Tag Archives: business assistance

Disaster Support Before and After

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On July 16, 2026, six inches of water entered Bonna Kemp’s family store. Gibson’s Discount suddenly faced losses from damaged merchandise, fixtures, and equipment. The store, which has operated at the same location since 1968, abruptly confronted questions businesses must face after disasters anywhere in the country. How could it rebuild without running out of money? The owners turned to the nonprofit lender LiftFund for funding the business could put to work immediately.

This was not a one-off situation. Businesses in New Mexico and across the country are experiencing severe weather and other disasters that disrupt operations and put livelihoods at risk of collapse.

Small businesses often enter crisis with little room for delay. Research has found that half of U.S. small businesses operate with less than one month of cash buffer. A September 2026 Federal Reserve analysis found that 84% of disaster-affected small firms experienced business interruption or lost sales. Fewer than one-third carried insurance covering those losses, and only 4% of firms that sought external funds received enough to fully cover their losses.

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Business Bootcamp is Culturally Relevant

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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.

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How to Find Your Best Customers

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Business owners often look at their marketing budget and wonder whether it’s working. They spend money on marketing and advertising without always having a clear picture of what’s bringing people in. The DreamSpring Resource Library has a new post that aims to give owners and entrepreneurs insight into finding their best customers. The library post offers marketing tips alongside a free Customer Acquisition Tracker.

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Get Ready for Another Adventure Pitch Fest

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Adventure Pitch Fest takes place in November, but businesses in New Mexico’s outdoor industry should start thinking now about how they want to participate. Applications to compete in the live pitch competition will be accepted until September 30, 2026, and an informational webinar and Q&A session will be held on August 26. The Pitch Fest awards $15,000 in cash. Organizations and businesses uninterested in pitching can participate by hosting booths that engage with investors, key industry stakeholders, and consumers.

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Business Growth Summit Features Access to Capital

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The nonprofit lender and business development organization WESST, which offers consulting services and resources to small-business owners, will be on hand at the Business Growth Summit on Thursday, August 6, 2026, in Albuquerque to discuss how entrepreneurs can access capital for their startup or established company.

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Learn How to Start a Business in New Mexico

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Native American entrepreneurs, business owners, and community members in New Mexico can learn how to start a business at an online workshop hosted by the American Indian Business Enterprise Center at NMSU’s Arrowhead Center. The one-hour event, called From Idea to Enterprise, starts at 4:30 pm MDT on August 5, 2026. Registration is required.

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Business Technical Assistance is Part of the Job

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Business owners looking for loans or lines of credit can face challenges that extend past financing needs. That’s why the nonprofit lender The Loan Fund offers business technical services to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit organizations that need help with financial and other planning. Prospective borrowers can get assistance with developing their business plan, organization, and financial forecasts. Once they become borrowers, The Loan Fund clients can expect ongoing advice regarding marketing, cash flow, and other operational challenges.

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Government Programs Can Finance a Business

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The nonprofit lender LiftFund is hosting an online introduction to government programs that business owners can tap into for business funding. The one-hour webinar takes place on July 15, 2026, at 10:30 am Mountain Daylight Time. Discover the latest government funding programs and resources available to help finance and grow a small business in 2026.

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Incubators Offer More Than Space

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Roberta Easter dreamed of keeping her ancestor’s craft alive when she started Enchanting Soap Collections. Joined by her daughter, Chrystal Trykoski in 2022, the pair worked from Easter’s home, creating hand-poured soaps of unique designs with no two the same.

In 2025, Easter and her daughter moved the business into the WESST Enterprise Center business incubator, giving them room to grow, scale, and dream bigger than ever. As WESST incubator tenants, Easter and Trykoski are receiving operational support and resources that are already accelerating the company’s growth.

Barely a year after moving to the incubator, Enchanting Soap Collections was selected as one of nine businesses from a national applicant pool of 120 to pitch at a national airport concessions competition in St. Louis sponsored by the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC). Contestants presented their concepts before a distinguished panel of airport concessions and travel retail executives who evaluated businesses based on innovation, scalability, and market readiness to sell their products in United States airports.  While they did not advance to the next round of the competition, Easter and Trykoski are still winning big: they were invited to showcase and sell their products at the 41st Annual AMAC Conference in Maryland in June 2026.  

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