Success Story _ S&S PickUp

S&S Pickup, Limited | Fort Garland, CO

Salina Pacheco and Darian Derrera, founders of S&S Pick-up, recognized a vital need within their community, yet the path to addressing it was fraught with challenges. She entered the journey with no prior entrepreneurial experience, lacking mentorship and fundamental knowledge of both business operations and the specific dynamics of the waste management industry.

Compounding these professional hurdles were immense personal demands. As a single mother with no family support, balancing the necessity of providing for her family with the intensive labor of starting a company left her stretched thin. The most critical obstacle, however, was a lack of capital. Launching S&S Pick-up required securing a substantial loan to cover all start-up expenses, a significant challenge given her background. The true difficulty was not a lack of work ethics but rather figuring out how to build a viable enterprise from a position of poverty, striving to make a difference while simultaneously overcoming the challenges inherent to her own community.

Strategic Guidance and Support

To overcome the knowledge gap, she pursued business educational opportunities and worked closely with mentors to forge a comprehensive business plan.

Kimberly Bryant was instrumental during the initial planning phase, providing structure before the founder began with organizations like the Rocky Mountain Microfinance Institute (RMMFI). Bryant helped the founder organize her numerous ideas and required research, and, crucially, helped manage her time effectively. This strategic planning and goal setting empowered the single mother to maintain forward momentum and craft an excellent business plan despite her constant time constraints.

Sonia Perez of the SBDC provided critical encouragement when it was needed most. Though their paths crossed later, during the lengthy funding process with FSWB, Perez reached out to check in and offered immediate support. When the process stalled and the founder faced discouragement, Perez was there to professionally and enthusiastically remind her how far she had already come.

Launch and Legacy

The support received from her sister, the SBDC, and other resources provided the confidence to pursue this ambition relentlessly. It was the combination of educational guidance and unwavering belief that helped put the comprehensive business plan into motion. The founder is profoundly grateful for every opportunity that positioned her and her sister to successfully launch S&S Pick-up.