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.

Nifty 50’s Gift Shop & Cool Classics For You

Growing up in Roswell, Melissa and Orlando loved their community and always wanted to be a big part of it. Opening their own business had been a lifelong dream. When Orlando, who is an award winning classic car restorer, saw an old building become available, their wheels started turning! With Orlando’s classic car restoration experience and Melissa’s love of the 50’s style clothing and elegance of the era, they knew it was a perfect match for a new business. The local market

RETAIL

Nini's Produce, Foods, and Crafts LLC

Jeannie Benally, owner of Nini’s Produce, Foods, and Crafts LLC, is a farmer living in the rural community of Fruitland, NM. Through training and consulting with our WESST Farmington WBC, she has learned how to profit from her produce by diversifying and expanding her products and actively participating in local markets. Jeannie sells traditional vegetables and crafts from her produce to sell during the off-season. Roasting and selling local pumpkin seeds has proven to be a f

FOOD & BEVERAGE

Oku Advantage

Mary and Frank Valencia, owners of Oku Advantage, learned about WESST through a fellow Rio Rancho entrepreneur. Oku is a new start-up business, and Mary says “we had no idea where to begin” and were looking for a resource like WESST to provide training and consultation. They knew what kind of work they wanted Oku to pursue, but had no idea how to find the opportunities to move it forward. In late 2024, they signed up for WESST’s free three-part Government Contacting training

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Olive Tree Compounding Pharmacy

Olive Tree Compounding Pharmacy Co. is the State of New Mexico’s only African American-owned Compounding Pharmacy. Our planet is home to over 7 billion humans, each individual and unique. Olive Tree Compounding is unique in offering individualized treatments through medications specifically engineered to suit each patient’s customized needs. If you’ve ever asked your doctor, “Is there more than a pill?”, well, the answer is yes! Dr. Okpareke can even help your pets with medic

HEALTH, WELLNESS, & BEAUTY

Omie's Nizhoniful Mess

Omie’s Nizhoniful Mess is locally and Native owned by Naomi Greymountain, a Navajo woman who blends traditional Native work of beading and jewelry making along with inspiring floral designs. Nizhoniful in Navajo means beautiful, giving meaning to Naomi’s collections in which each is unique and handcrafted. Each piece of work is created and crafted in Naomi’s Navajo culture and traditions. Naomi started making jewelry in 2019 to earn extra income during the pandemic and was en

CREATIVE ARTS

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