Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses recently celebrated the graduation of 32 small business owners from Cohort 11 in Iowa. Included in those small business graduates was Anna Wilson from Glyn Mawr Winery’s The Local. The celebration recognized the achievements of the local entrepreneurs throughout the comprehensive program and highlighted the critical role that small businesses play in driving economic growth and creating jobs in the local community.
Through the 12-week program, small business owners worked one-on-one with a dedicated business advisor to gain the practical skills needed to recognize new opportunities and develop a customized growth plan to take their business to the next level. The program is administered through Des Moines Area Community College and is a collaboration between the Iowa Community Colleges.
The 10,000 Small Businesses program addresses the most significant challenges faced by small businesses by providing practical business education, access to capital and support services. For more than five years in Iowa, the program has played a key role in supporting the local economy and bolstering the local small business ecosystem by equipping entrepreneurs with the tools they need for their businesses to succeed.
“We are proud to celebrate the most recent graduates from our Iowa cohort of the 10,000 Small Businesses program. By providing small business owners with the resources and tools they need to succeed, we can ensure that these entrepreneurs can continue to create jobs and uplift our local economy and communities,” said Jacki Boldt, 10,000 Small Businesses executive director. “These small business owners are the future of economic growth across the state and we are committed to helping them thrive.”
“The practical education and mentorship I received from the 10,000 Small Business program have been invaluable to my business,” said Brittany Todd, owner of Mill Street Mocha in Decorah and a graduate of the 10,000 Small Businesses program Cohort 11 in Iowa. “With a solid growth plan in hand, I am looking forward to applying what I learned to take my business to the next level and am excited to join a community of small businesses, both in Iowa and nationally. I am grateful for Goldman Sachs’ commitment to helping small businesses and local entrepreneurs succeed.”
Graduates from the spring 2024 cohort of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses in Iowa include:
Dwana Bradley, Iowa Urban Media, Des Moines
Clife Estores, Clife DJ Company, Cedar Rapids
Betty Garcia, Tortilleria Sonora, Des Moines
Jen Hart, Bubble’s Boba Tea, Davenport
Crystal Hinders, The Furniture Barn, Charles City
Lance Hummel, Higley Industries, Dyersville
Adam Jacobs, American Alarms, Des Moines
Jake Kopriva, Kopriva Marine, Clear Lake
Debbie LaCroix, The Expansion Center, Sioux City
Aaron Lenz, The Roadhouse, Orange City
Jake Levsen, Hometown Hearing, Newton
Liz Lidgett, Liz Lidgett Gallery & Design, Des Moines
Chris LoRang, Capital Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center, Des Moines
Blanca Plascencia, El Fogon, West Des Moines
Clint Rabe, Resource Consulting Engineers, Ames
Phillip Ramsey, Uncommon Wealth Partners, Ankeny
Joe Richardson, Surface Experts of Central Iowa, West Des Moines
Abbi Rickelman, Designed 2 Move Spine & Sport, Ankeny
Ashley Risting, LINK, Grinnell
Amy Schreiber-Bierbaum, Max’s Coffee, Runnells
Jess Schroeder, Expedition Wellness, West Des Moines
Colton Sleister, Sleister Music, Ankeny
Jill Soenen, Caribbean Coffeehouse, Humboldt
Beth Stanek, 319 Ramps & Accessibility, Jesup
Jason Staner, Freddie’s Popcorn Company, Dubuque
Brian Stoll, Illuminate Digital, Cedar Rapids
Danielle Stowell, Wicked River Event Production, Dubuque
Josh Swartwood, Swarty’s, Clear Lake
Elle Terhaar, ReproScan Technologies, Winterset
Tim Thelen, BilT Guitars, Des Moines
Brittany Todd, Mill Street Mocha, Decorah
Anna Wilson, Glyn Mawr Winery-The Local, Mount Vernon