Nearly 21% of New Mexico’s businesses that have employees are owned by women, according to the U.S. Census. At The Loan Fund, about 20% of the loans currently have been allocated to female entrepreneurs.
In celebration of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month, The Loan Fund highlights some of the female-owned businesses around the state. From childcare to wellness centers, women in New Mexico are growing their small businesses and making an impact in their communities.
Justa Chaz Insurance Agency – Albuquerque
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 branched out on her own and founded the Justa Chaz Insurance Agency.
The tough part was the state insurance licensing exam.
Valencia Health and Wellness – Belen
It was a desire to have their own private practice and bring much-needed collaborative services to Belen, a small town of 7,400 about 30 miles south of Albuquerque.
Jennifer Tafoya-Trujillo, M.S., PA-C, who grew up in Belen, and Cassandra Otero, PA-C, who grew up in Los Lunas, both were in family practice for more than 15 years, spending much of that time as a physician’s assistants. After working together for more than three years in the same practice, the Valencia County residents said they wanted to have their own approach to family medicine.
With the help of The Loan Fund, the two created Valencia Health and Wellness.
Roswell Aesthetics & Wellness – Roswell
Cambri Gardner had spent much of her professional career in sales until a career change to the medical spa industry gave her a new sense of purpose.
“Sales was not fun for me. Although I had been in sales most of my life, I really didn’t feel like I was benefiting people. Seeing the changes that benefit people not just on the inside but on the outside, I felt was more life-changing for me,” she said.
Gardner became interested in the business after her mother, a registered nurse, began working with injections at a medical spa in Colorado. The owner of the spa then asked her mother to manage a similar business in Roswell. Gardner followed suit by becoming an esthetician and obtaining laser certification. When the owner of MediSpa & Body Shop was ready to sell the Roswell business to focus on her operations in Clovis, she offered it to Gardner after Gardner’s mother declined.
The toughest part of the transition was obtaining financing, but Gardner found The Loan Fund after a banker referred her to the nonprofit for help to create Roswell Aesthetics & Wellness.