We’re turning our 2.3 debacle into an opportunity, folks, cause there’s a story behind it and we wanna share that, and much more, with you, our amazing community.  First, let me start by apologizing profusely to all you insanely kind and understanding people who braved the coldest night of the year to come out to our 2.3 Schmooze Time event only to discover that our meeting place was closed. I was appalled at myself for not checking in that day and, as I suspected, there was something other than the weather behind our being caught unawares that night, so please accept my deepest apologies. Still, I’m thrilled that this has brought us to having HoneyMoon Brewery co-founder Ayla Bystrom-Williams take the stage for our next Story Time.

You see, I was lucky enough to have met Ayla back in 2017, before she and her partners opened their beautiful Kombucha beer brewery. I’d been such a fan of hers, as not just a kick-ass business woman – I mean, she and her biz and life partner James Hill (in the pic) pitched their way to winning $200K as part of the national 2016 Miller Lite Tap the Future Business Plan Competition – but as a wonderful human and such a generous presence in our entrepreneur community. I was thrilled to have helped organize an event for the Santa Fe Business Incubator (SFBI) at HoneyMoon Brewery back in December 2018 that doubled as the brewery’s soft launch (as HoneyMoon had been an SFBI client) and was followed by Ayla and James sharing their story with KAESF for the 1st time.

Fast forward 3+ years and 4 other various events I’ve worked with Ayla on since then, and you develop a place in your heart for the person and team behind the business, including their bartender+, Bill, who’s been on the team since day 1. With so many folks new to Santa Fe and KAESF, I’m thrilled Ayla will take us back in time to share some of HoneyMoon’s spectacular startup story and some reflections on how doing business in the present world differs from what she and the HoneyMoon team envisioned when they opened the doors back in 2018.

Now, Ayla and the team were insisting on providing free drinks, but the fabulous founder of HatchForm economic development firm and incredible educator and supporter of entrepreneurs near and far, Sean O’Shea, had been looking for a chance like this, so let’s give three cheers to Sean and HatchForm for happily sponsoring free drink tickets for all who showed up on 2.3 and didn’t get to grab a drink that night.

And since the fabulous Chris Van Dyne of Cosmic Pie Pizza was ready to serve us on 2.3, but won’t be able to join us on 3.3, I’m gonna fill you in on some of what it’s like to run a pop up in this town. And if that wasn’t enough sharing for you, I’m also gonna fill you in on what it was like being in my shoes that night, as while it didn’t feel all that funny at the time, it's pretty comical in retrospect.

That’s why I’m so happy to have this opportunity to right the wrong of 2.3, something I take 100% responsibility for, and see you at 6:30 PM on 3.3, where you’ll have about a ½ hour to schmooze and grab a drink before we kick off Story Time around 7 PM, followed by time for more schmoozing. Oh, and since Cosmic Pie Pizza Chris won’t be there on 3.3, feel free to bring in take-out or food of your choosing. Thanks for understanding and can’t wait to see you on the 3rd! 

Pic courtesy of Rollingout.com’s article Startup HoneyMoon Brewery’s Ayla Bystrom-Williams talks craft beer and capital

Happy New Year! Like many of you, 2022 is not exactly starting out as I’d thought it would, lol. The short of it is that while I’m bummed that the Story Time event I’d planned for next month is just better saved for a later date, I wanted to give those of us who’re vaxed, boosted, generally operating on the safe side and craving some community and connection (like I am!) to still get together in February.

The fabulous HoneyMoon Brewery owners Ayla and James, along with their sidekick bartender extraordinaire Bill, are generously welcoming us back to gather under their heaters on their outside patio for some good, old-fashion schmoozing. So, bundle up and feel free to bring a blanket (or purchase one from HoneyMooon) so you can be nice and cozy while you schmooze, sip your kombucha and munch on some delicious NY or Detroit style pizza from Cosmic Pie Pizza, which Chris Van Dyne will be serving up out of Betterday next door!

You all stay safe and healthy and we’ll see you at 6:30 PM on the 3rd, when you can grab a drink and order some food before schmoozing the evening away!

Oh, and for those of you who’d heard the whispers that the amazing Andrea Abedi and Hilary Kilpatric were set to share their story of the coming-soon The Kitchen Table, a commercial kitchen fully outfitted to serve as an affordable, accessible resource for caterers, food truck operators, private chefs, farmers and other aspiring food entrepreneurs at Jean Cocteau Cinema in February, just hang on, as they’re super psyched to share a few months down the line and you won’t wanna miss it.

Pic credit - Dakota Corbin, Unsplash (Thank you!)

I first met Katie Keener, the owner of Pushpin Collaborative, when she and others hosted ArtWalk Santa Fe at Plaza Rosina back in September. I’d never been to this nook just off Cerrillos, so I was psyched to explore the rows of unique small businesses, including Katie’s colorful shop, which she opened this May at 1925 Rosina Street. Katie’s Pushpin Collaborative specializes in American made greeting cards, stationery and gifts, supporting 20+ local artists and small businesses across 22 states. I couldn’t help but to buy a few of those fun, festive cards and it was great to meet Katie in her element. When I saw the SF Reporter article titled “Unordinary Stationary” a few weeks later, I just loved learning about her commitment to creating community, collaborating and finding ways for her and other local business owners to “cross-pollinate and share.” I also loved learning that the former owners of the Marcy Street Card Shop, which closed last year, were happy to help and have Katie purchase their remaining inventory and fixtures. And did you know that Katie plans to feature 150+ designs by NM artists in her shop this holiday season? Start shopping, folks!

There’s so much more to Katie’s story and I can’t wait for you to join us to hear it at HoneyMoon Brewery on the 2nd! Owners Ayla and James, along with their trusty bartender+ Bill, have been working overtime to bring the booch back and keep it flowing. They’ve even added a patio area out front, so plan to bundle up and feel free to bring a blanket so you can be nice and cozy while you sip your kombucha and munch on some delicious NY or Detroit style pizza from Cosmic Pie Pizza, which Chris Van Dyne will be serving up out of Betterday next door til the pie runs out!

You all have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving holiday and we’ll see you at 6:30 PM on the 2nd, where you’ll have about a ½ hour to schmooze, grab a drink and order some food before we kick off Story Time around 7 PM. See you then!

Pic credit - Liane Pippin, SF Reporter (Thank you!)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been wanting to hear more of Joey and Hannah Padilla’s story since we visited The Alley for Parting Stone’s Story Time back in November 2019, just 2 months after The Alley opened. Fast forward 2 long years with a pandemic plopped in between, and I wanna hear even more from these kick-ass business owners and Santa Fe natives – not just how they got their start with Santa Fe Tails back in 2008, but also how they fared with both businesses during a couple of years that have been far from easy.

But what is easy is finding reasons to head The Alley, cause did you know that you can bowl free on your birthday? That they have Happy Hour specials Monday–Friday, 4–6pm? That Monday is Senior Discount Day, so anyone age 65+ bowls for $8/hour all day? That Tuesday is Locals Day, where you can bowl for $9 and get ½ off other games with your NM ID? That Wednesday is Teen Discount Day and the Pinball Wizards Meetup, Thursday is Mini Bowler Play Date Day, when kids 5 and under bowl 1 hour free with paid adult bowling, and from 10am-2pm on Sundays you can get $5 Mimosas or $7 House Bloody Marys? Them’s some fun deals for everyone!

And did you know that Hannah and Joey graduated from the San Francisco SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers, known worldwide as the premier dog training school? Hannah even has a BS in Zoology from San Francisco State University and served as Director of Behavior & Training at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter. This amazing couple have given back to the community through their work specializing in animal behavior and dog socialization, as many dogs awaiting adoption from the animal shelter have been placed in the care of Santa Fe Tails to improve social skills and challenging behaviors to help increase the dogs’ chances of finding a forever home. This just gives me the feels.

So, let’s come out in support of this kick-ass couple during a super-fun time of year, Global Entrepreneurship Week #GEW2021. Oh, and bring your appetite, cause El Sabor is still serving up delicious eats from Executive Chef Ever Paz and his wife Anna, and the Bocce Bar has a plethora of adult beverages to choose from. Arrive on time to schmooze and grab a drink and a bite to enjoy during Story Time and I can’t wait to see you there!

