According to Lou Wolter Ph.D., obsession with sales can blind a business. “Not that cost, price, and profit aren’t important,” he said, “but they’re not the sole basis for the business decisions of a market-driven venture.” Wolter encouraged business owners to orient their energies and resources toward satisfying consumer needs and desires over the long term — not just for today. “A successful market-driven strategy yields long-term profitability,” he said in a self-published paper.
Continue readingCategory Archives: New Opportunities
DreamSpring Lists Grants
The nonprofit lender DreamSpring maintains a running list of business grants and other opportunities that small businesses can tap into. A quick perusal of the current list indicates grants from $5,000 to $20,000. Learning opportunities and money-saving resources are also listed.
Continue readingDon’t Hide Challenges From Lenders
In nearly 37 years of supporting small businesses, The Loan Fund has seen it all. Unexpected repairs. Market or industry shifts. Employee theft. Cash flow crunches that come out of nowhere. These challenges can be part of running a business—and they can impact profitability and, sometimes, loan repayment. That’s why The Loan Fund encourages business owners to contact their lender for help when negative changes impact their business.
Continue readingCDFIs Expand Financing with Partnerships
Banks and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) each play important roles in financing projects that strengthen communities. While most borrowers are familiar with traditional banks, many are less familiar with CDFIs. Banks and CDFIs operate independently, and their relationships take many forms. Sometimes partnerships are directly visible to borrowers, and other times cooperation happens behind the scenes. Either way, it isn’t unusual for financial institutions to collaborate on behalf of borrowers.
Continue readingGrants & Loans Can Jumpstart a Business
Explore federal, state, and local grants, loans, and guarantees that are available to qualified businesses to fund the growth of their companies. The nonprofit lender LiftFund is hosting a one-hour webinar to help small business owners and entrepreneurs determine which option is best for their business before spending time researching irrelevant programs. The event takes place online on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 10:30 am MDT.
Continue readingSmall Business Lender Expo
The New Mexico Veterans Business Outreach Center is teaming up with the nonprofit lender DreamSpring to help aspiring and existing business owners explore low-cost financing options. The Small Business Lender Expo takes place at the DreamSpring Albuquerque headquarters from 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Friday, October 9, 2026. While the event focuses on resources for veterans, non-veterans are welcome to attend.
Continue readingMeet B:Side Small Business Lenders
The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a Lunch and Learn session with B:Side Capital and B:Side Fund in Albuquerque on October 31, 2026, at 11:30 am. The session is an opportunity to meet B:Side lenders in person over lunch and ask questions about the small business loans the organization offers.
Continue readingBusiness Bootcamp is Culturally Relevant
More than 12 percent of New Mexico’s population is Indigenous, according to the New Mexico Indian Affairs Department. The business development organization WESST aims to help them start businesses. WESST is hosting a two-day Indigenous Entrepreneur Bootcamp September 23 to 24, 2026, in Farmington and online.
Continue readingChildcare Facility Loan Program Up and Running
The New Mexico Early Childhood Education and Care Department is offering loans starting at $100,000 for child care facilities, and applications can be submitted now until October 31, 2026. The program provides low-interest, long-term loans to caregiving providers to build and make improvements to child care facilities.
Continue readingChild Care Businesses Get Access to Tools and Funding
When the New Mexico Legislature passed landmark legislation to cement Universal Child Care in state law, the nonprofit lender WESST was already geared up. The WESST childcare accelerator program was training and providing funding for new childcare businesses to meet the needs of parents of preschoolers. WESST, long established as an expert in business consulting, training, incubation and lending, expanded to helping individuals start and grow sustainable child care businesses.
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