Passion, purpose, and connection to culture. These are the forces that drive 
Ixela Gutierrez and remain at the center of her business, Gutic Enterprises, a cultural dance company that brings traditional Mexican Folklorico dance to the Las Vegas, Nevada community. During her 30-year career, Ixela had to learn many hard lessons, including how to turn her passion project into a profitable business. Through her continued dedication to her craft, and support from Prestamos CDFI, Ixela was able to take Gutic Enterprises to new heights.
Ixela launched her first dance company, Mexico Vivo, in 1996. At that time, cultural organizations were rare, and it was hard to get young people interested in traditional dances like Ballet Floklorico. She spent her first few years operating the organization largely for free, driven by her passion to keep these cultural traditions alive and passing them onto future generations.
As Mexico Vivo grew into one of Las Vegas’s leading cultural organizations, Ixela encountered an unexpected challenge. Her reputation for leading with passion and purpose led some to assume that the organization’s performances and services should be provided for free. Despite growing opportunities, Ixela was struggling to make an adequate living for all the work she was putting into the company and was using credit cards to help make ends meet. Ixela knew this was not a sustainable business strategy, and she would need to make changes if she wanted her business to be successful.
In 2009, Ixela decided to shut down Mexico Vivo, and re-establish her business as Gutic Enterprises. She chose the name to reflect her identity, her passion, and her vision for growth. She also wanted to elevate the status of her business to an Enterprise – a desgination that felt aspirational, legitimate, and respectable. The change was immediate. With more strategy and intentionality behind her business, Gutic Enterprises began to see meaningful growth and generate consistent revenue!
Reinvigorated by her commitment to continued learning, Ixela began attending small business events at the University of Reno, Las Vegas. There she connected with Prestamos CDFI but initiatally felt as if her small business would not qualify for our support services. It was during a conversation with Isa Villanueva, Prestamos Small Business Bookkeeper, that Ixela realized what her business could achieve with the support of loan from Prestamos. Her perspective of the future of her business began to change. She then worked with Noe Gonzalez, Prestamos Business Development Officer to secure a funding that would help her invest in professional video equipment and a videographer to strengthen her marketing.
“The part I like most about Prestamos CDFI is that they don’t leave you to do it alone. They give you a loan, but they also help support you and guide you on how to use those finances and successfully run your business. My dreams are bigger now.”
Since working with Prestamos, Ixela feels more confident in managing her business, and notes that the loan has provided her with opportunities to grow, scale and achieve more than she thought possible. The value of investing in marketing became clear when she secured a major three-year contract for her services. Ixela and Gutic Entertainment highlight the importance of establishing a strong business plan, understanding how to generate profit, and the power of resources like the ones we offer at Prestamos CDFI. Her story demonstrates how the right combination of passion, strategy, and support can help entrepreneurs transform their vision into lasting success.