This is weird. For 3+ years I’ve asked a myriad of entrepreneurs to share their stories and taking this turn to share my story with Kick-Ass Entrepreneurs (KAE) kinda makes me wanna puke. I (Melanie Lenci) love setting the stage for others to shine, yet typically shy away from the spotlight. That’s about to change in a big way, as on October 6th I’m set to share a TED Talk type version of KAE’s story in front of hundreds of people in TN at the International Economic Development Conference (IEDC). Gulp. 😳

So, why am I taking this leap to do these things that absolutely terrify me? Cause I love, love, love seeing our amazing community come together each month to schmooze, support and celebrate our entrepreneurs. Hearing the stories makes me feel empathy and inspired at the same time, but seeing ya’ll chatting, laughing and connecting during schmooze time lights me up in a way I hadn’t expected. And it’s because of those near-overwhelming, kick-ass feelings that I now feel that it’s my mission to spread the word so that I can work with other communities so they can make the same KAE magic we’ve made here, there.

What started with a cool name and setting up a Meetup Group and Facebook Page back in 2018 has become something so much greater than I’d expected. I figured if people liked it, they’d come, if not, I’d stop doing it. Fast forward to when the pandemic hit and my paying work came to a screeching halt, I took the time to build KAE Story Time events into a program. Thanks to Sean O’Shea, the fabulous founder of HatchForm, connecting me to the fabulous folks at Clovis MainStreet, I piloted KAE in Clovis, NM (KAECLO) in late 2020. Based on the goodness that created, I’ve since been gearing up to expand to additional cities starting the end of this year. Part of my gearing up includes feeling the fear and doing it anyway by getting up in front of broader audiences to share KAE’s story, thus my trip to TN next month and inviting ya’ll to help me practice the whole in-front-of-a-crowd thing.

And we’re super grateful that the Santa Fe Brewing Company will have us again out on the lawn of their beautiful Beer Hall, as I want everyone to feel comfortable coming together. So, when you arrive at 6:30, head on in to grab a 🍷drink🍻 (don’t forget to tip your kick-ass bartenders well), order some food from the food truck and meet us on the lawn. We’ll schmooze ‘til about 7 PM, then start Story Time. They’ll be plenty of time after for your questions and more schmoozing, so save-the-date and I look forward to kicking off the start of the holiday weekend with you on the 2nd!

Imagine being on the brink of opening a food hall, what could’ve been the 1st in NM and one you’ve had on your mind for years, and then a pandemic hits. Well, that’s part of the story that CHOMP proprietor Ken Joseph will share with us on August 5th. Though the Sawmill Market in ABQ snagged the claim of NM’s 1st food hall, CHOMP is Santa Fe's 1st, and we’re lucky to have it. Not only does the public get the benefit of a sweet community gathering spot, but with vendor startup costs within food halls typically a fraction of a full-service restaurant, through CHOMP Ken’s providing our local entrepreneurs with a truly sweet opportunity.

 You can often find Ken serving up some of Santa Fe’s finest at Bottega del Vino, his beautifully arranged bar featuring practically priced fine wine by the glass, beer and Route 66 themed cocktails. You’ll also find The Artisan's Bottega, where you can stock up on organic Italian imports, bath & body products and Artisan made jewelry by the Bottega’s owner herself, Mary Beth Bartlett. As a special treat on the 5th, we’ll get to hear some of Mary Beth’s story as well as some of Beverly Crespin’s story, as she’s set to open Dragonfly Tea House at CHOMP by the end of this month.

 And bring your appetite so you can indulge in food from Chef Nath's Inspired Khmer Cuisine, Ocean Real Sushi or Chef Ahmed’s Jambo Café. Serum Juice Bar will be open by then as well, but we may have to come back at a later date to savor the wood fired pizza Bottega del Forno plans to be serving up soon.

Schmoozing happens from 6:30-7 PM, so be sure you have enough time to grab some food, chat and check out Mary Beth’s Bottega as well as the Marketplace at CHOMP, featuring a wide range of items, including artisanal prepared or to-go food items, skin products, fine crafts and more from 20 local micro entrepreneurs and artists before gettin’ yourself some of Beverly’s Dragonfly Tea🫖 or an 🍷adult beverage🍻 from Ken’s bar. We’ll start Story Time around 7 PM and should have plenty of time for your questions. Oh, and be sure to look your best, cause we’re going to be capturing this KAESF event on video 🎥 to collect some superb b-roll so we can put together a short piece that’ll help others see how amazing KAE Story Time events could be in their community. 😊

Many of us know or know of Victor Johnson, the genius behind Santa Fe IP and frequent attendee of KAESF events, but what’s his story? That’s what we’ll find out on July 1st.

Victor’s become a staple at the Santa Fe Business Incubator (SFBI) through Patent:ly, office hours he voluntarily holds the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month to assist small businesses and startup companies with their IP questions. His super powers include translating into human-speak the complexities of Intellectual Property (IP), including patent and trademark preparation and prosecution, as well as due diligence, freedom to operate, invalidity and noninfringement issues – all those things that would cause me to react like a deer in headlights 😳 if I didn’t have Victor guiding me to protect KAE.😊 And I know I’m not alone, as other locals like Haj Khalsa with his patented and patent-pending KOALA phone harness by HANGTIME echo my relief that a resource like Victor is right here in our own back yard.

For nearly a decade prior to hanging his own shingle and founding Santa Fe IP, Victor worked up the ranks from a lowly associate with a deliberate eye toward the business side of things to a plush partner’s office at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, an AmLaw 100 firm, where he practiced in their San Fran and Silicon Valley offices. Back at The George Washington University Law School, Victor had interned with the US International Trade Commission (ITC), began his career at the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) and moved on to practicing at IP boutiques in Silicon Valley and DC.

But what brought Victor to Santa Fe? And when he was a mini version of the IP guru 🤓 he is now, did he imagine IP was his calling, or had he given up his dream of being a cowboy 🤠 or a race car driver 🏎 to be where he is now, doing such great work for entrepreneurs and small businesses in our community, as well as for major companies nationwide?

We’ll learn about all that and more when we gather at Cafecito on the 1st. We heard Solange and Andres share the story of Cafecito over Zoom earlier this year, and now we get to go out and support them and hear a little update on how they’re doing now. 🎉 We’ll also get to hear Julia Wise, LANL Regional Engagement Project Manager and wonderful human, share some info about how our sweet event sponsor, the fine folks at the Richard P. Feynman Center for Innovation (FCI) at LANL (who run some stellar programs like the New Mexico Small Business Assistance [NMSBA] Program), might be able to help you.

As usual, you’ll have time for ordering an 🍷adult beverage🍻 and some munchies (anyone craving empanadas?) and schmoozing ‘til about 7 PM, when we’ll start the Story Time. And we’ll have plenty of time for Victor to answer some of your looming IP questions, so plan to bring ‘em on. Can’t wait to see you all again on the 1st!

Launched just last month, the brand spanking new ArtWalk Santa Fe is a reoccurring outdoor arts and crafts market, providing local and emerging artists with an open space to sell their products and get exposure in our community. The brainchild of Alex Streeper, and co-founded with her weekly Stitch & Bitch partner and bestie, Mara Saxer, their first ever #ArtWalkSantaFe took place on April 23th at The Trailhead and in collaboration with the fine folks at Cafecito, who provided food, ambiance and organized tango demonstrations by 8th Style Tango. Delicious food from the Tender Fire Kitchen food truck was also on hand, along with 11 artists selling anything from handcrafted jewelry to paintings, prints, plants and pots, photographs, ceramics, and screen-printed apparel.
 
