After running Chic Nails and Beauty Supplies for a couple of years, Ana Mansilla wanted to expand her company’s product offering with trending beauty products and accessories, as well as create a store-front website that would allow her customers to conveniently purchase from her at any time. She was having difficulty acquiring the funds necessary to expand, and needed assistance navigating the financing options available to her. As a Spanish-speaking business owner, she was finding it hard to find resources that would be able to assist in her particular needs.

Mansilla reached out to the Nevada Small Business Development Center for assistance and was paired with Carlos Mejia-Castillo, an experienced, Spanish-speaking advisor working out of the North Las Vegas Small Business Connector. Mejia-Castillo met with Mansilla to discuss financing and grant assistance, ways to increase her marketing presence, and requirements for hiring a part-time worker. Mejia-Castillo informed her of and helped prepare her for the NVGrow Pitch Competition.

After working with Mansilla over the course of 2023, Mejia-Castillo was able to assist her in opening a second-store front, expanding her inventory, and increasing her marketing presence to draw more foot traffic. Mansilla competed in the NVGrow Pitch Competition and was awarded $12,000 – money that, with the guidance of Mejia-Castillo, will be reinvested into her business.