but Norma worried that she wouldn’t fit in and wouldn’t be considered a “real” entrepreneur.
After a friend told her about their Women’s Business Breakfast in Oklahoma City, Norma decided to give it a try. To her surprise, she ran into Monica, who told her that this was the event she had talked about all those years.
She started attending the monthly networking event more regularly and inviting friends to come with her. Norma brings her friends because she knows that they’ll connect with just the right people.
“Now I’m able to use my connections to help others as they have helped me,” Norma shared. “I know if I bring someone to REI Oklahoma networking events that they will connect with someone who can help them tackle whatever obstacle they’re facing in their business.”
Through the Women’s Business Breakfast, Norma connected with Mindy, owner of Honey Do Checklist, who helped her get her books and paperwork in order. She also met Mary, Vice President of Treasury and Business Development at First Bethany Bank and opened an account there. The more she shared about her business needs, the more people came along who could offer help.
“These are connections I wouldn’t have had otherwise that I needed to grow my business,” Norma said.
Even though asking for help can be tough for Norma, she realized that this was the only way to reach new heights. When she was looking for more space to work out of, her sister connected her with Project 3810, a small business incubator program, that had the perfect space for her to rent out. Someone she met at Project 3810 told her about StitchCrew, the OKC Latino Accelerator program, so she applied and was accepted into the Fall 2024 cohort.
Business has boomed for Norma in 2024, and she’s reached a point where she wants to scale and eventually step back. Her dream is for ChloeBella Handcrafted is to be a brand as big as Sephora and Ulta and she’s going to do whatever she can to get it there. Now she knows that she won’t have to do it alone.
When it comes to the help she’s received from REI Oklahoma, Norma said “REI Oklahoma staff always check in on me and individually invites me to events; I feel very cared for and supported.”
To REI Oklahoma donors, Norma says, “It’s because of your generosity that we are able to grow big dreams because everything takes a village. REI Oklahoma gives you the education, support and network that you need to grow.”