While this may not fit the mold of our traditional entrepreneur tales, I love this story because ArtWalk Santa Fe was born from the need of two Santa Fe emerging artists to have other options for places to sell their wares. Alex embroiders incredible jewelry inspired by the beautiful regions and styles of Mexico, which she sells through Alita's Mexican Curios and Mara makes really cool handmade and upcycled jewelry and stained glass she sells through her biz, Bitterbrush Workshop. Both work other jobs and have had success selling at the ABQ ArtWalk and other Albuquerque pop-ups, but the schlep to ABQ is not always ideal. While Santa Fe artists have some sweet opportunities to sell at The Artisan Market or El Mercado and various other special events throughout the year, some of the barriers to entry for emerging artists like Alex and Mara include lack of street cred, booth fees that could wipe out profits, and waitlists for booths to become available. That’s where ArtWalk Santa Fe comes in.

If maxing out their vendor capacity, the number of community members who showed up for the very first event (despite the wacky weather), the happy response from diverse vendors regarding their sales, and the explosion of ArtWalk Santa Fe’s social media following on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter in less than 2 months is any indication, this is truly filling a need for Santa Fe and its emerging artists. That’s why I can’t wait for you to join us to hear Alex and Mara share their story, including how they hope to shape their next ArtWalk in June (hint: you can expect a different location, more food and entertainment) and some of the challenges they face, like finding places to hold these events and how to monetize this so they can keep it going while also keeping the ArtWalk free or super low cost for emerging artists like themselves.

 And we’ll be gathering on the lawn at the beautiful Beer Hall at the Santa Fe Brewing Company. When you arrive at 6:30 just head on into the stunning new building to grab yourself a drink (don’t forget to tip your kick-ass bartenders well) and then meet us on the lawn, where we’ll be schmoozing until about 7 PM, when we’ll start the Story Time. They’ll be plenty of time for your questions and by about 8 PM we’ll thank our storytellers and get back to schmoozing. A food truck will also likely be on hand so you can get your grub on. So excited to see you there!

We’re back to in-person events, people, and I couldn’t be more thrilled than to have millennial macaron maven Chainé Peña, owner of Chainé specialty cookies and lovely goods, share her story with us. Chainé graduated from Capital High and after a stint in Los Angeles working in makeup and special effects for film and TV, she returned to Santa Fe where her family has been rooted for six generations. The kitchen was always the heart and soul of her family and, after taking a macaron-making course in France about a decade ago, Chainé fell in love with the persnickety cookie. After years of perfecting, and at just 33 years of age, she opened her stunningly soothing and inviting shop off the plaza at 131 Water Street in October 2019, as written about in the Santa Fe New Mexican: At Chainé, Santa Fe native infuses flavors of home into French macarons

 Always interested in how our entrepreneurs have been faring the pandemic, I was drawn to a post Chainé shared on social media in Nov 2020, a mere year after opening her dreamy location. She wrote:

“I’m Chainé (Sha-nay) Peña. Santa Fe born and raised, La Cienega. Huge cookie dork. I opened the shop 5 months before the shutdown. Major shoutout to other small business owners making it happen all on their own. Real talk- I’ve been denied all state/federal small business funding during this pandemic due to being a newer business (the business came to life May 2019). There was a point where I was ready to close doors permanently. I know I’m not unique in this experience, but I wanted to share a bit of my story and express just how much gratitude I have for you all. You guys are the sole reason I’m able to keep my shop open. Thanks for letting me bake for you, I’m so dang grateful! We’re all gonna get through this, I’m a tough cookie and so are you. Stay safe & healthy friends!”

 I still get teary-eyed reading her raw, genuine words and the gratitude that pours forth. This is why I’m so insanely grateful that Chainé’s going to update and share even more of her story with us. Not only do we get to support Chainé, but we also get to come together again in real life for the 1st time in over a year, getting to see familiar faces and welcoming new members into our kick-ass community.

 We also get to return to a big part of KAE’s mission, supporting our local restaurants, bars and venue owners. And thanks to the owner and chef, Isabelle Koomoa, we get to return to the last venue we were set to visit before the shutdown, the Dragon Room at the Pink Adobe, a place familiar to many of us for its kick-ass happy hour and its mouth-watering meals and munchies. Isabelle was kind enough to reserve the back patio for us to safely schmooze and listen to Chainé’s story, so bring your appetite to show support to Isabelle and her amazing staff. I can’t wait to see all your masked faces in the flesh on May 6th!

NOTE: Please don’t mistake our enthusiasm for lack of awareness or care, as the health of our kick-ass community is of utmost importance to us. That’s why we’ll be abiding by all local and beyond safety protocols and if the tide turns from turquoise, we’ll reevaluate then. We look forward to seeing on you on the 6th and if you’re not 100% comfortable joining us, we’ll happily welcome you back when you’re ready!

If you’re a subscriber of the Prints & Plants newsletter, like me, then you already know that the owner and creative genius behind it, Liz Brindley, has been steadily evolving, continuously upping her game and consistently providing more and more options to engage her fans. Liz has nurtured her business into something we can all learn from – from her crisp, clean Shopify store hosting products like colorful, 🌱plant-patterned journals and bandanas, beautiful prints🥕 and greeting cards, cute pouches, tea towels to die for, magnificent mugs and more, to her oodles of online courses for creatives. 

The Prints & Plants website blooms with fabulous freebies and short, sweet videos that inspire a connection with her prospective customers. The concise content clearly outlines what results her clients can expect. Her FAQs include considerate, simple responses to a plethora of potential questions. And her beautiful images, 🌽calming colors and testimonials sprinkled throughout are a true testament to her talent. And while all of that alone impressed the pants off me, I shouldn’t have been surprised to learn that this young creative has not only designed items exclusively for the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, but also leads sold-out classes hosted by the museum and is a Top Teacher on Skillshare.👏

Watching Liz’s business blossom has been a real treat, that’s why I’m so excited for you to join us in April to hear Liz share the story of the winding path of Prints & Plants,🪴 including how participating in Creative Startups’ Libraries as Launchpads program in 2018 totally shifted her business perspective. So, start enjoying the shift into spring 😊 and we’ll see you on the 1st!

 Event video at:
https://youtu.be/_fY0pFDgzuc

Dionne Christian 👩🏽‍🍳 eats, sleeps and breathes bakery, and we’re thrilled that she’s making the time to share her story with Revolution Bakery with us in March. Dionne is no stranger to owning and running a business and navigating tough times. She opened the Teahouse on Canyon Road in 2003, which she sold in 2011 before opening the first evolution of Revolution Bakery in 2012, which she closed 4 years later in 2016 due to health issues. When Santa Fe went into shut-down mode last March, her new and improved Revolution Bakery was only up and running at its new home in the Design Center for less than a year and she knew she had to figure out how to make things work or else she was gonna lose her butt (her words).

But make things work, she has. Despite a broken arm and new metal elbow (a parting gift from 2020), Dionne and her one employee continue to crank out carefully curated, organic, gluten-free breads and sweets, many of them vegan and made with her own gluten-free flour combinations. And while much has changed since the Santa Fe Reporter celebrated Dionne’s return in August 2019 with Viva la Revolution: Santa Fe’s favorite gluten-free bakery returns, the Design Center location remains the hub for all the business’s baking magic. 

While the Design Center offers indoor walk-in space, for now Dionne’s keeping it safe by making use of the handy-dandy drive-through window at the back of the building. Each week she posts a list of gluten-free breads 🍞 and pastries on Facebook and Instagram where you can DM your order. Better yet, go to her website to sign up for the weekly newsletter, this way you’ll never miss the line up of what bread 🥖 and other treats (a rotating menu that includes cakes,🍰 croissants,🥐 muffins, pies,🥧 cinnamon rolls, scones, cookies🍪 and more) are available for you to pick up on Fridays from 10-1pm from the drive-through window at 418 Cerrillos Road (just remember to place your order by Wednesday at noon either via DM or email). 

And spread the word to your ABQ friends, cause while the build out of Dionne’s ABQ location is on pause til her arm heals, folks can still order pre-packed bags that include two loaves of bread, two muffins and two scones ready for pick-up every Saturday from 9-12pm at 616 Lomas Blvd NW. I don’t know about you, but I’m now craving croissants🥐 and can’t wait to learn more of Dionne’s👩🏽‍🍳 story with Revolution Bakery. See you there!

