Yuma entrepreneurs network, learn at Building An Empire event

At the Pipa Event Center inside Quechan Casino Resort, Yuma-area entrepreneurs spent May 16 swapping contacts, hearing from lenders and coaches, and looking for the kind of connections that can turn ideas into revenue. The building itself underscored the scale of the gathering: Quechan Casino Resort says the venue offers 20,000 square feet of event space and seating for up to 2,300 people.

Building An Empire was organized by Legacy Patino and Nichole Roedder and hosted by What’s Up Yuma? radio host Jonny Porter and Roedder. A preview for the event described it as a space for professionals, entrepreneurs and motivated individuals, and that purpose showed in the speaker lineup. Jillinda Freeman of Thrive Consulting and Coaching in Yuma, Tom Rush of Yuma & Imperial Valley Wealth Management, Melissa Monjaraz, a loan officer with Forward Loans, and AI strategist Jaramy Eugene Wilson all addressed the crowd.

The gathering was designed to do more than inspire. Speakers urged attendees not to quit when business gets difficult and not to be afraid to ask for help or guidance, a message that fit the realities of small-business life in Yuma County, where owners often depend on local referrals, financing and trusted advice. Tony Nino, CEO of Str8 Up Driven, delivered the clearest line of the day: "Your network is your net worth." His company describes him as "The $100 Million Dollar Man," and says he has built 28 businesses and spent more than 30 years in the car business.

That kind of advice resonated in a county where the economic upside is real, but so are the barriers. Arizona Commerce Authority materials say Yuma County’s agribusiness industry generates $3.2 billion a year and supplies 80% of the nation’s winter leafy vegetables. A state economic report says the county’s population grew 1.2% annually from 2015 to 2020, and median household income rose from $43,403 in 2018 to $46,419 in 2019. The same report says poverty and unemployment remain higher than statewide and national levels.

Those conditions make practical business support especially valuable. For local owners, the most useful parts of an event like Building An Empire are the follow-up conversations with people who can help with coaching, lending, and growth strategy, not just the stage remarks. Quechan Casino Resort, which says it has 164 guest rooms and suites, four restaurants, a pool and entertainment, gave the event a regional draw that made those conversations possible.

The backdrop to the event was also changing. Arizona Western College and the Arizona Commerce Authority opened the Future48 Workforce Accelerator in Wellton on May 6, adding 5,600 square feet of training space focused on electrical technology, advanced manufacturing, broadband fiber optics and solar installation. Together, the workforce center and gatherings like Building An Empire point to a Yuma County economy trying to grow through skills, capital and stronger business networks.