Small Business Development Center

November 2026

Upcoming Events, Opportunities and Business Spotlight

Carlos and Lorena Castaneda’s Business Success Story

Carlos and Lorena Castaneda, owners of A to Z Refrigeration LLC air conditioning and heating business serving Mohave County since 2019, needed more space for their growing operations. Having never taken out a business loan, they worked with Lisa Card at Mohave College SBDC for guidance on developing the business plan needed to pursue commercial financing. With her support and connections to banking resources, they secured a SBA loan through Foothills Bank to purchase a commercial property with room for equipment, inventory, office space, and future growth. This small business has demonstrated a strong commitment to local workforce development by delivering a classroom presentation at Mohave College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technical Center (AMTC) and hiring two Mohave College students. Notably, one of those hires is a woman entering the HVAC field—a trade in which women accounted for just 1.7% of mechanics and installers nationwide in 2024. Their investment in these students helps create meaningful career opportunities and expand women’s representation in the skilled trades.https://www.atozrefrigerationservices.com/

Click here to read their story.

Mohave College SBDC is an Accredited Member of America's SBDC Network

Mohave College SBDC

Lisa Card, Director (928) 704-4979 lcard@mohave.edu

Kathleen Byrne, Facilitator and Business Analyst

(928) 757-0858 kbyrne@mohave.edu

Mohave SBDC is a Partnership Program with the SBA, hosted by the Mohave College. Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

© America's SBDC Arizona is an innovative partnership that includes 10 community college districts across Arizona and the U.S. Small Business Administration. The AZSBDC has 10 SBDC Centers, additional satellite locations, and four AZ APEX Accelerator Centers (procurement and technical assistance centers). AZ APEX Accelerator is a specialty partner program of the AZSBDC Network and is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Defense Logistics Agency.