Young entrepreneurs filled Orchard Park’s Makers Market last Thursday, selling everything from homemade salsa to handcrafted jewelry as mentors and organizers celebrated the growing program that teaches teens financial literacy, business skills and confidence.
The Northwest New Mexico Arts Council and the New Mexico Out‑of‑School Time Network provide mini‑grants, marketing guidance and hands‑on support to help youth launch small businesses at the weekly market. For these teens, family support and encouragement is their biggest motivator.
With mentors helping them design banners, refine pitches and build customer service skills, the young vendors are using the Orchard Park market to test ideas, earn income and take their first steps as entrepreneurs.
The Northwest New Mexico Arts Council sponsors and organizes the market, which is held 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday at Orchard Plaza Park, 220 N. Orchard Ave.
NWMAC President Flo Trujillo said the council’s goal is teaching the young entrepreneurs financial literacy and customer service.
Ian Gates, Special Projects coordinator for the New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network, was up from Albuquerque to support and mentor the young entrepreneurs.
“The New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network (NMOST) is a nonprofit collaboration of public and private organizations and community members seeking to improve access to and quality of out-of-school extended learning programs – before and afterschool, summer learning, and youth development,” it states at nmost.org.
Trujillo said Gates received a scholarship to be able to “inspire them to set up and actually earn some money.”
“We are a statewide organization. We do a whole lot of work in a lot of different areas, but today I’m here because we give a youth entrepreneurship mini grant to Flo and the young entrepreneurs here,” Gates said. “So every young entrepreneur here today gets $250 to support their business ideas.”
A.J. Begay, NWNMAC marketing volunteer and board member, took the youngsters to the Makers Space at San Juan College to make business cards and banners, and she gave them tips on marketing their business.
“My primary job this time was to help the young entrepreneurs market their business and kind of lead them on that nice journey and give them some good tips,” said Begay.
She wants to make sure these kids have support and good people in their lives and they go in the “right direction.”
Begay is an artist who specializes in graphic design and also draws, paints and does beadwork.
Begay, who served in the U.S. Army, recently resigned from the Boys and Girls Club to return to college and earn a master’s degree in digital and strategic communications.
She had a podcast, “Reclaiming Culture,” in which she interviewed Native American artists, bands, entrepreneurs and business people, educators and activists. Begay hopes to revive the podcast soon, as it was a “big hit,” she said.
Kianna Martin, who plans on a career as a pediatric anesthesiologist, has attended San Juan College High School since the age of 13 and is working on a degree in biology.
Martin, who’s in the Education at Work program, based in Tempe, Ariz., said she was surprised to be selected for the NWMNAC program, but said it was due to one sentence on her application — “I’m also really into art.”
She said crocheting is one of her favorite things and a painting class at San Juan College taught by the well-loved Bill Hatch stimulated her in that medium.
“He turned me into a really great painter,” Martin said.
She said her family’s support is what motivates her in life.
“They’re very supportive in what they do. They’re always telling me to apply for these scholarships, go for these programs,” she said.
They encouraged Martin to run for National Honor Society president, she said.
“My mom likes to say I was straight A’s since preschool,” she said.
Konner Yessilgh, 17, who wants a career in game development, was selling books. He’ll be a senior next year at Destinations Career Academy of New Mexico. He plans to earn a degree in computer technology.
Family support also motivates Yessilgh.
Liliana Padilla, 13, Tiger Lili’s Crafts, was selling bracelets, lollipops, necklaces, earrings, and cute little woven, puffy creations her friend made.
A sixth-grader, she is homeschooled.
“I like doing this, and my parents want me to interact more,” Padilla said about what motivates her. As a dog owner and animal lover, owning an animal shelter is one ambition she has for the future.
Padilla designed and printed her own banner and business cards at the Maker’s Space at San Juan College.
Josiah Padilla, 14, Liliana’s brother who is also homeschooled, was selling his delicious homemade salsa.
He said he makes salsa for family events and has gotten “pretty good at it.” When he heard about the Makers Market he decided to sell the salsa.
He’s been selling it every Thursday since the downtown Maker’s Market began on June 4.
“It’s kind of a long process to make all the salsa that I have right here,” he said, adding his mild turned out hotter than usual. He uses both jalapenos and serranos, cilantro, onions, garlic, tomatoes and salt.
He sells salsa to his mother’s tamales customers, which motivates him and helps his earnings grow.
Brianna Peña Andrade was selling her art and her mom was selling burritos and salsa. As ‘World’s Teen New Mexico Tourism 2026’, she’s representing New Mexico in the World Tourism Pageant.
She’ll be submitting videos of her walking, talking, doing interviews and exhibiting her talent.
Andrade, a junior at Farmington High School, enjoys drawing, painting and has thought about becoming a tattoo artist.
“I’m trying to keep my options open about different kinds of like career,” she said.
Like others, she said family is her motivator.
As a pageant participant since a young girl, Andrade said she plans to “just keep going and going.”
“I want to have a good career and future for myself,” she said.
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