Sister Act: Natalia and Bella Gomez
Bella and Natalia Gomez
We were so happy with Natalia Gomez's contributions to COUPAR Marketing and the company that when her sister, Bella Gomez, became available, we also hired her. Now, with Natalia in the role of Marketing Director and Bella as Marketing Associate, the Sacramento natives seamlessly collaborate on brand strategies, websites, graphic design, and social media campaigns for accounts ranging from the built world to the decorative.
CC: How do your personalities complement each other in your work at COUPAR?
BG: Natalia has always had a very creative mind. She’s very intuitive when it comes to storytelling, branding, and generating fresh design ideas. I’m more technically minded and tend to thrive at organizing, problem-solving, and keeping things on track. Even though we both bring elements of these skills, we’ve found a great rhythm where Natalia sets the vision, and I figure out how to bring it to life. We challenge each other in the best ways.
NG: We both have a very easygoing and adaptable nature, which is always beneficial in work settings. And while we are similar to each other in many ways, we also each have different skills we like to hone. Bella is an incredible problem solver and technical planner, and I enjoy brainstorming the vision and strategy. Melding our perspectives is valuable, especially when working on creative projects. Additionally, there’s no beating around the bush when communicating with someone you’re close to, so we can accomplish things quickly.
CC: What’s a Coupar project that felt especially meaningful?
BG: I enjoyed working on the brand refresh for COUPAR and COUPAR Design. It was such a fun project to collaborate on with Natalia. It felt gratifying to refresh the logo, update the colors, and create something new and fresh that genuinely reflects who we are now.
NG: I agree; the brand refresh we executed last year for COUPAR and COUPAR Design was a satisfying project! It was a fun challenge to develop a new positioning strategy and establish a more modern look and feel. As far as client projects, I always find designing client websites to be especially meaningful since they are the foundation for a firm’s branding and marketing.
Disneyland 2001
CC: How would your younger selves react to seeing you work together now?
BG: I think we’d be surprised but in the best way. Natalia, being the older sister, was more outspoken and loved taking the lead, while I was quieter and naturally followed along. So, in some ways, it makes total sense that we ended up working together. One of the things I value most is the opportunity to collaborate closely and spend meaningful time together during the work week. Something our younger selves may not have expected but would be happy to see.
NG: Our younger selves would be excited to see us collaborating in a professional setting together. We’ve always gotten along pretty seamlessly since the beginning and move through life on similar wavelengths. This synchronicity is incredibly beneficial when we tackle work projects together. There was also a stint in high school when we both worked at a mom-and-pop ice cream and sandwich shop. So, it feels in some ways that our younger selves would be surprised, but also not too much, since we often find ourselves joining forces.
CC: What’s your favorite way to spend time together outside the office?
BG: Natalia and I both enjoy thrifting; we love going into secondhand stores and finding something unique and timeless. We’re also big foodies, so trying new restaurants whenever we’re together is a must.
NG: Since Bella is LA-based, I always enjoy visiting her down in South Pasadena, where she lives. It's fun that she can show me all her go-to spots, and I can experience a city that's novel to me through her local perspective. I also love watching movies together, whether at home or the theater; she's a big movie buff and always has the best recommendations.
CC: What’s inspiring you in life right now?
NG: I've enjoyed finding inspiration on Substack recently. There are so many creatives on there with unique newsletters and content, especially in the design realm. It reminds me of the early days of blogging. I also always feel inspired after a long walk traversing through different San Francisco neighborhoods. Whether absorbing the surrounding nature and architecture or people-watching on busy strips, I always feel rejuvenated after.
Archie
CC: What are three things you can’t live without?
BG: My mini Dachsund Archie, chapstick and my camera
CC: If you could switch lives with someone for a day, who would it be?
NG: If I could switch lives with anyone for a day, it would be with Anthony Bourdain. I'm in awe of the many countries he visited, but I admire even more the way he did it. He embraced people and their food with genuine curiosity and respect. I would love to go back in time and experience one of his typical work days abroad.
CC: What are you most excited about at this time in your life?
BG: My husband and I are about to welcome our first baby boy! We're incredibly excited about this new adventure and all the joys and challenges it will bring to our lives. It's such a special moment, and we're looking forward to embracing this next chapter together.
Coconut coffee in Ho Chi Minh City
CC: What’s one thing that is always in your refrigerator?
NG: It's a tie between white miso paste and coconut milk coffee creamer. I love incorporating miso into a range of recipes; it instantly makes a dish feel so dynamic. After a recent trip to Vietnam, I became addicted to the coconut coffee over there, so now I try my best to recreate a version of them at home each morning.
CC: A skill you’re working on mastering?
BG: I recently took a sewing class and have been learning to navigate a sewing machine. It's something I've always wanted to master because it's rewarding to bring a vision to life from scratch. I love the idea of creating something tangible and unique with my own hands, and it's been a fun challenge to develop patience and precision through this new skill.
