Desert Flower is more than an ordinary floral shop. In addition to one-of-a-kind flower arrangements, the business sells high-quality Native American art, helping to support local artists.

Locally made products like moccasins, ceremonial ornaments, hand-woven blankets, and handmade jewelry are just a few of the high-quality, made-in-New Mexico products available at Desert Flower.

With financing from The Loan Fund, Shayai Lucero purchased Desert Flower in December 2008. The business has two part-time employees and offers floral delivery to the Laguna Pueblo and Grants areas.

Lucero says starting out was not easy because she had trouble finding a lender. “Most traditional lenders require owning your own home or personal assets. Living on the reservation, I didn’t have that…. I was denied loans by ACCION and several banks. The Loan Fund was the only lender willing to work with me to figure it out.”

Now in her first year of operation, Lucero says her business benefited greatly from consultation services and follow-up offered by The Loan Fund.

“When I started out, I had absolutely no experience in the floral industry,” Lucero says. “I know if I run into any issues, [Community Development Officer] Joe [Justice] or [Director of Enterprise Empowerment] George [Kenefic] are right there to offer advice and great ideas to move my business forward. Had I worked with another lender, I wouldn’t have gotten the personalized help The Loan Fund offers. They really get to know their clients on an individual basis. As a small business owner, it’s comforting to know that I always have someone on my side.”