Event video at:
https://youtu.be/aXVsMvovRPk

Cafecito, an inviting neighborhood coffee house, restaurant and community gathering space, opened its doors in the heart of the Baca Railyard District toward the end of 2019 thanks to its owners and visionaries, Solange Serquis and Andres Paglayan. After meeting and marrying in Buenos Aires, Solange (Argentinian) and Andres (Armenian descent) moved to Santa Fe some 20 years ago and we couldn’t be more grateful. Their dedication to the development of the Baca District led to their beautifully designed Trailhead Compound on 922 Shoofly St., which houses Cafecito, the offices for their other businesses, Serquis + Associates Landscape Architecture and EMR-Bear (which Andres co-founded), and more.

As mentioned in the SF New Mexican, Cafecito brings taste of Argentina to Baca Railyard, in the beginning the plan was simple: Take the community-minded space they’d already designed (formerly occupied by Opuntia), offer some good coffee and put a few pastries on the menu. But simple doesn’t always sit right with serial entrepreneurs, which is why Solange and Andres ended up creating something so special. They expanded Cafecito’s offerings to include breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch — a full menu of Argentinian, Armenian and globally inspired dishes, made in-house and incorporating locally sourced ingredients and products from places like Reunity Farm, Sage Bakery, Revolution Bakery, ArtfulTea, Chocolate Maven, Zia Beverages, Lotus Farms, Red Mesa Meats and Hoy Farms. They even hosted an art tour holiday pop-up and had other events in the works at the intersection of music, art, food and social gatherings. Then the pandemic hit.

Thanks to some serious dedication, Cafecito is continuing to serve our community through take-out and delivery Monday thru Saturday, a heated patio sitting area, as well as Sunday brunch from 10 to 3. Now, I don’t know about you, but my Cafecito curiosity has certainly been piqued. I’m dying to know how they’ve navigated the new requirements, constantly changing restrictions, added expenses for things like PPE and to-go containers, supply chain disruptions and more of the past 10 months to keep their employees working and their doors open so that folks like you and I have a place to capture a small semblance of normalcy or an occasional treat for the palate.

So, before Solange and Andres share their story with us on the 4th, call or order online to get your Cafecito fix. I know I will, cause writing this has created a serious craving. Enjoy and I’ll see you on the 4th!

Photo credit: Anthony Mitchell

Event video at:
https://youtu.be/PI7bUW_y9tk

The perils of being a startup founder and the emotional toll it can take is real. A gut-wrenching example of this is what’s happening with Haj Khalsa and his company, HANGTIME. You might recall that after putting in a ton of hard work in 2018, Haj’s invention, the KOALA Super-Grip™ Smartphone Harness, finally launched on Indiegogo last September. They blew past their goal and ended their 2-month campaign with $500K+ in sales and approximately 35K KOALAs sold globally. This was an incredible high for the HANGTIME team and we celebrated this high with Haj last December when he shared his story with us at Jean Cocteau Cinema.

Well, 2020 started on a great note and HANGTIME had some superb media exposure. Out of the blue, they were picked up by The NY Times as one of the 6 Items to Stuff in Your Ski Jacket Pockets. Shortly after that, they were featured on the CBS show Innovation Nation with Mo Rocca. Each of these press coups netted them $10K+ days! In addition to the revenue, their inboxes were filling up with interest in the KOALA and possible growth partnerships.

But 2020 had some nasty surprises in store as well. The same notoriety that attracted CBS and The NYT also attracted the attention of a competitor company in the form of a patent infringement lawsuit. Given that HANGTIME has a patent for the KOALA and several more pending, Haj assumed that the lawsuit could be easily resolved by way of a settlement or a licensing agreement. This did not turn out to be the case. $50K in legal expenses and many sleepless nights later, it seems that their competitor would rather try to put HANGTIME out of business than come to a fair resolution. Since HANGTIME would very likely prevail if the case went before a jury, it appears that the lawsuit was filed not on the merits of their case, but rather as a tactic to drive them from the market.

This strategy works because a full defense in a case like this can cost $500K-$2M, with no chance to recover legal fees should they prevail. On top of that, many of their potential growth channels are closed until the lawsuit is resolved. Channels like Amazon, as well as wholesale channels like REI or Cabellas, are all off-limits, along with many other reseller and partnership opportunities. Even Shark Tank invited them to apply to the show, but then tabled the invite when they learned of the suit.

So, what’s a startup team to do when faced with a seemingly immovable obstacle like this lawsuit? Tune in to find out. And in the meantime, check out PROJECT OLLO, because while the future of the KOALA is unclear, you can’t keep this entrepreneur down, as Haj has already hatched an idea for a solution that will connect brands and influencers, giving them the power to benefit the causes they support.

We’re doin’ things a little different in November. To celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) #GEW2020 and some of the good that’s been happenin’ here at home, we’ll hear short stories from a few of the fabulous fledgling founders participating in Santa Fe Innovates (SFI) very first accelerator cohort. We’ll not only learn about the next tech and solution-oriented startups with a vision for social good coming to our ‘hood, but our storytellers will also shed some light on how the program’s 6-week Ideation phase may have reshaped the solution they’re now preparing to bring through the 3-month accelerator portion of the program that they’ll be 3-weeks deep in by the time we go live on November 19th.

So excited and I hope you’ll join us to get the scoop on Santa Fe’s social enterprise scene while showing some support to Jon Mertz and the SFI team, the investors and mentors they’ve gathered to help energize our social startups and the hardworking entrepreneurs they’re lifting up through their program, including those we’ll get to hear from:

JACOB PEDERSON, founder of Refolia, a platform for on-demand reforestation of American cities, helping climate-smart trees find the best places to grow.

PAT WETZEL, founder of CancerRoadTrip, an online subscription film series that inspires, informs and connects people impacted by cancer.

LADA BALLOWE, founder of Intuitives, an online platform for international intuitive teachers.

And don’t forget to check out SFI’s Go Social Entrepreneurs, a place to learn and support one other in launching, building and sustaining a social entrepreneur venture. See you soon!

Photo courtesy of Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash.

One of the things I miss the most about our in-person Story Time™ events is the schmooze time with you all before and after. That’s why we’re gonna take some time to schmooze. I wanna know where you’re at. How’s your business been faring through these beyond wild times? How’s it changed? How does that make you feel? How are YOU doing? How’ve you been coping or thriving during this extraordinary time we’re living through?

Personally, I’ve been having some serious highs and lows. My head and heart are all over the place. I’m ecstatic for the businesses that are booming, as well as the ones happily getting back on their feet. I empathize with the ones still trying to regain their footing or pivot as we try to adjust to constant changes and predict what’s next. And I have a heavy heart for those who are still stalled out, struggling, contemplating closing or have already made that grueling decision to shut the door on their dreams.

The myriad of things happening in the world today not only take their toll on our businesses, but also on our spirits. That’s why continuing to connect is so important. I miss seeing your faces and hope you’ll join to share some of your highs and lows. Let’s take some time to connect, lift each other up, learn how to support each other better and share any words of wisdom or specs of insight that might help one of our fellow Kick-Ass Entrepreneur community members. That’s what we’re truly all about and I can’t wait to connect with you on the 1st!

Photo courtesy of Dan Meyers on Unsplash.

I’m so excited to have Dr. Prisca Tiasse share the story of her entrepreneurial venture, The Community Lab, which she started in 2014 as Biodidact. Prisca was described to me as a kick-ass woman passionate about developing ways to diagnose harmful cells who started a small, scrappy-as-heck bioscience company in Los Alamos. After I looked her up online and we chatted, I was convinced that her story was worth stepping outside of our Santa Fe bubble to share.

