DreamSpring recently hosted a client business tour that brought two dozen guests to three inspiring small businesses in Albuquerque. Although the businesses spanned industries and neighborhoods, each entrepreneur we visited shared a common thread: teaming up with DreamSpring for financial and social capital throughout their business journey.
Planes, trainees, and coconut flan — our tour was a joyful reminder of just how much small businesses enrich our lives and communities.
Members of our Board of Directors, DreamMakers, and community partners boarded the bus at our headquarters. Together, we set off to see firsthand the impact of entrepreneurship in this unique High Desert city.
The first stop was High Country Air Service, owned by entrepreneur and U.S. Air Force veteran Dave Jesurun. Dave shared his journey, from launching his business to hiring staff and creating a runway for future growth. We toured his aircraft and learned about his services, which include private charter flights, scenic “flight-seeing” tours, mountain flying training, and more.
Next, we visited A Better U Beauty and Barber Academy, founded by Patrick Jenkins, one of DreamSpring’s earliest clients in the 1990s. After 30 years in business, Pat is still growing and working to expand his school to serve even more students. We met his team, toured the academy, and visited the school’s affiliated barber shop.
A special highlight was getting to meet an up-and-coming barber whose father and grandfather also trained at A Better U. Three generations of ABU barbers is an incredible example of multigenerational impact, but it’s not surprising. More than 800 barbers and 90 small businesses have gotten their start thanks to Patrick’s training and mentorship.
After Pat shared his entrepreneurial story with us, Jerrie Merritt, DreamSpring Board member and Senior Vice President at Bank of Nevada, stepped forward to share a message with him. “An African American-owned business in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was almost something that you did not see. So for the success that you have, for the difference that you're making, for the jobs that you are creating — I want to say, congratulations!”
The final stop was Buen Provecho Albuquerque, owned by Kattia Rojas. She welcomed our group with passionfruit agua fresca and coconut flan, and shared her story of reinventing herself as an immigrant and entrepreneur. A recent James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef in the Southwest, Kattia spoke about the power of community and her personal connection with DreamSpring.
The range of businesses on the tour was wide, yet each entrepreneur zeroed in on how they were able to reach the next level with DreamSpring’s support, from small microloans, to pandemic recovery grants, to six-figure SBA loans. Every business had a personal story about the people and resources from DreamSpring that helped them get there.
“It’s always affirming to be in the presence of like-minded individuals,” says Tassjania Lozano, DreamSpring Philanthropy Officer. “But it is even more powerful to meet the small business owners whose stories remind us why we do this work. The impact we’ve made together isn’t just in the lives we’ve touched directly, but in the ripple effect felt across industries, communities, and generations.”
We are so grateful to the DreamMakers, Board members, and community partners who joined us for the tour. Thank you Ann and Russ Rhoades (People Ink and Sacred Wind Enterprises), Art Perez (U.S. Bank), Carol Cochran (DreamSpring Finance Committee member and former Board Chair), Cliff Gramer (Turquoise Sky Group at Morgan Stanley), Kelly and Laura Parkhill (DreamMaker community members), Laurie Donovan (retired banking executive), Kim Yake (Wells Fargo), Marcia Romero (U.S. Bank), Pat Dee (former Board Chair), and Russ Cummins (RDC Advisors LLC) for your enduring support, and for hopping on the bus with us.
We are deeply appreciative of our DreamSpring clients for opening their doors, sharing their dreams, and inspiring us to keep fighting for small businesses everywhere. And we’d like to share a very special thank-you to all our supporters reading this now, whose generosity and commitment make success stories like these possible every day. We truly could not do this work without you.
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