Known as, "The place for healing cuisine" Yashoda Naidoo opened the first location of Annapurna Ayurvedic Cuisine and Chai House on January 17, 2002. Annapurna is one of only two exclusively vegetarian restaurant businesses in the State of New Mexico and is in its 8th year of business in Albuquerque and its 5th year in Santa Fe. In July of 2009, she opened her third restaurant location in the Village of Ranchos de Albuquerque. Since opening her first restaurant, Yashoda has received an impressive level of recognition in the community. Despite a rough beginning, Annapurna earned recognition in its very first year with a 3 1/2 star rating from the Albuquerque Journal, who also named her restaurant as one of the top 10 restaurants for 2002.  Since then, Yashoda has been recognized for her remarkable vegetarian cuisine, and success as a women-owned business over 28 times in publications like the Alibi, Albuquerque the Magazine, and the New Mexico Business Weekly.

After 15 years working for others in the asphalt paving business, Shane and Teresa Cook decided to launch their own business. In March 2008, behind the couple’s strong work ethic and solid reputation, Asphalt Artistry paved its way into Evergreen, Colorado, also offering snow plowing in the winter months.

With six children, the Cooks want Asphalt Artistry to become a legacy for their family. Shane and Teresa want Asphalt Artistry to cover their kids down the road, no matter which roads they choose to follow. They also see Asphalt Artistry as a way to instill the value of responsibility in their children.

Hear how ACCION worked with the Cooks, providing financial support and guidance to help Asphalt Artistry make better business decisions. “ACCION wants to help the person, not just themselves or the business. ACCION wants you to succeed,” Shane noted.

Give Asphalt Artistry a call at 303-674-PAVE, for paving, grading and driveway maintenance in the warm months and snow plowing in the winter months. See for yourself why, “It’s not just a driveway…it’s a work of art!”

After Marlo Booqua and two of her sons worked for a video store in Gallup, New Mexico, for several years, Marlo became the general manager. When the owners decided to close the business, Marlo felt it was time to strike out on her own and open her own video store. She dreamed of locating her business at Zuni Pueblo, in far western New Mexico, as a way to connect her family with their heritage. In late 2008, with the majority of needed start-up funding coming from ACCION, Marlo’s dream came true.

Reflecting the importance of her business as a keystone to reconnect her family with their ancestry, Marlo held her shop’s grand opening to coincide with the Zuni ceremony of Shalako, a particularly meaningful time of thanksgiving for the tribe. Marlo says, "knowing our family are Zuni and are business owners gives people the idea they can achieve whatever they want. The business is something new; it is about change and hope."

Owned by Jennifer Brown and Steve Kudron, Quacker Gift Shop offers hundreds of duck-related products, from personalized rubber ducks to fuzzy duck slippers. The business started as The Soapbox Co. in 2005. Known for their Delish Body Works line of natural soaps, Jennifer and Steve began embedding rubber ducks in some of their soaps. By 2008, demand for the ducks was so strong, the partners decided to refocus their business on ducks.

Hear how Jennifer and Steve are aiming for “worldwide duck domination” with their small business and how ACCION is helping make the realization of that dream possible.

You can visit Quacker Gift Shop online at www.quackergiftshop.com or in person at 3905 S. Mariposa St in Englewood, CO.

Jose Tornero is the owner of El Barrio Market, a wholesale and retail specialty foods business in Tucson, Arizona. The store plays a vital role in the lives of many families as one of the only community markets in Tucson’s long-standing South 6^th Avenue neighborhood.

Like ACCION, Jose is helping his clients overcome the economic downturn. By providing small charge accounts to his regular customers, Jose has made sure El Barrio Market plays a vital role in helping neighborhood families put food on the table even on nights when the cash to pay for groceries may not be available. Jose says, “working together—that’s the key to get through these difficult times.”

Hear more about how Jose is using his business as a catalyst for positive change in his Tucson neighborhood and how ACCION supports his commitment to his community.

You can visit El Barrio Market online at www.elbarriomarket.com or at 1001 South Sixth Avenue in Tucson, AZ.