After a time as a post doc at LANL, Prisca decided to go out on her own. While we’re lucky enough to have the Santa Fe Business Incubator’s (SFBI) stellar BioScience Lab, Prisca discovered that there was no other lab space serving Northern NM, so she got to work. After spending a year setting up Biodidact as a place of her own, she decided to open it up to others so they could benefit and rent lab space on an as-needed basis. Thus, The Community Lab was born. And this isn’t just lab space to plan out experiments and make R&D efforts more efficient and cost-effective, it’s also a place for prototyping and technical training. They serve a variety of organizations, from startups to larger institutions, on the human talent side through outsourcing services, project assistance and collaborations, as Prisca truly understands that human resources can be a major hurdle for startups and that local workforce development in technology is key to diversifying NM's economy.

If that weren’t enough, while continuing to develop nanotechnology capabilities, Prisca took advantage of her community's diverse set of expertise to foster innovation and nurture problem-solving skills by sponsoring a community makerspace, Los Alamos Makers, where students, experts and hobbyists learn and brainstorm solutions to problems they care about.

Though Prisca foresees outside investment playing a role as she develops products, she’s deliberately taken it this far without the help of any VC’s so she could remain focused on the innovation and research without any outside influence. Still, Prisca is insanely grateful for our event sponsor, the fine folks at the Feynman Center for Innovation at LANL and the New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) Program, as she’s benefited from NMSBA in both 2019 and 2020. Prisca refers to the program as an absolute gem and credits NMSBA for being about so much more than money, as it’s given her access to the people and additional expertise and equipment that, without which, some of her project work would not be possible.

And a fun fact is that Prisca and her volunteer "swab squad" were recently in the news. While she’s part of an international consortium that’s been contributing to global research efforts for years, her team’s efforts in swabbing surfaces and collecting samples around Los Alamos this summer may help shed some light on covid-19’s shelf life on surfaces.

I’m so looking forward to learning more about Prisca and hope you’ll join us on the 10th to show some love to a seriously smart, family-oriented female entrepreneur and community contributor!

Join us for our 1st KAE Support Local Happy Hour. With so many checked out for summer, we’re gonna save our next stellar Story Time entrepreneur for September and instead gather at our screens to shoot the sh**. To make it more festive, we’ll start out by sharing what local business(es) we each supported and local beverage(s) we have chosen to partake of for the occasion.

I’ve got a few suggestions so we can show some ♥️ to storyteller alumni and venues who’ve shown KAESF ♥️ over the years. Pick up some nutritious, delicious Verde juice or amazing organic food from Terra Verde or have it delivered by Santa Fe’s Original Delivery service, Dashing Delivery. Pick up some refreshing hard (or not) kombucha from HoneyMoon Brewery, either at their taproom location or Whole Foods. Or head to the south side for curbside pickup of your favorite from Santa Fe Spirits distillery on Mallard Way. And if beer’s your thang, you can get your favorite Santa Fe Brewing Company brew just about anywhere these days.

And we really won’t mind watching you eat, so grab some mouth-watering takeout from El Callejon, Back Road Pizza or The Cowgirl BBQ (if they’ve reopened by then). If you’re in the mood to cook, you can dig into your Squash Blossom Blossom Bag and show us what you’ve whipped up. And if you’re joining us from beyond the Land of Enchantment, we look forward to hearing how you supported your local community.

I hope you’re all happy and healthy and making the most of your summer and that we’ll see you in August for our KAE Support Local Happy Hour. Cheers!

Photo courtesy of Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.

Inspired by a homemade lip balm tried on a 2016 camping trip, Robin Goddard, the founder of By Robin Creations (BRC), now has a full line of handmade 100% vegan body care products and is ranked in the top 1% of sellers on Etsy. 4 years ago, Robin turned her interest into a hobby and gave away her own homemade lip balm to friends and coworkers while a realtor in the Bay Area. She then turned that hobby into a Santa Fe-based business that yielded a 442% increase in gross from 2018 to 2019 and is on track to see her YOY gross increase another 130% this year. For all of you currently selling online, or hoping to up your online sales game, you won’t wanna miss this opportunity to learn from and ask questions of this master of local markets and slayer of online sales as she shares her story and secrets of success.

Robin’s success wasn’t instant or easy. Her 1st 5 lip balm attempts were less than lip worthy, but once she got it down, she started making other products her friends asked about, like diaper rash cream and deodorant. People loved what Robin was making, but it wasn’t until a vegan refused to accept her lip balm gift that Robin had her ah-ha moment. Her initial creations weren’t vegan, so she reformulated and knew then and there that vegan would be her niche.

Done with the high cost of living in CA, Robin made her way to Santa Fe in early 2017, took on a couple less-than-fulfilling jobs and set up shop to sell her products on Etsy. To say that she’s an Etsy success story is an understatement. On that site alone, Robin’s had more than 8.5K+ sales, has a 5-star rating, has received 1,405 reviews and is ranked in the top 1%.

Once Robin stopped going it alone, it was game changing. In spring of 2018, she reached out to a customer who was a raving fan and turned that fan into her social media guru – delegating the taking and posting of product pics, crafting content and descriptions and even building out BRC’s newer Shopify site, as Etsy has its positives, but an independent site comes with more profit and product listing freedom. Robin still has her social media guru, as well as a contract worker who’s now full-time, since once the pandemic hit and Robin wisely started producing hand sanitizer, BRC has been booming even more.

While BRC’s booming, they’re also giving, since they list COVID Gift Bags on their sites and encourage shoppers to add one to their purchase while they take charge of distributing them to various groups of essential workers across NM. So far, BRC’s distributed 650+ gift bags. Don’t you love it?

And while you can find Robin and BRC at her 1232 Osage Ave location (by appointment only), at the Santa Fe Railyard Artisan Market on Sundays and the Los Alamos Farmer's Market on Thursdays, when you join us on Zoom you’ll get to hear all about how she’s turned her hobby into the kick-ass business it is today – a business hoping to hire 2 employees this year to keep up with demand. How dang exciting.

Hoping you’re all well and looking forward to kickin’ off the holiday weekend with you on July 2nd!

When Santa Fe native Eric Streeper 1st shared his story with KAE back in March 2018, he’d been expecting to launch Xerb that month, though it didn’t actually happen ‘til 6 months later. So why are we circling back to Xerb when there are so many other entrepreneur stories to share? Well, because I feel like we could all use a super happy story right now, and when I heard what’s been going down at Xerb since we all went on lockdown, I was beyond excited for them and wanted to share that excitement with you.

So, not a shocker that Xerb’s workload didn’t get any lighter after their launch. There was still endless coding and customer interest to generate, but they kept at it, all huddled up and glued to their screens in their cave at the Santa Fe Business Incubator (SFBI). With a growing team of interns, they continuously improved their Netflix-like, subscription-based product Watch Anytime, where every channel is independently run, with its own community. Xerb was definitely starting to get traction, as you can see from Julia Goldberg’s stellar Nov 2019 SF Reporter article, Netflix on Blast: Santa Fe startup Xerb aims to disrupt a stale distribution model and get filmmakers paid.

Still, nothing could’ve prepared Xerb’s founder and team of Millennial masterminds for the world of festivals and events to come crashing down, giving Xerb this insane opportunity to help organizations gather their global communities online. While it had taken 2+ years to launch their 1st product, they met the demand and created a new product, Virtual Events, in just over 3 sleepless weeks. To give you some perspective on the impact of their product addition, you can now find 133% more customer channels on Xerb than were there before the sky started to fall in mid-March. And the # of registered users has skyrocketed – a 62% jump from Monday May 4th to Friday May 8th alone. In fact, ½ of Xerb’s total user base found them between the 2 weeks from April 29th to May 13th.

Them’s the facts, but what has it been like to go through all that? I know they’ve trained and worked with a lot of interns, so what’s that been like? And their steady grind to growth was good, but not quite what they'd hoped for. So, what’s it been like for Eric these past couple of months, leading a team through this world of change and whirlwind of demand? Has he lost any team members? Brought any new ones on? And, finally, what’s it like to see your dream explode into life after so many years of steady but slow progress? That’s what we’re gonna find out. So excited to see you there!

Thanks to B.PUBLIC, we don't have to go another month without their story, as they'll bring the story to us via Zoom (link below).

