Benny Sausage Company
- 19 hours ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 19 hours ago
Ruben Rodriguez’s entrepreneurial journey comes from a background of service, resilience, and hands-on business experience. He is a disabled, retired veteran who previously served in the federal service as a Zone Safety Manager with the National Park Service. His career taught him lifelong skills like leadership and the ability to perform under pressure, all of which he brings into business ownership today.
Before launching Benny Sausage Company, Ruben owned and operated both a brick-and-mortar and mobile rotisserie food business in Virginia, where he learned about the reality of running food operations in multiple environments. After relocating to New Mexico and navigating major life transitions, he decided to fully pursue entrepreneurship again and build a food concept that reflected his vision, creativity, and passion for branding.
Ruben initially connected with WESST in September 2025 for business consultation and mentorship, initially looking for an incubator-style program. He was facing the obstacle of sourcing the right products and ingredient, and he needed to secure the funding for growing his small business. Transitioning from military and federal service to full-time entrepreneurship also came with challenges, especially while Ruben was balancing the personal and professional. “I knew I needed mentorship and guidance to grow sustainably,” he says.
One of the biggest learning experiences was realizing what WESST required: a fully developed business plan with detailed financial projections, cash flow analysis, marketing strategies, operational planning, and long-term growth planning.
WESST’s lending process challenged me to think at a much higher level as a business owner. Mediocre preparation was not acceptable, and that pushed me to become more disciplined, strategic, and intentional about every aspect of my business.
Benny Sausage Company, now open at The Block in Rio Rancho, is a street-food-inspired food concept focused on curated flavors, premium sausages, authentic regional influences, and creating an affordable experience that stands out.
