Two years after launching High Country Air Service in Albuquerque, the COVID pandemic nearly grounded Dave Jesurun’s family business. Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the nonprofit lender DreamSpring kept the company in the air and forged a new relationship that would take it to new heights in subsequent years. High Country Air Service offers a suite of services for private aircraft owners. A plane under High Country’s care is always ready for takeoff, no matter the challenge. 

Jesurun credits resilience for keeping him moving forward despite the ups and downs of running a small business.

“Whenever I hit a roadblock, I tell myself: This isn’t as hard as basic training. It’s not as hard as weapons school. It’s not as hard as spending 24 years in the military or graduating from the Air Force Academy,” he said. 

Jesurun is no stranger to hard work, discipline, and creative problem-solving, skills he relies on every day in his family’s commercial aviation business. Staying resourceful is just as important as coming prepared, he said. 

“Small businesses don’t have the luxury of outsourcing this stuff to high-priced consultants. So I got to go with what I got.“ The philosophy extends to his wife and kids, who have roles in the business. 

Jesurun’s older daughter, who’s passionate about technology, designed an app for High Country Air Service, while his other daughter acts as the company’s social media manager. His wife, a psychologist, lends her expertise as their Human Resources advisor. It’s a symbiotic relationship, Jesurun says, where everybody brings their strengths to the table. 

Pandemic Turbulence

When the family business was grounded due to the pandemic. Jesurun thought back to a small business conference he attended a few years prior, when a DreamSpring loan officer delivered a presentation on Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs). “My mind immediately went to, ‘I bet a CDFI can help me out,’” he said.

And it did. Jesurun’s business was kept aloft by two PPP loans from DreamSpring.

“That totally was a game-changer and a life-saver during the pandemic,” he said. “I didn’t even know I could have spelled CDFI seven years ago, but now I’m like a little walking billboard for CDFIs.” 

When he decided to expand the business to offer chartered flights, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) presented a whole new set of challenges. It took seven years of navigating complex certification requirements before he was finally able to offer charter services to the public.  

“The FAA has a lot of inherent barriers to entry for new aviation businesses,” said Jesurun. “I essentially leaned everything down as much as I could to make it through that process.” 

Acceleration with a DreamSpring Loan

Even after securing his air carrier certificate, keeping the business running and growing required its own special fuel — capital.

Jesurun remembered CDFIs and DreamSpring. A Small Business Administration (SBA) loan for $102,475, facilitated by DreamSpring, allowed him to quickly get back up to speed and expand operations after the certification process.

“The DreamSpring loan just accelerates all of that and lets me do two things at once. I can order the supplies. I can invest in some marketing,” he said. “And I’m also out there, getting into the mix, flying the airplane, and keeping all our clients happy.”

Now with the capital runway they need to grow, Jesurun and his family can focus on taking High Country Air Service and their customers to new heights.  

DreamSpring is a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) lender dedicated to accelerating the economic inclusion and strength of underserved communities. Founded in 1994, the award-winning organization provides rapid access to capital and customized wrap-around support to the most vulnerable small business owners in 27 states, including New Mexico, where it was founded and is headquartered. DreamSpring focuses on communities including people of color, women, low- to moderate-income households, people with disabilities, and start-ups.

Learn more about DreamSpring, and find Jesurun and his family at High Country Air Service in Albuquerque.