You may have seen B.PUBLIC CEO Edie Dillman educating and inspiring at Santa Fe Innovate’s recent Wanna Be a B-Corp? event. Well, we’re in for a treat, as B.PUBLIC is not only game to share the story of why being a public benefit corp is so important to them, but Edie and her fabulous co-founder Jonah Stanford (who also happens to be her husband) will share with us more of the story behind the making of B.PUBLIC’s proprietary high-performance prefab building envelope that speeds construction and reduces energy consumption by up to 90% for the life of the building. Along with co-founder Charlotte Bervin-Lagarde, the team is gung-ho to introduce to Santa Fe and beyond a solution that incorporates materials that reduce environmental impact and deliver comfort like nothing else. 

Edie said it best in a Facebook post: “I couldn't be more excited about 2020 and inspired to lead a decidedly disruptive venture. Here's to taking risks and making the world a better place. This is the right product, the right moment, with the right partners. We have the great fortune to bring to market solutions in prefab construction with drastically reduced carbon footprint, energy use, and craft-made quality, all while creating jobs, ensuring training, engaging in the community, and developing local networks. Grateful to serve a market that is hungry for fast - smart - beautiful building solutions. We might be a start-up, but we are feeling the love and are incredibly fortunate that so many are cheering us on and supporting our growth. Here's to a killer decade ahead to make a dent in the housing need and reverse our carbon bingeing.” 

Now, I bet you’re as excited about B.PUBLIC as I am. Not only do they offer direct-to-consumer/developer options for those looking for a studio, home or multiple units that are beautiful, comfortable and have less impact on the environment (home plans that utilize their prefabricated system components), but they also partner with industry pros to provide prefabricated building envelope components direct to builders, architects and designers. They even offer training and introductions to design and building professionals on how to improve performance by utilizing the B.PUBLIC building envelope.

If you’re geeking out on B.PUBLIC like I am, head to their story/about us page, as it’s one of the best I’ve read in a while. And if you’re jonesing for more, the NMEDD hosted a webinar all about housing, and B.PUBLIC chimes in @ minute 58 with some sweet slides and talk about solutions and tools for developing more housing for New Mexicans.

We’ll gather to hear this story of what it’s like to build a public benefit corp based on building science on Zoom, baby. So grab yourself a drink and a bite, click the meeting link and settle in for Story Time. See ya there!

Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/98798123552?pwd=ZEtjU1hKRDBHQ3ZxNUNHYVJ6N0hYZz0

I’m so excited to have you not only join me to hear TARTLE co-founder Alexander Ramsay McCaig’s story, but to accept the same challenge I’m taking on – to sign up for TARTLE (for free, forever) so that when we gather for Story Time we can provide valuable feedback to possibly help improve TARTLE and the way it’s marketed and explained so more people like us will be crazy comfortable using it and thrilled to spread the word. 

So, what’s TARTLE? TARTLE is the world’s first web-based global digital identity exchange platform empowering all of us to monetize and create value from our data through anonymous global transactions when we choose to sell our data on our terms. In layman’s terms, it’s a free platform where you add info about your social networking accounts, travel, shopping, health, and a plethora of other categories into what TARTLE calls Packets. Buyers on the exchange can then bid on your Packets of info, and if you accept their bid(s), you’ll start accumulating a bucket of Bitcoin – meaning you now reap the $ benefits of your data. 

 I created my account this week in just minutes, along with 19 Digital Identity Packets (so far), and I can’t wait to see if I get any bids. How about you do the same and sign up so we can let Alex know what we think on the 5th? And since TARTLE’s done one of the best jobs I’ve seen in a long time of using video to explain all you need to know to get started, check out their YouTube channel. 

 As for our storyteller, Alex, I’ve gotta say that you’re in for a treat. Not only is this 27-year-old smart as a whip and funny as hell, he’s got such energy and enthusiasm for NM and our community that my heart about wants to burst. This East-Coaster felt like he was dying on the vine back there and decided to apply to incubators across the country. Images of NM started appearing in his dreams, so when he got the call from the Santa Fe Business Incubator (SFBI) that they had one spot open, he was ecstatic. After hopping on a plane and meeting with the SFBI’s wonderful Jessica Moose and learning more about what they offered, he couldn’t pack his bags fast enough. He was not only in love with the SFBI, but with Santa Fe and NM’s culture and mix of high spirit with high tech. Since bringing TARTLE here, Alex feels that he’s finally found the community he wants to grow and develop with, which is why I’m so dang excited for us to show him some KAE love. 

 Since Julia Goldberg with the SF Reporter did such a great job covering the tech and company-side of TARTLE in her mid-January article, “Taking Back Data: New Mexico startup TARTLE offers customers the chance to sell their info on the open market,” head there to learn more. Oh, and TARTLE’s hiring, so if you know a CTO/Lead Developer looking for a cool place to work, you know where to send ‘em.

And we’ll gather to support Alex and TARTLE on their journey to make the world a better place by enabling us to control and monetize our data downtown at the Hotel Chimayo’s Low 'n Slow Lowrider Bar. The Low n’ Slow pays homage to lowrider culture with its diamond-tuck upholstered seats, hub caps, creative photos and tables made of chromed chain-link steering wheels. I’d walked past the Low n’ Slow about 100 times before being lured in there by my buddies Sean O’Shea and his now-wife, Julia Wise. I’m glad they introduced me, ‘cause it’s got a great vibe and some sweet cocktails for you to sip as we settle in for Story Time. See you there!

Oh, yeah. We’ve got the fabulous Caitlin E. Jenkins and Amy Tischler, co-founders of Simply Social Media™, to kick off story time in 2020. While I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve often viewed social media as a necessary evil and another chore on my to-do list, I’ve been intrigued and wowed by how differently Amy and Caitlin do social media here in The City Different. The more I’ve learned, the bigger a fan I’ve become of their approach, which goes well beyond sharing or liking posts to creating true community, connections and conversations.

 Most intriguing are their InstaMeets. These offline gatherings give influencers access to places and things they normally wouldn’t have access to so they can showcase what they see and experience to their followers and encourage just enough FOMO to make others desire a similar experience. The Santa Fe Opera (just one of Simply Social’s happy clients) has benefited so much from InstaMeets that they’ve done them 5 seasons running. Just think what exposure like this could do for your business.

 And while I’m also embarrassed to admit that I just added KAE to Instagram about 6 weeks ago and have a measly 43 followers, Caitlin and Amy have grown their Instagram accounts @SimplySantaFeNM to 36.1K followers and @TravelNewMexico to a whopping 54.5K  followers who’ve shared kudos like this: “When my husband and I decided…[to] move to Santa Fe, I wanted to learn all about the town we had fallen in love with. As an active Instagram user on the East Coast, I did a search for Santa Fe accounts and immediately followed @SimplySantaFeNM. For the next eight months before we moved, I followed along and learned so much about things to do… The community Simply Social Media has built…made our transition here infinitely more enjoyable.”  This goes to show that these accounts and hashtags (#SimplySantaFe and #TravelNM) that Amy and Caitlin created and care for are such a tremendous service to our community’s businesses and brands and the people behind them.

 I can’t wait to hear about some of the challenges Caitlin and Amy have overcome since launching in 2014, what local resources they’ve found helpful along the way and what we can expect from them next. And how kismet is it that we’ll gather at Social Kitchen + Bar to hear Simply Social’s story?  Social Kitchen + Bar is a casual, cozy, friendly spot nestled next to the Sage Inn, with yummy food and a drink menu that’s making me want a cocktail right now even though I’m writing this at 11 AM. So, arrive on time to schmooze and grab a drink and a bite before settlin’ in for a super social story time.

We’re doing something different in December. Any of you remember our 3rd entrepreneur storyteller from back in April 2018, Haj Khalsa, founder of HANGTIME and inventor of the KOALA? Haj had been hoping to launch his crowdfunding campaign that summer, but it wasn’t in the stars. I worked for HANGTIME for a hot second, so I know firsthand that Haj has been to hell and back to bring his product and vision to life, and now it’s time to celebrate and get caught up on his journey of excruciating setbacks and delays to truly killing it. The KOALA Super-Grip™ Phone Harness finally launched on Indiegogo in September 2019, raising $441,826 from 14,488 backers in six strong weeks. Take some time to ooh and aah over the out-of-this-world campaign Haj and his team put together to accomplish that spectacular feat here and, if you haven’t already, snag your very own KOALA.

