One year ago, Joel Yera was working the night shift as a sanitation worker in Grand Island. Today he runs his own company. With help from Rural Prosperity Nebraska Extension Educator Sandra Barrera, in September he started Yera Transportation and became the 1,000th entrepreneur in Nebraska to open a business with aid from the Small Business Program.
“I’m very thankful for all the opportunities,” Yera said, referring to Barrera’s guidance. “It feels good to be your own boss.”
Barrera launched Rural Prosperity Nebraska’s Small Business Program in 2015. As an Extension educator, she had met multiple people who let their innovative ideas fade away simply because they did not know how to start them. Now, through the program, entrepreneurs receive individualized coaching from Barrera and her team to help them navigate the step-by-step path of creating their own businesses.
From business plans to permit applications to translation services to location scouting, Barrera walks entrepreneurs through the entire business development process, connecting them with the individuals and resources they need to help them finally cut the red ribbon.
And it always starts with the same question.
“What is your passion?” Barrera said. “That’s what I ask first because, even if you have a great idea, if you’re not passionate, it will fail. The passionate people, they’re the ones who make businesses successful. They’re the ones who make local economies in our small towns grow stronger.”
The question about passion is what led Yera toward transportation.
“Since I was little, I always liked moving around,” he said. “I liked to visit different states and know a little bit more about each state.”
With Barrera’s coaching, Yera secured loans and worked with dealerships to purchase two trucks and flatbed trailers. He now transports everything from furniture to heavy construction or farming equipment throughout the Midwest. After only one month in operation, he is already working with Barrera on expanding.
Expansion is the second facet of the Small Business Program, said Barrera. “Many local business owners find a group of customers who come back and come back. And soon they need a new space, a bigger space, to take in all the business. The Small Business Program helps with that, too.”
Anyelis Diaz, owner of Anyi’s Art Photography, is another Nebraskan helped by the Small Business Program. She had been doing photo shoots in her home for five years. After connecting with Barrera in 2024, together they walked through various location possibilities for a studio, discussing details such as contract rates, parking options and building maintenance.
“Sandra is a really big help for the community,” said Diaz. “I went to last year’s Small Business Conference at College Park, and I learned a lot about opportunities for businesses I didn’t even know were possible.”
Today Diaz owns her own photography studio in downtown Grand Island.
Sandra Leyva, of Healthy Vibes, a shake and energy bar, has a similar story. After owning the bar for 13 years, she worked with Barrera on finding the right real estate for relocation. She now has a renovated space in downtown Grand Island.
“It’s the best thing that could have happened to me, having somebody that knows what permits you need and the steps of how to grow a business,” said Leyva. “It’s beneficial for everybody who wants to open a small business.”
While 1,000 businesses is an exciting mile-marker, Barrera and her team have no plans to slow down. They have already helped Marianla Oliveras start her own jewelry story, Nelita BB Jewelry, which opened earlier this month as the 1,001st business.
After so many years and so many businesses working with the Small Business Program, a natural side-effect is that Barrera has created a support network among entrepreneurs across the state, from Scottsbluff to Omaha. If a business needs a photographer, she knows someone who can do that. If a business needs vinyl wrapping, she knows someone who can do that. If a business needs a catered grand opening, she knows someone who can do that.
From mechanic shops to grocery stores to hair salons, all locally owned businesses contribute to the thriving economies of Nebraska’s rural communities. And with the guidance of Rural Prosperity Nebraska’s Small Business Program, more entrepreneurs like Yera are turning their passions into opportunities that keep Main Streets across the state alive and prosperous.
