Diane Barrett, longtime owner of Diane’s Restaurant in Silver City.

There are currently over 100 Women’s Business Centers across the United States, but in the late 1980s, there was a scarcity of female entrepreneurs and role models. Spurred by the growing interest among women to chart their own business and financial path and seeking to provide appropriate the resources, WESST was established in 1989 and became a leading pioneer in the movement across the country.

WESST is currently among a handful of economic development organizations across the country that hosts a network of Women’s Business Centers. Each of the six regional Enterprise Centers located throughout New Mexico offers special training and consulting programs geared to aspiring or established women business owners.

These programs are designed to be flexible and responsive to those special needs; many of the workshops are scheduled during evening hours to accommodate busy daytime schedules. Topics can range from money management and Quickbooks training, to leveraging Facebook and writing an effective Business Plan. Individual consulting appointments can be arranged to discuss a specific topic in depth, at a time that’s convenient to the client.

Nancy Judd of Recycle Runway

WESST has partnered with many talented and hard-working business owners over the past 30 years:

• Joanie Griffin of Sunny 505 who first came to WESST in 1992 and then subsequently decided to grow her business. This year, Sunny 505 was selected as the Business of the Year by ABQ Business First.
• Diane Barrett, longtime owner of Diane’s Restaurant in Silver City. When she came to WESST in 1995, she was a single mom with a young son wanting to realize her dream of starting a bakery.  Nearly 25 years later, Diane’s has created jobs for hundreds of locals, including college students attending WNMU.
• Nancy Judd of Recycle Runway whose creativity with recycled materials is incredible – so much so
  that one of her creations hangs in the Smithsonian.
• Verda Blackgoat whose vision and hard work to start her own security company in Northwest New Mexico – Dineland Protection Services, Inc. – led to the largest loan WESST has ever extended. Three years later, Verda has already repaid the loan in full.

While our Women’s Business Center Programs are geared to women they are open to anyone, at any stage of their business development.

www.wesst.org/business-consulting/womens-business-center-program/

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