From ‘Shark Tank’ to nuclear fusion: Our business reporters’ favorite stories of 2025

Our reporters followed a local entrepreneur onto the national stage, explored New Mexico’s housing affordability and broke the news about a nuclear fusion company’s $1 billion bet on Albuquerque. These are the Business Desk’s favorite stories of the year.

Diving into the unexpected

As a reporter who covers retail, real estate and sometimes the film industry, I had the opportunity to write many cool stories this year.

However, the story that was nothing but pure fun to write was an article — and follow-up — on Morrison Outdoors, an Albuquerque business that makes sleeping bags for kids, and journeyed onto ABC’s “Shark Tank” in May.

For the readers who don’t know, I’m an avid “Shark Tank” viewer. I’ve binged all the past seasons and watch all the new episodes.

This story allowed me to explore behind-the-scenes details — like how the business owner felt being selected for the show, how he prepared his pitch, how he felt walking down the infamous “Shark Tank” hallway, and if the music viewers hear actually plays in the hallway (the answer is no).

I also gathered what I like to call the “origin story.” How did the idea for the product come about? Did the owner always want to be an entrepreneur? These are the types of details I aim to learn for almost all my stories.

One of the biggest lessons this story taught me is to expect the unexpected. Morrison Outdoors secured a deal on-screen, but the deal didn’t pan out off-screen.

Typically, I like to write my questions and get a general understanding of a story before an interview. But stories like this one have taught me the importance of adapting and letting them take their own shape — twists, turns and all.

As a native New Mexican, it was meaningful to capture the sense of pride people felt as the Land of Enchantment took the national stage. Rain may have drizzled over the Downtown watch party, but only claps and whistles could be heard when Morrison Outdoors hit the screen. — Kylie Garcia

Coping with rising unaffordability

Things are not easy, financially, for many New Mexicans. When a growing number of people struggle even to pay rent, buying a house — what was once considered one of the trappings of a middle-class life — seems more and more impossible. 

One of the most important stories I wrote this year was on the state’s housing affordability crisis. Only 13.5% of renters in New Mexico can afford to buy a home at the median price, according to a state report, which, I think, finally proved with data something many of us already know.

Dan Coleman, director of the New Mexico Association of Realtors, told me he’s increasingly seeing more and more first-time buyers (who tend to be younger) in unconventional situations — like friends buying a house together or one person juggling multiple jobs — because a single income is usually not enough to afford a mortgage or down payment. 

Nationwide, the story is the same — the median age of a first-time homebuyer this year was 40, a record high since the National Association of Realtors began collecting data in 1981, when the median age was 29.

When I began reporting this story, I tried to find a recent first-time homebuyer so I could ask them how they did it. I reached out to Realtors, mutual friends and posted online. Tellingly, I couldn’t find anyone.

I was able to find Bekah Casey, 25, and her fiancé, who had recently purchased a mobile home in Albuquerque together with some help from their family after being priced out of the rental market. The mobile home wasn’t their first choice, they said, but it felt like their only chance to own something of their own.

I think stories like theirs give a name to a feeling most of us have. We know everything is expensive, but why? How did it get this way? What can we do about it?

In my work, I get to ask those questions: Why are fewer people going to two-year colleges? Why are health insurance, rent, ground beef and lumber so expensive?

My responsibility, which I take seriously, is to find some answers. — Natalie Robbins

A first step in nuclear fusion

I vividly remember the first major story I wrote after stepping into the technology and energy beat full-time. 

In September, Albuquerque’s Mesa del Sol was officially selected to house Pacific Fusion’s $1 billion research and manufacturing campus. The announcement came after months of New Mexico holding its breath and competing with California, as the news was already out there that Albuquerque was one of three sites that could be chosen. 

The California-based company, which was founded in 2023, wants to power the world with abundant and affordable nuclear fusion energy. Officials with the company say the renewable energy offers on-demand power without carbon emissions, long-lived radioactive waste or dependence on intermittent resources. 

Pacific Fusion officials anticipate the campus will add more than 200 jobs to the Albuquerque area, as well as generate over $400 million in economic activity within the first four years of operation.

The company has already made a footprint in New Mexico, as it recently opened a 200,000-square-foot build center in Los Lunas. The facility will manufacture parts for the larger campus in Albuquerque, and officials have said they plan to hire 100 full-time employees by the end of 2026. 

Learning about nuclear fusion and the potential good it could do for the world is one thing, but actually watching that effort be worked on is another. 

I’m always interested in learning more about the science and technology behind Pacific Fusion, and in continuing to build relationships with company officials. I look forward to seeing more of Pacific Fusion’s announcements in the coming year and seeing if it keeps on track with its project timelines and desired results. — Hannah García