Learn How CNM's Small Business Development Center Helped This New Mexico Native Open Her Own Scooter's Coffee Franchise
Angela Chacon and her family opened the first of what will soon be several Scooter's Coffee locations in Albuquerque on Memorial Day of this year, and she couldn't be happier with how it's going.
“I’m so proud and excited by the way the community has received us in just two months,” she says. “We're a family and veteran-owned business, and our customers have been so supportive and willing to tell other people about our business. We’re only going to grow from here.”
Opening a business has been a dream for Angela and her family for some time, but they wanted to be sure they connected with whatever franchise they chose. After researching Scooter’s Coffee, Angela knew it was a perfect match.
“Scooter’s is very focused on family and good values, and those things are very important to us too,” she explains. “The more we learned about the franchise, the more sure we felt, so we took the leap.”
Angela won’t hesitate to tell you that taking the risk of opening a business was intimidating, but she will also be the first to share the many resources available for small business owners.
Early in the process of opening the first Scooter’s location, Angela discovered CNM’s Small Business Development Center, which is dedicated to creating and nurturing skilled entrepreneurs and strong businesses through no-cost business consulting and low to no-cost training services including technical start-up and existing business assistance, business and marketing plan development, funding options and assessment, market and industry research, and many other business-related areas.
“I could not ask for a better partner in this process than the Small Business Development Center and Fran Fernandez, their director,” Angela says. “Fran was so helpful, kind, and approachable. She also never made me feel like I was asking too many questions, which helped boost my confidence.”
Fran helped Angela with technical startup assistance, marketing, and networking, and will continue to provide guidance and resources as the business grows.
"The Small Business Development Center commends the entrepreneurial spirit and hard work that Angela and her family have brought forth in making their business a success," Fran says. “It has been a pleasure working with this amazing group of entrepreneurs and providing technical startup assistance and guidance with their first veteran and family-owned location of Scooter’s Coffee. And we look forward to their continued success as we work together on the other locations they will be opening in the near future.”
With the first store up and running, Angela already has plans to open more locations in Albuquerque and eventually smaller towns in Northern New Mexico, like Española and Raton. She also wants Scooter’s to become an active partner in the community through robust sponsorship and other community involvement.
As a blossoming small business owner, Angela wants to encourage and support others who are considering opening their own business.
“For a long time, I was afraid of the risk that came with opening a business,” Angela says. “But now that I’ve taken that jump and have seen how much support is out there, I know it was worth it. And that’s ultimately my advice to others; don’t be afraid to take the risk and don’t be afraid to use the resources available to you because once you have a plan and people in your corner, you can do great things.”