Small Business Profile: Perla Lopez Baray

Small Business Profile: Perla Lopez Baray
As I was moving along the tables at Lehigh University's Microenterprise expo someone handed me a small vial with liquid in it. "It's perfume" explained the vendor, Perla López Baray, obviously noticing the confusion emanating from my face. Sensing that I was still wondering why she felt I needed perfume she offered a little more information "for your wife!". It is true that I can sometimes be as dense as a tree trunk. As we spoke more about her business I began to sense the drive and purpose that is a common thread among most successful entrepreneurs. Perfume and fragrances are a $5 billion dollar industry in this country and Perla Lopez Baray is determined to carve out her share of the market.

Simple Beginnings
Perla grew up in a small town in Mexico. The daughter of a farmer, her beginnings are simple and humble. She was raised primarily by her grandparents but has always remained close to her mom and dad. Unconventional? Maybe, but it's telling that when Perla describes her childhood memories she is extremely positive "I grew up surrounded by family, friends, love, happiness, music, and childhood games". When asked about her childhood influences she credits her family, particularly her mother and grandfather, for teaching her to believe in herself and showing her how hard work pays off.

After graduating with honors from New Mexico State University, Perla began a career in broadcast news with the local Univision affiliate KLUZ-TV. She later went on to WFMZ in the Lehigh Valley, PA where she currently anchors.

Developing her Perfume Business

In 2008 Perla began developing her idea of launching a perfume line as well as building her own company. Her vision was very focused “I was at a store looking at perfumes. I imagined my bottle and I saw it the way it is now: a pearl. The whole concept came to my mind in a split of a second.” For Perla it’s more than just perfume, it’s her statement to women, “I want them to know that they have a purpose in life and I challenge them to believe in their dreams, to work arduously, to have faith, and to not allow any negative circumstances in life determine who they are and what they can do.” She identifies deeply with the pearl “For me, it truly symbolizes the beauty and uniqueness of a woman: fine, stunning, beautiful, and valuable”.

One of the biggest challenges for her has been her lack of business experience however she has played to her strengths, "Being a journalist has helped me a lot because in my profession, if you don’t know something you do the research to find the answer. When I developed the concept, I did not have any idea where to start, but I used the internet to do extensive research that led me to fragrance design companies South East Aromas and UK-based CPL Aromas". The hard work paid off and on May 8th, 2009 she launched her self-named signature perfume brand.

What the Future Holds

Perla's short term goals include developing the brand and finding a distributor or sales reps. She is looking to sell her perfume through gift shops, boutiques, spas, hair salons and specialty stores across the country. To accomplish this Perla is attending networking events and industry expos. The largest of these will be Perfume Expo America later this year in New York City.

Longer term goals include getting her product into national and international retailers such as Macy’s, JCPenney, Bon-ton, Walmart, etc. Perla would also like to develop an international presence and a strong brand image.

For now Perla is focused on meeting as many people as she can and telling them about her product. This includes smaller expos, boutiques and local school functions. Through it all Perla maintains an extremely positive attitude. When I asked her about the best piece of advice she’s ever received she gave me three,”I remember the following phrase that Sandra Yancey, the president and CEO of eWomen Network said at a meeting that I attended last week: ‘The secret to success is learning that there is a little bit of space where you fit in but also you need to stand out. Don’t blend in, stand out, but fit in. How do you do it? Getting out of the box and finding new people’.”

“I also learned from my mother that you just don’t quit. You keep going, and pushing and moving forward until you get what you want. But then, you never stop dreaming and reaching new levels. “

“I like this phrase from the Bible: Everything is possible for him who believes”