 And we’re welcoming the Future of Work Meetup Group to join us in the celebrating our last event of 2019. Their fearless leader, Jon Mertz, is not only KAESF’s big-hearted sponsor and the founder of Santa Fe Innovates (a social enterprise accelerator coming soon to Santa Fe), but he’s also sponsoring ONE FREE DRINK for each of you. Yahoo!!!

 We’re so lucky to be cheers-ing to Haj and HANGTIME and Jon Mertz at Jean Cocteau Cinema. JCC is owned by that generous genius, George R. R. Martin. You know, the guy that created that world you may have found yourself glued to, Game of Thrones (just one of his literary feats). And Jean Cocteau Cinema is run by just about the best bunch of people you could imagine who just opened Beastly Books  right next door to the cinema. 

 So, sneak a peek into Santa Fe’s newest bookstore before comin’ on in to the cinema, grabbin’ a drink and settlin’ in for some story time. Can’t wait to see you there!

I couldn’t be more excited than to have Justin Crowe, founder of Parting Stone, share his story with us at The (finally-opened) Alley as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW) 2019. Justin catapulted from being the 2018 top bizMIX winner to just one year later closing $500K in funding and publicly launching in late September 2019. Justin credits bizMIX for super-helpful publicity as well as connecting him to the company’s lead investor, who introduced him to many more people. Parting Stone has already opened a processing lab here in Santa Fe and hired four employees (and are looking to hire more).

So what does Parting Stone do? Well, they created an alternative to receiving ashes after a loved one dies that you can easily touch, hold and share among loved ones, an idea Justin gave birth to after the death of his granddad. How’d they do it? Well, Justin had a concept about how to convert the full amount of a person's ashes to stones, but didn’t have a complete recipe. He was grateful to have the NMSBA pair him with ceramic engineer Chris Chen of LANL. Working with Chen and his team, they developed a process to superheat cremated remains, chemically altering the ashes into beautiful stones. In addition to pairing Justin with an incredible scientific team at LANL, NMSBA recently awarded Parting Stone a second grant for $100K to study the environmental impact of scattering solidified remains vs. ashes. Pretty cool stuff.

Wondering how it works from the customer side? The gist is that once the Parting Stone lab receives the ashes, the entire process takes about three weeks to complete with a 100-lb person producing around 25 stones. They also solidify the remains of family pets and have partnered with the Santa Fe Animal Shelter to offer this option for our furry friends. The service costs $595 for human remains, $395 for dogs and $295 for cats. Parting Stone’s website and this industry newsletter article explain much more about the company’s service, process and impact and include some superbly done videos that made me cry (not kidding). They’re well worth watching. 

And speaking of watching, I’ve been watching the news since spring of 2018 in anticipation of The Alley’s opening, which finally happened on September 2nd. The city’s 1st bowling alley since 2008 spans 20K sq ft and comes complete with 12 regulation bowling lanes, six billiard tables, three dartboards, two indoor turf courts for bocce, two shuffleboard tables and a kick-ass arcade. Santa Fe residents and parents Joey and Hannah Padilla (also owners of Santa Fe Tails) bring a spirit of family with them to work each day and love watching kids big and small having fun in their sprawling entertainment center.

Bring your appetite, as they’ve partnered with Executive Chef Ever Paz and his wife Anna to bring El Sabor (formerly a food truck) to The Alley’s kitchen, where they serve up a range of excellent quality tapas, salads, sandwiches, burgers and entrées. Yummmm. And the Bocce Bar offers local beers on tap, popular wines and signature cocktails using liquors from local distilleries. Arrive on time to grab a drink and a bite to enjoy during story time. I can’t wait to see you there!

Fun Fact: Nick Mendoza, the mastermind behind OneForNeptune, came up with the idea to launch a sustainable, nutritious, and flavorful fish jerky product while working on his family’s cattle ranch in the Gila Wilderness. A MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture and former marine scientist, Nick’s career took him across the ocean to eight countries before returning to NM, participating in bizMIX in 2017, and delivering stellar pitches at the Fish 2.0 Global Seafood Innovation Forum at Stanford University and ABQid’s 2018 Balloon Pitch, where he took home the $10K prize. 

Nick spent a lot of long nights making some really bad jerky before joining forces with chefs and food scientists to perfect a fish jerky with the taste, texture, and aroma of beef jerky. He’s apparently hit it out of the park, as OneForNeptune’s sustainably sourced, gluten free, preservative free, dairy free, non-GMO jerky with 1.5 times the protein of beef jerky, 30 to 100 times the Omega-3 fatty acids, and no saturated fat was selected as a Top Pick from 200K+ products at the Fancy Foods Show NYC by Massimo Bottura, the genius chef behind the #1 rated restaurant in the world and featured on Netflix’s Chef’s Table.

Aquaculture is big business, as aquaculture startups took in a reported $193 million in 2016. And OneForNeptune means business, as demonstrated by bringing on co-founders James Coop, CMO, and Garrett Delgado, CFO, to join the crew full time and doing what it took to raise $65K+ in 2018 by launching Kickstarter’s most successful food product campaign at the time. 

All the company’s fish is sourced from the Washington/Oregon coast, they work with a co-packer in the Seattle area, and they’re driven by a mission to minimize seafood waste and support small-scale fisheries. They want you to know your fish, fisherman, and fishery, which is why customers can enter info from the product packaging into the Batch Finder feature on their website to get those answers. Pretty cool stuff.

E-commerce growth is their main priority, but what’s next for OneForNeptune? Join us at Jimmy D’s on 10.17 to find out about their plans to possibly pursue larger distribution in retail, if they’re having any luck securing a packaging partner in NM, and if they have any new products on the horizon. If you know where Santa Fe Bite used to be, then you know where Jimmy D’s is. Opened by Jimmy and Jennifer Day (the couple behind Trattoria a Mano, Bouche, and others) this summer, Jimmy D’s is a casual American eatery with a menu that features fresh takes on American classics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. So come on down to soak in the fun-filled, colorful atmosphere complemented by fanciful lighting over cozy booths reminiscent of the 60s and 70s and enjoy anything from a delicious milkshake to a swanky cocktail or all-day breakfast. 

Founded in 1980 by Dr. C. W. (Tony) Hirt while working at Los Alamos National Lab (LANL), Flow Science has grown to become a leading provider of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions. Headquartered here in Santa Fe, with offices around the globe, the company’s flagship CFD software, FLOW-3D®, provides a powerful tool for complex fluid modeling problems and enables highly accurate simulations of free-surface flows. Wondering what the heck that means and how it translates into solving real-world problems? Well, that’s some of what Flow Science’s CEO, Amir Isfahani, is going to share with us. Not only is Amir PhD-level smart, he speaks 3 languages and has a talent for translating high tech into human speak that makes folks like you and me ooh and aah.

It’s not just impressive tech, but Amir’s an inspiring guy, and Flow Science is a kick-ass company. Though not the founder of Flow Science (that go-getter is in his 80s and still shows up at the office every day), Amir has been with Flow Science for 10 ½ years. Fresh out of school, Amir worked his way up from software developer within the R&D team to business development, to managing a sales department serving a worldwide customer base of commercial, academic, and government users who use the CFD software for a broad range of applications, including water and environmental, metal casting, microfluidics, biotechnology, coating, inkjets, coastal and maritime, consumer products, and energy. Now that Amir spends a good chunk of his time traveling the world representing Flow Science’s comprehensive solution for free-surface flow problems as CEO, we’re lucky he’s taking time to share his story with us. 

As for Flow Science as a company, they’ve managed to secure a spot on NM Technology’s Flying 40 for 4 years in a row – a recognition given to the 40 fastest-growing tech companies headquartered in NM (out of 3K+) that make critical contributions to the state’s economy (cheers, Flow Science!). But they don’t just care about the $ or the tech, they care about their people. For the 3rd year in a row, Flow Science has received recognition from Family Friendly NM through the NM Family Friendly Business Award for its commitment to attracting, hiring, and keeping the best dang employees. 

