ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It’s National Women’s Small Business Month and one market is showcasing women entrepreneurs. KOB 4 shows you how owners are benefitting, and the risks some of them have taken to get where they are.
“It was really hard for us to be who we were in a corporate environment, so we left our corporate jobs and went into art,” said Danell Zepeda with 505 Resin Works.
Zepeda and her wife walked away from conventional careers to create their own business – 505 Resin Works. She says that leap of faith was the best decision.
“It was terrifying, right? Because, you know, you’re told especially as like a Latina woman that you have to do a certain job, and you have to be the caretaker. I’m the firstborn right? So you have all of these things, it’s been terrifying, but I’d rather be scared for myself than somebody else, but it’s been beautiful,” said Danell Zepeda with 505 Resin Works.
On Saturday, she joined dozens of other women entrepreneurs like Dominique Alderete at the Homegirls Mercado in downtown Albuquerque.
“It’s great and it’s so nice to know other women that are doing what I’m doing, and have a passion for what–you know, because we’re all different, we don’t just do one thing. So we can go to each other for ideas or support or just to talk,” said Alderete.
Alderete also chose creativity over corporate after getting laid off during the pandemic. Now, she runs The Soap Mama.
The City of Albuquerque noticed these markets and created a new space for sellers in the International District.
“So the Harvest Market is a market where there’s actually infrastructure for our vendors. So there’s electrical outlets, 220 outlets for our vendors to plug in, set up. So we’re taking anywhere from someone that sells leather goods to food trucks to come here and set up,” said Alex Horton, executive director for the International District Economic Development Center
The new outdoor space is on Katheryn and San Mateo, and it’s main goal is to encourage aspiring new sellers ready to take that leap of faith.
“So I thought it’s time to just do your own thing and if it goes somewhere, it goes and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” said Alderete.