WESST celebrates 35 years of helping small businesses grow

Thousands of New Mexico’s small businesses have blossomed with the support of the Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team Corps, which is better known as WESST.

WESST, which is celebrating 35 years of operation this year, provides a support system for starting and growing small businesses throughout the state. It provides consulting, training, incubation and lending services. WESST’s goal is to grow small business through sustainable sales, financial knowledge and job creation.

“WESST was essentially founded in 1989 by three women, two of whom were associated with PNM at the time, but who essentially took a look around New Mexico and said, ‘You know, if you’re a woman and you want to start your own business, you’re hard-pressed to find targeted resources,’” said Agnes Noonan, president of WESST. “I always like to share this.”

Noonan said it was not until Congress passed a law called the Women’s Business Improvement Act of 1988 that women could get business credit in their own name. She said that led to the women’s business center movement around the country.

WESST operates seven business centers in New Mexico, including in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Roswell. In a typical year, WESST serves more than 3,000 people.

“We don’t just serve women, although we do target our services to women, and people of color and low-wealth New Mexicans, but we’ll serve anybody who wants to start and/or grow their own business,” Noonan said. “That really is our basic mission. And our target markets have remained the same. We predominantly serve women, but we have a lot of male clients, too. But given our origins, I would say we remain committed to helping women.”

One of WESST’s newer clients, Christina Starr, said she started her business, Boujee on a Budget Bridal in March 2023, with “a credit card and a prayer.” She learned how to successfully run and maintain her small bridal boutique through WESST’s resources. Understanding cash flow was one of the most important lessons she received from WESST, she said.

In October 2023, Starr sought assistance from WESST, which secured a loan for her. That allowed her to obtain more inventory for her bridal boutique.

Her clientele consists of brides from New Mexico and she has shipped dresses across the world including Australia and the United Kingdom.

Starr was inspired to open her bridal boutique after experiencing poor customer service and a lack of options as a bride on a budget. She believes brides, regardless of their wedding budget, deserve an exceptional dress shopping experience with affordable options. The most expensive item on the rack is $1,000 at Starr’s boutique.

“We want to look good, we want to feel good and we should,” she said. “But it doesn’t mean we have to leave our whole paycheck there or borrow from the nina (godmother) or the tía (aunt).”

Starr strives to make the experience of bridal dress shopping fun, comfortable and unpretentious.

“I had a bride come in the other day, she told me her budget was $100,” Starr said. “I found her dress and she was so happy. I called my husband and I said, ‘I made a $44 sale.’ He (asked) ‘Why are you so happy about that?’ I said, ‘Because I was able to meet the need.’”

Myra Ghattas opened her restaurant Slate Street in August 2005 and reached out to WESST a few months later in December 2005. She later went on to open Slate at the Museum, a small cafe inside the Albuquerque Museum, and Sixty-Six Acres bar and grill.

“As I expanded my business, each step of the way, I would reach out to WESST for a lot of things,” Ghattas said. “Sometimes it was business advice and guidance. Several times I used their microloan division to help fund growth in my business. They helped me when I opened my wine bar at Slate Street. They helped me when I expanded my patio at Slate Street. ”

Ghattas said her experiences with WESST have been great.

“They know the ins and outs of funding,” she said. “They also vet their small businesses really well. So if you’re off track, they can help you get back on track.”

Ghattas added WESST is more than microloans.

“Beyond the funding, there were times where I had difficult business decisions, or I was at a crossroads, or I needed to figure out what my next move was,” she said. “And WESST has always offered support in that capacity as well.”