I’m thrilled that we’ll gather at Back Road Pizza. Owner Piper Kapin brought her love of food and community from the Boston area, and in her 16 years as owner of Back Road Pizza, she’s not only churned out Santa Fe’s #1 Best Pizza 8 years running according to the Santa Fe Reporter  (they got my vote!), she’s also been a huge supporter of the entrepreneur community, serving as a bizMIX mentor and a generous food sponsor for multiple MIX events over the years. And thanks to the fine folks at the Feynman Center for Innovation at LANL, who run sweet programs like the New Mexico Small Business Assistance (NMSBA) Program, for sponsoring this event (and Julia Wise for making the connection), KAESF has partnered with Back Road Pizza to provide piles of garlic knots and 1 complimentary drink to all of you who join us to hear Amir’s story with Flow Science. 

Photo by Jesse Friedin

We’re psyched to have Santa Fe Boomeranger Luca Marino-Baker share the story of Bow Wow Haus, an idea 10+ years in the making that started to come together in 2018 after he gave his dream the attention it needed to develop while going through MIX’s bizMIX accelerator program. The process of pitching his ideas over the course of the accelerator led Luca to hone in on doggy + kitty doors and helped him realize that he could use his hometown connections with realtors, builders, designers, and makers to start the boutique business he’d had on his brain since college.

As a trained architect, Luca designs and builds all of his high-end Barkitectural products right here in Santa Fe. His commitment to quality materials, craftsmanship, and local production has led Luca to utilize local manufacturing resources Extraordinary Structures and makerspace MAKE Santa Fe.  He even kept it local by taking advantage of a free website building workshop offered by NM TechWorks to create Bow Wow Haus’s hot new website.

Luca’s background as an architect, love of design, passion for working with clients, and love of doggies (he has three) is why he cares so dang much about Bow Wow Haus’s custom and off-the-shelf Barkitectural products, as well as the local installation coordination and design consultation he delivers. 

And since Luca loves him some Kombucha, but has yet to try HoneyMoon Brewery, we’re going back! It’s been 8+ months since KAESF celebrated the grand opening of HoneyMoon in the Solana Center with owners Ayla Bystrom-Williams and James Hill, so they’ll give us a little update as to what it’s been like brewing and serving up their scrumptious Honeymoon Artisanal Alcoholic Kombucha (as well as other local beers and wine) in the City Different.

Join us on 7.11 to hear Nina Yozell-Epstein share the story of her Santa Fe social enterprise, Squash Blossom. A NM native, Nina has worked in food and farming both in NM and around the globe, including India, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, Spain, and Italy. In 2010, Nina was back in NM piloting and pushing to great success a farm-to-restaurant program that blossomed under the umbrella of a few different nonprofits. By 2015, she was ready to stand on her own and test the market to see if this local food business could survive as a part of our food economy without grant support. That's when Squash Blossom was born.

Since going through bizMIX in 2015, an experience she raves about, Nina has expanded beyond chefs to include a local food subscription service for Santa Fe residents. So while serving as Santa Fe's lead distributor of wholesale local produce to about 30 local restaurants, now anyone can shop from her online store composed of 100% local food, harvested fresh per order from 25+ farms in the area, and available for pickup at select locations in town.

With a mission that makes me smile – to provide a dependable income stream for local farmers, bring healthier food to our community, and strengthen our local economy – Squash Blossom has done an incredible job serving farmers of and around Northern NM while connecting other small local businesses with shared values so they can collaborate and help build a strong community. It’s no wonder that in 2016, Squash Blossom received the City of Santa Fe’s Mayoral Award for Sustainability and Food Security. And in 2018, Squash Blossom was named the SBA’s NM Home-Based Business of the Year and the City of Santa Fe’s Small Business of the Year.

Enjoy the 4th of July fireworks, then join us the following Thursday to hear Nina’s story. We’ll gather at Tumbleroot Brewery and Distillery, a combined brewery and distillery production space serving a wide variety of beer and spirits as well as a multifaceted taproom (music venue, outdoor space, cozy indoor atmosphere) and community hub since opening their doors back in April 2018. 

Meet ITConnect founde, Kareem Edwards. A local from Chimayo and graduate of Pojoaque High, Kareem studied business and accounting at UNM until ‘97 and learned all about routing cable while crawling around on his hands and knees as an installer/salesman for a small Santa Fe-based IT company. It didn’t take long for Kareem to decide if he was gonna work that hard, he was gonna do it for himself.

 Kareem quickly grew out of the storage unit “office” he started in, took a $20K home equity loan in 2005, set up shop at the Santa Fe Business Incubator, and soon landed his 1st $600K contract. Without the capital to cover the gear and complete the work, Kareem was shocked and thrilled that Los Alamos National Bank loaned his zero-track-record business the cash he needed to complete that project and begin building a reputation that would lead to future contracts with LANL and Santa Fe Public Schools, just to name a couple. (More in the Santa Fe New Mexican article,  ITConnect: Wired for Success.)

Today, ITConnect is a multimillion-dollar company operating in over 4 states with 50+ employees. Kareem and his wife Mary Jo orchestrate the delivery of innovative tech services, telecommunication network infrastructure (TNI) design, digital learning services, and premise distribution cabling, all while parenting 7 (yes, 7) children. They’re a pretty amazing team, and we’re lucky Kareem’s taking time out of his crazy schedule to share his story with us in June.

 And since growing out of the SFBI, ITConnect established their headquarters right next door to where we’ll meet at the Santa Fe Spirits Distillery on the South Side (not to be confused with their downtown tasting room). So be ready to try world-class spirits at the place Esquire Magazine deemed the best whiskey distillery in New Mexico in its Best Whiskeys in Every State Right Now February 2019 article.

Since founding Verde Food in 2014, kick-ass entrepreneur Kelly Egolf has grown it to recognition as the top-funded investor-backed food and drink startup in the state. She cobbled together the capital to open two Santa Fe-based stores to carry their amazing, all-organic cold-pressed juice blends (as well as products from local partners), and she’s recently executed an exciting change. No more store fronts for Verde. They’re still making juice in the kitchen of their former San Mateo location (and keeping the grab-and-go fridge stocked with their products), but there's a new face in the front – Terra Verde, a coffee house, smoothie bar, and all around cool place to hang out.
 
Why the Switch? Because Verde Food is devoting their efforts to wholesale manufacturing and distribution – spreading their products to more locations and making them easier to find. In the last year, you've probably spotted them at the La Montanita Coop, Kaune's Food Market, Marketplace (the old Albertsons), Ten Thousand Waves, Tesuque Village Market, and so many more. They’re carried by Natural Grocers and independent health food stores from Albuquerque to Boulder. And they're always looking for new partners to carry their delicious, healthy cold-pressed juice creations.
 
Kelly’s pre-Verde career was in fundraising, and she'll share with us a plethora of tips for coping with the ups and downs of funding a startup. Til then, you can learn more about Verde Food and Terra Verde owner Kevin Iven in this March 2019 SF Reporter article by Julia Goldberg, Green Dreams: Transitions are afoot at Verde. 
 
And you’re in for a special treat, as Kelly has orchestrated a night of generous giving and receiving, and you’re one of the main benefactors. Terra Verde will be kicking in some mouth-watering munchies, and Kelly will be donating her tasty juices to try out on their own or as cocktails expertly mixed with OM Spirit’s organic mixology liqueurs donated by OM partner Natalie Bovis (you may know her as The Liquid Muse). Since all that’s FREE for you to enjoy, we’re suggesting a $10 donation, which will be given to support the superb work of the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute.
 
If that wasn’t enough, Natalie is donating a door prize worth $180 – 2 tickets to the Chef & Shaker Challenge, which takes place on June 1 and is the cocktail-and-food grand tasting event of her 3-day NM Cocktails & Culture Culinary Festival.