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JM DeYoung is the director of the Small Business Development Center at UNMGallup.

Celebrating Economic Development Week: Gallup's small businesses are building the future

Categories: Students   Faculty   Staff   Community  

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By JM DeYoung, SBDC Director, Wednesday May 6, 2026

Economic Development Week is a time to recognize the people, partnerships, and ideas that help communities grow stronger. In Gallup and throughout McKinley County, that growth is powered every day by small businesses: the restaurants, retailers, service providers, artists, tradespeople, home-based entrepreneurs, and family-owned companies that keep dollars circulating locally and create opportunities close to home.

This year’s Economic Development Week is a great reminder that economic development is not only about large projects or outside investment. It is also about helping a new entrepreneur turn an idea into a plan, helping an existing business improve cash flow, supporting a local employer as they prepare to expand, and connecting business owners with the tools they need to compete.

That is where the Gallup Small Business Development Center plays such an important role.

Located at UNMGallup, the Gallup SBDC provides management and technical assistance to start-up and existing small businesses throughout McKinley County. The center offers one-on-one business counseling at no cost, start-up guidance, help with business planning, and free or low-cost workshops designed to meet the needs of entrepreneurs at different stages of growth.

Gallup is a unique and important regional hub for northwest New Mexico. Local entrepreneurs serve residents, visitors, nearby rural communities, the Navajo Nation, Pueblo of Zuni, regional employers, and travelers moving through one of New Mexico’s most culturally rich and commercially important areas. That creates real opportunity for business owners who are ready to plan carefully, understand their markets, and build strong operations. Across the region, small businesses help strengthen neighborhoods, support families, and contribute to the character and resilience that make Gallup special.

Exciting things are happening at the Gallup SBDC because local entrepreneurs are showing up with ideas, energy, and determination. Some are exploring new business concepts. Others are working on business plans, financing packages, marketing strategies, bookkeeping systems, certifications, online presence, hiring, and expansion plans. The SBDC is there to help business owners move from “I have an idea” to “I have a plan,” and from “I am open” to “I am growing.”

How the Gallup SBDC can help

The support available through the Gallup SBDC can help with questions such as:

• How do I start a business in New Mexico?
• How do I write or improve my business plan?
• What financial information will a lender want to see?
• How do I price my products or services?
• How do I market my business locally and online?
• How do I understand cash flow, taxes, permits, or growth planning?

For small business owners, having a trusted advisor can make a major difference. Many entrepreneurs are experts in their product, service, craft, or trade, but they may need support with the business side of the business. The Gallup SBDC helps fill that gap with practical, confidential, one-on-one assistance.

During Economic Development Week, we celebrate the businesses that make Gallup special and the partners who help them succeed. We also invite anyone thinking about starting or growing a business to take the next step.

Schedule an appointment

To schedule an appointment with the Gallup Small Business Development Center, contact:

Gallup Small Business Development Center
UNMGallup
705 Gurley Ave., Gurley Hall, Suite #1204
Gallup, NM 87301
Phone: (505) 863-7637
Email: sbdcgallup@unm.edu
Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Register for services:

Economic Development Week is a celebration, but it is also a call to action. If you own a business, support a business. If you have an idea, explore it. If you are ready to grow, ask for help. Gallup’s future is being built by local people with local ideas — and the Gallup SBDC is ready to help them succeed.

Editor’s note: This column is presented as part of UNMGallup’s annual celebration of Economic Development Week in partnership with the Greater Gallup Economic Development Corporation.