We recently connected with Danielle Stokes and have shared our conversation below.

Danielle, appreciate you joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

The name “Noraa” is a tribute to my (step)father, Aaron, who passed away in 2020. He was a hardworking, family-oriented man, and his middle name, Clay, is now a key ingredient in many of my soaps. Mineral-rich clays not only add natural color but also provide skin-loving benefits, making each bar as effective as it is beautiful. Now, his name is on every product I handcraft and send out locally and nationwide, and that means everything to me.

“Body Love” came from a family conversation—it just seemed to fit. At first, it flowed nicely with Noraa, but over time, it’s grown into something bigger. It reflects what I hope people feel when they use my products or attend one of my workshops: that they’re allowed to pause, care for themselves, and find joy in simple, intentional rituals that give their body some love.

Danielle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Danielle R. Stokes, and I’m the Founder & CEO of Noraa Body Love, a handcrafted soap and skincare brand based in Bethlehem, PA. I’m also a storyteller, creative entrepreneur, and someone who once felt incredibly frustrated with my own skin.

For years, I struggled with adult acne and oily skin that no store-bought product seemed to help. I didn’t wear makeup, not because I didn’t want to, but because I didn’t want to make things worse. That frustration pushed me to start researching ingredients and learning how to make soap from scratch back in 2018. By 2021, I officially launched Noraa Body Love, blending everything I’d learned into something that felt personal, nourishing, and needed.

I create small-batch soaps and body care products made with simple, skin-loving ingredients, but also with intention. I want people to feel good when they use them.

Beyond products, I also lead hands-on workshops where people of all ages can slow down, tap into their creativity, and make something customized just for them. Participants often share, “I never do this for myself,” which is exactly the point. These workshops are a chance to pause, create, and care for yourself in a way that feels meaningful and also fun.

What sets my brand apart isn’t just what’s in the bar or jar—it’s the story behind it, the care that goes into it, and the experience it offers.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I always wanted to start a business, but I just didn’t know what it would be. I had ideas here and there, but nothing ever felt right—until this.

2020 was a heck of a year for the entire world, but for me, it was also the year I lost my stepdad. He was the kind of man who showed up for his family in quiet, consistent ways. Then, a few months later, I had surgery where I lost a lot of blood. It was a lot all at once, physically and emotionally, and it forced me to pause and really examine my life.

I was no longer married and wasn’t being blessed with children of my own, and I started to realize I was craving something that belonged to me—something I could build and call my own. I had already been researching skincare and making soap for my own skin issues, but in that moment, it all came together.

That’s when I knew it was time to take what had been helping me privately and turn it into something I could share with others. Noraa Body Love was my pivot, a choice to create something meaningful, healing, and fully mine. And I’m so excited to see what it can grow into.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was that your brand must be polished, formal, or focused entirely on your audience’s preferences to be successful.

When I was in the early stages of building Noraa Body Love, I kept seeing the same advice over and over: “Pick a name your audience will understand or connect with right away.” But none of the suggestions I brainstormed felt like ME.

I didn’t want to build something that just checked the branding boxes and felt generic. I wanted to build something that meant something. So I went with a name that held deep personal significance.

I didn’t expect how many people would connect to that story. I’ve had connections and customers open up about their own experiences with dementia and Alzheimer’s, and even people who said they named their business after someone too. The story behind my brand became a bridge that continues to open doors to real conversations, real trust, and real community.

It also helped me shift how I show up. I stopped writing like a marketing robot and started showing up like myself: a woman navigating grief, growth, and glowing skin—all at once. I started sharing my story, struggles, and small wins. And the more I did, the more people responded. Not just by buying, but by engaging and actually seeing me.

So yes, your audience matters. But so do YOU and YOUR story. And when your brand reflects who you are, not just what you sell, you build something people don’t just remember… they feel.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://noraabodylove.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/noraabodylove
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/noraabodylove