Success Stories

She began her career as a realtor and ran a cleaning business. She later transitioned into banking, helping clients with credit cards and managing customer accounts. After a decade in personal banking, Justa Chaz shifted into insurance, becoming an agent with Farmers. After working with Farmers for two years, she

Born and raised in Northern New Mexico, Jerard Carlos Vigil wants visitors to experience this part of the state like he did growing up. Vigil created Vigilante Guides LLC after he and his wife moved from Austin to Santa Fe. Vigil, who grew up in Chama, a small rural town

From the outside, the building’s windowless white walls may project a sterile feel to visitors who may not be aware of the vibrant community inside that this building has supported for more than four decades. The Albuquerque Social Club opened in 1983 initially under the name The Heights, stemming from the gay

For this Belen company, compassion is more than a business. Brandy Castillo, MS, MSW, LCSW-S, created her behavioral health company in 2013 when she was starting a family and looking for a way to build a home-based practice. Clients were seen at home on an old farm just outside the

Along a windy two-lane highway in Northern New Mexico just south of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain range lies a small rural village with a store that has been in this bloodline for more than a century. Daniel Torrez’s family opened the Villanueva General Store in 1912 in this farm-rich valley

Bert and Anna Garcia have created a residential and commercial garbage disposal business, offering a weekly residential roadside bag pick-up and hauling of debris for commercial customers in the Pojoaque Valley. Bert’s Trash Services also rents 16- and 20-yard dumpsters, clears debris, and hauls large and small items to the county dump.

Patrick Jenkins opened A Better U Beauty/Barber Academy in Albuquerque nearly 18 years ago with the goal of creating barbers and entrepreneurs in the beauty and personal care industries. Raised in Louisiana, Mr. Jenkins moved to New Mexico in 1986 and received his barber’s license in 1992. His first barbershop

Ron Lewis Edwards, a U.S. Marine veteran, started the Focus Group Ltd. with his wife in 2006 in Santa Fe to create custom-ordered embroidered, engraved or screen-printed apparel.  The company with its sister organization, Focus Advertising Specialties, works with hundreds of vendors for his orders. The Loan Fund provided several loans

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 from other sources to open Video Exitos and also placed a freezer in the store, which was filled with ice

He began his business 12 years ago by bidding on small jobs and saving money after each project. Michael Hosteen also increased his equipment by buying used tools and vehicles from companies that were going out of business. Now the owner of Hosteen Wade Electric LLC, an electrical contracting business

For the past five decades, the Dominguez family in Las Vegas, N.M., has been operating one of Northern New Mexico’s most reliable heating and cooling companies. The company started in 1973 under Frank Dominguez, who created Shillinglaw, LLC. The company worked on housing developments in Santa Fe and other similar

He started growing in his garage about 12 years ago. It was an interest he developed in high school after he went vegan and he was trying to get more protein in his diet without eating so many beans. “Beans get old really fast,” said Estevan Hernandez, owner of New Mexico

The Chaco Trade Center is a small convenience store that has provided some necessities for the Navajo people living in the Pueblo Pintado community. The store has a coin-operated laundromat, mailboxes, propane sales, and a gas station. It is the only commerce that provides gas and propane in about a 70-plus-mile

For more than four decades, the Samaritan House in Las Vegas has provided shelter, food, and job training for unhoused residents living in the San Miguel County area. A group of citizens from a local Presbyterian church initially created the nonprofit as a center for transient youth in the Northern New Mexico

Cathy M. Elliott Elderly residents and those living in some rural areas in New Mexico don’t have to leave their assisted living facilities or drive far to receive dental help.  Dental Care In Your Home is a full-service mobile unit created in 2010 by founder Cathy M. Elliott, a University

After nearly three decades in business, the owners of Santa Fe-based Reflective Jewelry have endured the many challenges of entrepreneurship, including three recessions, but the biggest challenge of all was theft. But Helen Chantler and Marc Choyt are thriving and recently had their best year in 10 years after an employee

Although Juan Zambrano opened his auto repair shop in Santa Fe more than six years ago, his entrepreneurial story actually begins nearly two decades ago as he continues to grow his business and other skills.  Mr. Zambrano was servicing mostly non-commercial vehicles for individuals before the 2008 recession when the

Chris and Krystal Chavez always wanted to own a business but weren’t sure what to go into. Chris, a former truck driver, wanted to work for himself but wanted to have flexible hours. During the pandemic, the couple started candle making and thought that might be a new venue to

Taos resident Gabriel Trujillo opened his first ice and purified water vending machine business in 2015 adjacent to family-owned commercial property near the Taos Plaza. The self-serve machine dispenses 20- and 10-bags of ice and purified water by the gallon, a business model he felt was good for the environment

It was a desire to pull a camper that sleeps four with a Fiat that led a Santa Fe couple to an idea to create a super lightweight trailer.  Angel Irlanda and Laura Esteves have created the Earth Traveler teardrop trailer, a 300-pound towable camper with different options, including a