DreamSpring, known for providing small business loans and assistance to entrepreneurs in 27 states, is expanding its English-Spanish online technical assistance and training materials, as well as one-on-one technical assistance, thanks to more than $500,000 received from a Congressionally Directed Spending appropriation, part of the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Financial Services and General Government Bill. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped secure the funds that are part of $28 million for 52 projects in New Mexico during the Senate’s passage of six bipartisan appropriations bills on March 23, 2024.
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WESST Helps Clients Help Others
Brenda Ramos Almeida helped her husband start J&B Gardens while working full time as an office manager for another contractor. In 2019, she turned to WESST, a nonprofit business development organization, for one-on-one counseling and workshops to help her manage the Northern New Mexico landscaping business as she maintained the company’s books. It wasn’t long before she spotted a need and decided to start a service to assist others with bookkeeping and acquiring permits and applications for their own small businesses.
Libelula Financial focuses on the Spanish-speaking small business community. Being bilingual, Ramos Almeida knew she could provide customers with the highest quality of service in both Spanish and English, offering bookkeeping and general business assistance.
Continue readingNM LEEP Accepting Applications
The New Mexico Lab-Embedded Entrepreneur Program (NM LEEP) is accepting applications from technology entrepreneurs ready to obtain two years of individualized assistance to commercialize their technology. The program pairs deep-tech entrepreneurs with the unique talent and technology of Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, matching LEEP fellows with seed capital and a large network of mentors, customers, and investors. Applications will be accepted from February 22 to April 22, 2024.
Continue readingBusiness Finance Fairs Offer Insight
Entrepreneurs and business owners looking for money to start or grow a business can gain insight into how lenders make small business loan decisions by attending a business finance fair. Events are often hosted online, while others, such as the February 29, 2024, Business Finance Fair in Santa Fe, are in-person events that also serve to connect business owners with local lenders.
Continue readingEntrepreneur Responds to Market Needs
When Las Cruces resident Silvia Terrazas looked for videos to rent in Spanish, she found none so she created a store to fill that need. In 2000, she obtained financing to open Video Exitos, where she placed a freezer filled with ice cream and the Mexican-style popsicles known as paletas.
Terrazas noticed the ice cream treats were popular and she decided to learn how to make her own Michoacan-style ice cream and paletas, venturing to the Mexican state of Michoacan to attend an ice cream-making course. She learned how to incorporate the state’s fresh fruit into popsicles and ice cream.
In 2005, Terrazas was ready to expand her business. She went to the nonprofit lender, The Loan Fund, for a loan to construct a building for her new ice cream and treat shop, Paleteria La Reyna Michoacana where she could also sell pinatas, candy, and other Mexican specialty items.
Continue readingGovernment Contract Business Expo
Business owners interested in selling products or services to the government should attend the Government Contract Business Expo from 8:30 am to 12:00 pm on February 27, 2024, at the Las Cruces Convention Center.
Continue readingNo-Interest Loan for Manufacturers and Technology Companies
Applications for zero-interest business loans of up to $20,000 will be accepted starting February 15, 2024. The no-interest loans are offered to Northern New Mexico manufacturing and technology-based companies by the Regional Development Corporation as part of its TEAM Fund. Applications are due by March 17.
Continue readingStartup Loan Enables Construction Entrepreneur
Aaron Gutierrez, owner and president of Albuquerque Construction & Concrete, can do it all. That’s because he spent years building and supervising multimillion-dollar construction projects across New Mexico, although always for other people. “I’ve been with some great employers who were pretty well established and had a good system set up,” he said. “I was able to learn a lot from them and pick up what I needed.”
When he decided to strike out on his own, Gutierrez got his general contracting license and went to school for an associate degree in Construction Management. He had the technical skills, management experience, and rock-solid relationships with tradespeople and suppliers — not to mention clients who were eager to work with him. Now he just needed working capital to get started.
Continue readingYou Don’t Have to be a Skier to Learn from the Ski Lift Pitch
Entrepreneurs and investors come together on February 5 and 6 in Taos during the Ski Lift Pitch, a pitchfest event designed to introduce New Mexico high-growth startups to equity investors. Pitch companies were selected in early January from submitted applications, but startup founders are encouraged to attend as observers to learn what goes into a successful pitch.
Continue readingFree Access to ASCEND2.0 Educational Videos
Interested in learning about intellectual property? Or maybe you’re ready to start a new technology business and aren’t sure how. These topics and more are now accessible on the ASCEND2.0 website. ASCEND2.0 is a collaboration of entrepreneurs, funders, and educators to help technology startups gain traction.
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