STORIES OF IMPACT

At WESST, we believe the heart of our mission is best told through the journeys of the entrepreneurs we serve. In our Client Stories section, you’ll find inspiring accounts of New Mexican business owners—at every stage of their ventures—who have been transformed through WESST’s consulting, training, lending, and incubation support. These stories highlight how we partner with clients to turn ideas into thriving, sustainable businesses, showing the real impact of guidance, financial tools, and persistence.

From wellness centers, retail brands, and service businesses to manufacturing and tech enterprises, each narrative underscores how tailored resources, mentorship, and belief in their vision helped these founders overcome obstacles, build confidence, and grow with purpose.

Tokay Bead Art

Juanita Finger is a talented artist-entrepreneur who hopes to one day have the craft of bead weaving recognized as a legitimate art form. She came to WESST in 2010 seeking assistance with marketing, website development, and sales techniques to help her grow her startup bead weaving business, Tokay Beaded Art. Through a series of phone discussions between Ms. Finger and WESST consultants in Roswell and Santa Fe, WESST provided ideas and resources to help Ms. Finger increase na

CREATIVE ARTS

VIIIZON Academy LLC

VIIIZON Academy LLC prides itself as the New Mexico epicenter for performing arts culture. They focus on a holistic approach to training dancers, ensuring students are mentally, emotionally, and physically prepared to fulfill their unlimited potential. “Our goal is to build confidence, dedication, and elicit enthusiasm in the students.” VIIIZON Academy offers a wide array of classes, including ballet, modern, hip-hop, jazz, African dance, acrobats, and yoga. They work with st

CREATIVE ARTS

Visionary Imagery, LLC

Maia Franz is a fine art photographer, specializing in black and white photography, and owns Visionary Imagery, LLC. She first learned of WESST through the Small Business Administration (SBA)’s Ascent program in October 2024. In 2023, Maia went through a monumental life change, suffering from a heart attack and multiple strokes, all due to an unknown tumor in her heart. After recovering from open heart surgery in the fall of 2023, she realized she wanted to embrace her phot

CREATIVE ARTS

1 2