Your Guiding Light

New Businesses Started in Lincoln and Otero Counties

Owners Growing Opportunities, Inc

D.O.M., L.Ac. Business Owner of “NoDule”

As a first-generation beekeeper and American, Moira O'Hanlon turned to her local SBDC to help launch her bee-based skincare line and to take off and fly all over the states and as far as Hong Kong! Taos Bee has grown organically with guidance from the SBDC at UNM-Taos to sales over $150,000, and growing every year. Moira does this with the help of her million bees!

Range Movement strategical combines functional training with mindful effective yoga practices delivered by skilled coaches to offer an individualized experience. “Our collaborations with Sandra-SBDC started at the very early stages of our business planning; she was able to provide direction and checklists to make sure we had, not only a zoomed out scope of knowledge for what it takes to open a business, but also a detailed list of objectives we needed to accomplish. As military spouses who are not native to the local area, SBDC was able to get us in touch with the local Chamber & provide up-to-date information during the Covid-19 environment. Range Movement would not be the success it is today without the support & guidance from the SBDC."

Owners Randy and Jamie Petty are committed to their family, community, business and faith. During the pandemic their business outlook did not appear favorable. With continuous commitment and drive, as well as inventory problems, early 2021 they were the first furniture store in their franchise to reach a million in sales. “Sandra and Dominique have been a huge blessing to me through this ordeal.”

Mr. Herman is a Service-Disabled Veteran who served our country during the Vietnam War. “I am a product of the Albuquerque, New Mexico Public School System. After a tour in South Vietnam, I returned home to work in the semiconductor industry as a professional welder. I obtained seven federal welding certified certificates in ferrous and non-ferrous metals and in plastics. I brought that experience into the art world,” explained Mr. Herman. The Vietnam Veteran of America Chapter 318 has recently commissioned a life-size bronze statue honoring Vietnam Veterans that is displayed at the New Mexico Veteran’s Memorial in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

September 2021 marked the grand opening of Juani’s Kitchen House of the Tamales Restaurant in Albuquerque, NM. With help from the SBDC at Central New Mexico Community College, husband and wife team Julieta Carmona and Steve Miller achieved their dream of small business ownership. In working with Business Advisor Liliana Reyes, Julieta and Steve started their food truck business in 2020; they began selling tamales during the pandemic when their full-time jobs were reduced to part-time and needed extra income to support their family. In filling orders for their food truck business, their homemade tamales continually sold out exceeding sales of 100 dozen which has now increased to over 300 dozen weekly with their new location!

In 2021, The Nascent Group aided in the scaling of hospitality operations throughout the Enchanted Circle; rethinking ideologies and practices to help businesses thrive in a challenging climate that hit hotels and restaurants the hardest. As a proudly black and female owned business, The Nascent Group creates systems focused on sustainability of community by supporting its people and its makers.