WESST BLOG
“A Place for us to Grow and Blossom”: Celebrating the WESST Atrium Mural Completion
On March 9, 2023, WESST hosted a Ribbon Cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of a two-story, 408-square-foot mural, designed and painted by New Mexico artist and former WESST client, Jodie Herrera. The mural features the images of three WESST clients, Carmen Bolivar, Ndidiamaka Okpareke and Alyssa Begay. All four women were present at the March 9 Ribbon Cutting to share remarks about their experiences as small business owners, and what it means to them to be portrayed on this mural. Click here to read an article published by the Albuquerque Journal describing the…
Fuel Cost-Saving Tips for Small Businesses
The high price of fuel is creating rising prices for all kinds of goods and services as businesses struggle to cover their costs. Small businesses that use vehicles as part of their daily operations will…
LaDonna Hopkins: A Fond Remembrance
A Fond Farewell I first met LaDonna Hopkins at a community event in 2008. I was immediately struck by how focused she was on me as we stood and talked in the middle of a…
“Leadership IS the Difference” – A Conversation with Bettye Pressley
One of my favorite aspects of working at WESST is getting to know our supporters who make this work possible. I’ve especially enjoyed getting to know Bettye Pressley through our regular phone calls. Bettye always…
Celebrating WESST Clients at Happy ½ Hours
In-person gatherings are back, but virtual gatherings are here to stay! WESST is pleased to have hosted two of our virtual “Happy ½ Hour” events in 2022, where we heard from our clients and showed…
Staff Spotlight: Tom Ragan
Tom joined the WESST team in October 2021 as the Studio Manager for the Comcast Digital Media Studio. We are happy to have him as part of the WESST family and hope you enjoy learning…
Are Your Employees Truly Engaged?
Global surveys indicate that many people are unhappy at work. In fact, it’s been estimated that over 70% of the workforce consists of passive job seekers. These people are not actively looking to leave their…
Ways to Support a Woman Owned Business
Go out of your way to shop at women owned businesses What is the best way to support women owned businesses? With your dollars. Businesses need customers to thrive and being intentional about where you…
The Trend Toward Solopreneurship
As home-based business ownership continues to trend upward in the U.S., Rio Rancho is certainly keeping pace. In fact, over 70 percent of the business registrations in Rio Rancho are for home-based businesses. This trend…
Money Matters: Financial Empowerment Through Knowledge & Tools
Why does financial empowerment matter? For some, finances can be a thrilling and exciting part of owning a business and/or living everyday life. But let’s be honest, only a few feel that way. For most,…
Thank You for Supporting WESST, Sunny505!
If you’ve ever received an annual report from WESST or visited our website, you’ve probably noticed the beautiful, compelling designs that characterize WESST’s brand. More recently, you might have seen WESST on television! Across the…
Funding Challenges for Female Entrepreneurs
Four out of every ten businesses – totaling over 12 million in the U.S. – are owned by women, and the number of women-owned businesses has increased 114% over the past two decades. In fact,…
What is an Entrepreneur?
What makes someone an entrepreneur? Am I an entrepreneur? Are you an entrepreneur? Do I know any entrepreneurs? The word “entrepreneur” seems to be thrown around everywhere, describing everyone, doing anything. It’s used to describe…