An Interview with Bella Lucce Entrepreneur Lela Barker

An Interview with Bella Lucce Entrepreneur Lela Barker

An Interview with Bella Lucce Entrepreneur Lela Barker

Don’t you always wish you knew more about the women behind a successful company. Well, now you get a chance to have a detailed look at Lela Barker – creator of Bella Lucce – the most delicious natural skin care range on the planet.

Lela began making soaps and toiletries in 2000, after learning of the negative implications of many cosmetic ingredients once her sister was diagnosed with a breast tumor. That discovery prompted Lela to blend her own natural formulations. Three years later, amidst a challenging divorce, Lela launched Bella Luccè because…well, she couldn’t land a single job that would allow her to be home with her babies.

Find out how this super mum worked her way up from the bottom to become one of the world’s great success stories.

Full interview can be found at http://www.girlposse.co
All rights reserved to http://www.girlposse.co


 

Girlposse.com: Who are you?
Lela of Bella Luccè: I am 29 year old workaholic; a mother to two spunky lil’ girls and a hopeless entrepreneur.

Girlposse.com: What is your creation / business?
Lela of Bella Luccè: ? I founded a company called Bella Luccè. We sell our handmade, globally inspired skincare to spas, salons and gift boutiques around the country.

Girlposse.com: Tell us something about yourself – your personality:
Lela of Bella Luccè: I love carbs and hate exercise, but I can tolerate yoga. I almost always wear black – my husband says I look like I am attending a funeral every day….ha. I have a thing for good shoes and handbags. I want to die with a mouth full of Krispy Kreme doughnuts while getting a facial, surrounded by my family. Not a bad way to go, eh? 🙂

Girlposse.com: How did you first become interested in creating skin care products?
Lela of Bella Luccè: My sister developed some tumors in her breast several years ago and, because of her experiences and treatment, I began to research more about what we put on and in our bodies. Unmoved by the “natural” skincare alternatives on the market at the time, I threw together a batch of lotion from a recipe I found online.

Girlposse.com: How do your products stand apart from similar ones?
Lela of Bella Luccè: There are a slew of great products out there and so many options from which to choose. From my collection, I really draw inspiration from rare ingredients that aren’t commonly found on the American market- Argiletz and Moroccan clays, bamboo powder, French cocoa absolute, unusual botanical extracts and rich African butters.

Girlposse.com: How long have you been doing this?
Lela of Bella Luccè: ? I made my first batch of lotion in April 2001 and Bella Luccè was officially launched in September 2003

Girlposse.com: Beginning a business is a big step. How did this become a “business” vs. just a “hobby””?
Lela of Bella Luccè: I sent that first lotion I made to my sister and she loved it. Soon we had Mom hooked, too. I gave it to friends every holiday for the next few years- it was a wonderful creative outlet for me. A few years later, I became a single Mom and was searching for a way to create an income that would allow me to stay home with my young children. One day when I was feeling particularly bold, I decided to turn my hobby into a business and Bella Luccè was born! Little did I know what I was getting into at the time.

Girlposse.com: Did you have previous business experience – or was the business end new to you?
Lela of Bella Luccè: I owned an interior furnishings supply company before starting Bella Luccè. Really incredible linens, fixtures, rugs, etc. But it was such a small venture and the challenges it presented were very different than I’ve encountered while running a skincare company. No formal business training, but I was the always that neighborhood kid who set up their lemonade stand every year the first spring day that the mercury broke 65.

Girlposse.com: How does the internet play a part of your business?
Lela of Bella Luccè: I really don’t think I’d have a business without the internet. *shudder* It’s how prospective clients find me, existing clients get their fix, I learn about my craft and promote my company.

Girlposse.com: What was (is) your biggest obstacle in selling what you create?
Lela of Bella Luccè: I don’t know if it’s the biggest, but I think it may well be the most frustrating: the miseducation of the public regarding cosmetics. That word “natural” gets thrown around a whoooole lot more than it should. I am slowly learning to tackle it, but it’s a struggle.

Girlposse.com: Are there any plans to expand your product line?
Lela of Bella Luccè: Absolutely! I love the process of creating new goodies and we launch new products every few months. Just this month, as part of our Spring collection, we debuted a delicious bath elixir called Manuka Honey Drizzle and an awesome Bali Kopi Coffee Scrub.

Girlposse.com: Where do you see your business in 1 year? 5 years?
Lela of Bella Luccè: That’s so hard to predict…I’ve been wrong with just about every prediction I’ve made with this company, so dare I venture to guess? *LOL* Hopefully, we’ll expand the number of retail outlets which carry the product and I’ll be sleeping more than 5 hours a night. In 10 years, I hope to be on a beach somewhere sipping fruity drinks with little umbrellas.

Girlposse.com: What keeps you going on a bad day?
Lela of Bella Luccè: My kids. I have pictures of them and their preschool artwork all over the office. When things get really rough, we take a “mental health day” and I spring them out of school and head to the park for a bit.

Girlposse.com: Where are some of your favorite places to shop?
Lela of Bella Luccè: My trendy factor has plummeted since starting the business…I just don’t have time anymore! But I still manage to duck into Banana Republic on occasion and I flip through J. Jill catalogues in bed.

Girlposse.com: What was the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
Lela of Bella Luccè: ? To delegate the tasks I know nothing about. I wish I was a gifted photographer, web designer and graphic artist. But I’m not…so I focus on what I know and outsource the rest. It makes for a lot less nail-biting for me and a much nicer finished product.

Girlposse.com: What advice would you give to a future Crafty Diva?
Lela of Bella Luccè: To never, ever give up. You are your only limitation and you’re completely in control of your future. It took me a while to learn that….

For the full interview….. go to http://www.girlposse.com
For the full Bella Lucce Range, visit Green Organics Australia

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2 thoughts on “An Interview with Bella Lucce Entrepreneur Lela Barker

  1. Vegan Skin

    Lela knows her product so well, she knew it was tried and tested from her relatives and friends, that makes her very confident her products and it makes her successful.

    Reply
  2. Anika_Vegan

    Yeah, Being a workaholic is not an attitude. Some people are just doing their job and responsibilities to support their children. For some they see it as workaholic. Go for it Lela, just continue what your doin’.
    God Bless.

    Vegan Skin

    Reply

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