Ebenezer Hats
- jlim289
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Chelsea Hayes, founder and owner of Ebenezer Hats, was working with Trish Livingston, Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at New Mexico State University Alamogordo on her business when Trish recommended connecting with WESST. Chelsea began collaborating with Humberto on her business venture, and this recommendation opened up valuable opportunities for guidance and support. "WESST helped me refine my approach and take the next steps in growing my business," says Chelsea.
Getting her business name out there and gaining traction proved to be a challenge for Chelsea. Working alongside WESST and the Alamogordo SBDC helped her gain a clear understanding of the strategies she needed to focus on. She needed to secure funding to start the business, and she realized previous circumstances made it challenging to find lenders to invest in her business.
Not everyone was ready to provide the capital I needed to get started. My entrepreneurial journey began with a $2,500 loan from WESST, which laid the foundation for launching my business. This initial support was crucial.
Even with the loan, Chelsea knew long-term success would only be possible with a stronger financial foundation, which she was committed to building. She worked closely with our Las Cruces team, and through their consultations, she gained a deeper understanding of financial projection tools and learned how to effectively manage documenting her business. Chelsea enrolled in WESST’s credit building classes, which provided her with practical knowledge to manage her credit and make smarter financial decisions. She applied these lessons as her business grew and was able to stay on track and make more informed decisions along the way. '
WESST meets us where we are and are very sensitive to the real life-aspects we are going through. What is more is that you take us where we want and are meant to go.
