Every month, we spotlight businesses that are helping shape Arizona’s future — one plate, one podcast, one customer at a time. These local leaders aren’t just building businesses — they’re building community. Whether they’re helping creators find their voice, serving up bold new flavors or reimagining what dining and gathering can look like, each brings something meaningful and lasting to our local economy.

Una familia, un sueño y un negocio con propósito

Javier y María del Rocío Cervantes nacieron en Guadalajara, Jalisco, y, como muchos inmigrantes, llegaron a Estados Unidos en busca de mejores oportunidades. Javier, carpintero de oficio, y María del Rocío, secretaría empresarial, nunca imaginaron que años más tarde estarían liderando un negocio con un impacto significativo en su comunidad y ahora también en el medio ambiente.

Every month, we welcome businesses that are shaping Arizona’s economy in bold, lasting ways. From trusted family legacies to local-first disruptors, these members reflect the strength and diversity of our business community. Whether they’re building Arizona’s schools and libraries, protecting homes from desert pests, or championing local journalism, each one brings something powerful to the table.

We’re excited to share the latest news from our wave-making We Rise alums! From innovative projects to personal milestones, these enterprising business owners are moving, shaking and making their mark on Arizona’s thriving business landscape.

From Eastlake Park to Desert Botanical Garden, Juneteenth celebrations are honoring Black history, creativity and freedom through food, music, art and family fun. We're highlighting some of the most vibrant community-led events — including marketplaces featuring Black-owned businesses, live performances, and powerful storytelling.

At a time when the LGBTQ+ community is losing vital visibility and protections across the country, an Arizona-born media organization is stepping up — and stepping out. 

Founded in 2022, LOOKOUT has quickly become a trusted source of political, cultural and community-centered reporting for queer Arizonans. Now, this homegrown publication is preparing to expand its impact across the Southwest and beyond.

Juneteenth is a time to honor emancipation — and to ask ourselves what freedom looks like today. For many Black Arizonans, it means reclaiming power through business ownership, building generational wealth and shaping the future of our local economy.

Every month, we’re honored to welcome businesses across Arizona that are driving local impact and building the kind of economy we all want to live and work in. These featured members represent the spirit of Arizona — rooted in family, service and sustainability. Whether they’re serving up world-famous fruit burros, keeping your car road-ready or raising Navajo-Churro sheep on historic land, they each remind us why local matters.

Más que números: Cómo Fuerza Local está impulsando a los emprendedores latinos de Arizona

Cuando pienses en la comunidad de pequeñas empresas de Arizona, piensa en grande. Desde restaurantes y tiendas hasta electricistas, esteticistas y distribuidores agrícolas, los negocios de propiedad latina están en el corazón de la economía de Arizona. Y muchos de ellos comenzaron —o encontraron el impulso para crecer— gracias a Fuerza Local.

When Kyu Utsunomiya moved to Arizona in the 1980s, he saw both a lack of Japanese cuisine and a chance to share his cultural roots in fresh, modern ways. As co-founder of Conceptually Social, he’s brought that vision to life through innovative local culinary ventures like Kaizen and Konbini Sushi — blending tradition with adaptability and heart. Grounded in community and sustainability, Utsunomiya’s work continues to redefine what it means to serve food with purpose, locally and beyond.

This Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating five Arizona-based women who’ve turned their dreams into real, thriving businesses — each one rooted in community, creativity and heart. Some were inspired by their own moms, others by motherhood itself — but all of them are defining what it means to build something meaningful, right where they live.

Each month, we celebrate the businesses that are shaping Arizona’s local economy, enriching communities, and strengthening connections across the state. From visual storytelling and film to home improvement and flooring solutions, this month’s featured businesses showcase the power of local entrepreneurship.

When you deposit your money in a bank, it doesn't just sit there — it goes to work. The question is, where is it working, and who is benefiting?

Financial empowerment is a key tenet of Local First Arizona’s work. From addressing the predatory lending practices of payday loans to improving access to capital, we are helping individuals, businesses and entire communities take control of their financial futures.  One of the easiest ways to create real impact? Moving your money to a local bank or credit union.

¡Mujeres con Fuerza!

Cerca de la calle 3 y McDowell Road en el corazón de Phoenix, una boutique está redefiniendo lo que significa comprar local. Latina Concept Store es mucho más que un espacio comercial: es un movimiento.

Diseñado por mujeres, para mujeres, esta tienda única tiene más de 20 negocios bajo un mismo techo cuyas dueñas son mujeres latinas, ofreciendo a los compradores una selección diversa de ropa, accesorios, productos de belleza y servicios profesionales, todo mientras crea oportunidades económicas para las emprendedoras.

At Local First, we’ve always believed that the success of locally owned businesses creates a strong and thriving Arizona economy. But one of the biggest challenges for local entrepreneurs has long been access to capital — especially in Arizona, where community banking resources are limited. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to break down financial barriers and build new pathways for funding that empower business owners to grow, hire and create a lasting impact on Arizona’s communities.

2024 was a year of impact for Local First, for local businesses and for procurement engagement. Over the course of the year, Local First Arizona attended more than a half-dozen procurement-related events hosted by businesses such as SRP, Aviation, the City of Mesa, and the Arizona Department of Transportation, among others.

Each month, we celebrate the businesses that are shaping Arizona’s local economy, enriching communities, and strengthening connections across the state. From visual storytelling and film to home improvement and flooring solutions, this month’s featured businesses showcase the power of local entrepreneurship.