Boujee on a Budget Bridal
Christina Starr founded Boujee on a Budget Bridal to offer high quality, affordable options for budget-conscious brides. Based in Albuquerque, they also have an online store and ship to all 50 states. Seeking to expand into a larger location in January 2024, she approached WESST for loan assistance. Initial consultations highlighted that Christina needed to focus on bookkeeping before she could access a loan. WESST helped her address her financial statements and connected h
#bowbymom
Sara LaMontine comes from a family of entrepreneurs. Sara watched her dad start a restaurant over 20 years ago and role model the examples of hard work and determination. In December of 2016, Sara began making bows for her daughter. Soon, people began commenting on how much they liked her bows and asked her to make bows for them. When she realized there was such a market, she began to formulate her business idea. On January 1, 2018 Sara started #bowbymom, which creates one of
Bubble Dreams Learning Center Environment LLC
Maria Granados’ journey from Gómez Palacio, Durango, Mexico to Chaparral, New Mexico, is a story of resilience, transformation, and deep-rooted purpose. As a single mother, Maria was driven by the need to both be present in her children’s lives and provide for their essential needs. This personal connection led her to open a licensed home-based child care center, but what began as necessity, soon became a calling. “When the children arrived smiling and didn’t want to leave,
Cacho's Bistro, LLC
Ronsuelvic Cavalieri has always had an entrepreneurship spirit. She came to WESST in March of 2017 with the idea to start her company based on a popular Venezuelan pastry called cachos. She knew she had to learn the basics of forming a business, design her business plan, learn about the food industry regulations, save some money to pay for the startup costs and get proper advice and mentorship. She worked for about 9 months on developing her plan, attending training and consu
Casa Fine Mexican Cuisine
Josefina Verduzco is the passionate owner of Casa Fina Mexican Cuisine. She is focused on bringing authentic flavors to the community through high-quality dishes made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Josefina first met with WESST in June 2023 seeking funding for her business. She met with our Lending team and was able to complete a Nano Loan application to purchase a laptop for her business – a small loan with a big impact, helping her streamline and enhance her bus
Catopia Cat Café
Catopia is a “Cat Cafe,” a fun place to hang out with cats and promote adoption while being able to sit, read, and eat or drink a little something while spending quality time with friends or with a new feline friend. Sandy Dierks had a self-described mid-life crisis. She says it was a “kids are grown empty nest thing,” and she has always wanted to help animals. She was reading about the rise in popularity of “Cat Cafes” and thought it would be a good business venture for Albu
Cell Phone Doctor
Cell Phone Doctor is a family-owned business serving the greater Gallup community and the Navajo Nation. Cell Phone Doctor sells new and factory refurbished phones and services all brands of cell phones and tablets. They sell several cell phone models, including iPhone, Samsung, LG, Motorola, Android and PlayStation, and Xbox gaming systems. Cell Phone Doctor can also network unlock phones and complete basic repairs on phones, tablets, computers, and game systems. The WESST F
Chely's Beauty Salon
Araceli Bueno (Chely) immigrated to the US with her family when she was 12 years old and always had a dream of owning a beauty salon. Despite early challenges in finding housing and having to help her mother care for her younger siblings, Chely was able to realize her dream of being an entrepreneur when, in 2003, she launched her business in Roswell, New Mexico. Chely faced another key challenge when suddenly her family situation changed and she lost her lease on the building