Wild Horse Truck & Trailer Repair
From working for Price’s Truck Stop to doing oil changes in the driveway, the decision to open Wild Horse Truck & Trailer Repair in the old Price’s Truck Stop location seemed like the right thing to do. Their work ethic, experience, and knowledge provided the necessary foundation. Marty Lightfoot knew the books, and Chris Martinez had the mechanical background they needed to be successful. All they had to do was take on the liability of running a business with day to day acti
Warriors Karate
Refugio ‘Cookie’ Flores teaches all levels of karate up to and including black belts, provides individualized exercise training for small classes of students and teaches kick-boxing. He provides support through his years of training to address discipline issues, help students focus on positivity, and build both mental and physical toughness. Cookie learned karate when he was a teen and continued studying the art until he became a certified instructor and could have his own st
Walker Air Refrigeration and Service
After getting his degree in air conditioning and refrigeration service and units, Shane Walker decided to go on his own and start his own company rather than work for someone else. Walker Air Refrigeration and Service was born. It wasn’t long before Mr. Walker realized that he needed business advice to manage and grow his business. A business associate recommended he visit WESST. With business papers and a long list of questions in hand, Mr. Walker came to WESST. He had inten
Zentra Wellness
Dr. Lisabeth Detwiler, DOM, is the owner of Zentral Wellness, a Chinese medicine dermatology clinic. The business offers acupuncture, Chinese herbs, massage therapy and beauty services. Their goal is not only to offer remedies for skin problems, but they also assist individuals in managing stress, pain and various other health concerns from allergies, fertility to weight loss. Lisa utilizes many alternative medicine modalities (including acupuncture, herbs, nutritional cou
Zia Queenbee Company
Entrepreneur Melanie Kirby thoroughly enjoys her life as an entrepreneur. Each day offers new and challenging opportunities to be creative, learn new things, solve problems, and oftentimes — being the mother of two children under five — feel as though there are not nearly enough hours in a day. Melanie is the founder of Zia Queenbee Company, a growing business that is challenged on a daily basis to meet the huge demands of the important Queen Bee marketplace. Because of the h
WESST Named 2025 SBA New Mexico Microlender of the Year
By WESST | July 2, 2025 We are thrilled to announce that WESST was named the winner of the SBA New Mexico Microlender of the Year award for the second year in a row! Our Lending Team includes Sandro Tonini (VP of Lending), Melissa Williams (Loan Operations Officer), Teresa Rodriguez (Bilingual Loan Assistant), Humberto Hijar (Financial Capability Consultant), Angelica Ortiz (Loan Analyst), and Marcela Mendoza-Palacios (Program Coordinator). Their passion for service and tire
Summer Enrichment Program at The Studio at WESST
By Tom Ragan | May 12, 2025 One of the most rewarding experiences for me since I’ve been at WESST happened this last summer with the New Mexico Public Education Department’s Summer Enrichment Program. The New Mexico Public Education Department (NMPED) launched the Summer Enrichment Program in 2021 with federal pandemic relief funding. The Summer Enrichment Program provided high school students with paid internships in government agencies and community organizations. I saw th
WESST Visionary Leads “Homeownership for Entrepreneurs” Training
By Katie Knipe | May 9, 2025 At WESST, we champion New Mexico’s entrepreneurs with consulting, training, and lending to build thriving businesses. Yet, for many, the path to homeownership—a key to financial stability—can be complex, especially when transitioning from traditional W-2 employment to 1099 self-employment. Self-employed individuals often face stricter scrutiny from mortgage lenders due to variable income and business-related tax deductions that can reduce their qu