Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at HCC holds first Alumni Summit

Jun 12, 2015


Small business owners who are experiencing growth, thanks to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at Houston Community College (HCC), networked with fellow alumni to enhance business connections at the West Loop Campus.

The inaugural Alumni Summit brought out nearly 150 alumni, Goldman Sachs executives, HCC trustees, industry and community partners; and a notable supporter of the program - the Honorable United States Representative Sheila Jackson Lee of District 18.

“You have truly made a difference,” said the Congresswoman. “Goldman Sachs believes in creating jobs and this program has seen many of you create jobs because your businesses have expanded.”

HCC is one of 13 community colleges across the country to offer the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, which is designed to help small businesses grow in revenue and personnel. Since it began at HCC in 2011, 359 business owners have graduated, 69% have grown their revenues and 51% have added jobs.

Kathleen Maartens, owner of the Exhibit Network, has been designing and building trade show exhibits for almost 30 years. She says the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program helped her standardize the way she does things.

“It was eye-opening,” said Maartens. “You run a business all day long—you are in it, then you go out and see other people in your class who have the exact same problems.”

Reid Middlebrooks, CEO of Apollo BBC, said the program taught him how to lead and manage his architectural and engineering consulting firm.

“We’ve changed our business model from one that supports a limited scope of what we can do-- to a business that can grow rapidly across the nation, “said Middlebrooks. Apollo BBC is now doing business in Mexico!

The goal behind the Alumni Summit was to get graduates from the 12 classes in one room to create more opportunities for collaboration and to help each other continue to grow, while also providing continuing education on small business initiatives at HCC and in the community. A recent report released by Babson College, found that 84% of the graduates of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program do business with each other. Events like this help foster those opportunities for collaboration.

“One of the things a small business person has to do is make decisions,” said Dr. Cesar Maldonado, HCC chancellor. “You start out making them alone, start off at the kitchen table with your family and friends helping you, and then you grow in to making decisions with tools that you pick up in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program – at a higher level, networking becomes critical to making decisions.”

Wade Lairsen, vice president in the Office of Corporate Engagement at Goldman Sachs, shared nationwide statistics about the growth of participants and pointed out that small businesses in Houston have shown significant growth in revenue and job creation.

“What is really important to us is not just demonstrating that this program works, but that you all embody the spirit of the program,” said Lairsen. “As graduates, you are coming back together to continue to engage with each other at Houston Community College.”

Chancellor Maldonado, Lairsen and Will Newton, executive director of the National Federation of Independent Business, gave the crowd some valuable advice: stay focused, align your mission with the product and services you provide and be overly generous with your time.

If you are a small business owner who needs that boost to take your business to the next level, applications are now being accepted for the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at HCC for Fall 2015. The deadline to apply is June 22. Visit 10ksbapply.com or call 713-718-8348 or 713-718-8376.


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