Goldman Sachs and SLC: 1,000 Small Business Success Stories

$2B in revenue. 24,000 jobs. 1 dream at a time.

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program celebrated a significant milestone this year by reaching a four-figure graduate pool. The 1,000+ business owners who have completed the local program have gone on to create revenue exceeding $2 billion while supporting more than 24,000 jobs. Those numbers are all tied to the region, and they confirm Governor Spencer Cox’s assertion that Goldman Sachs is “a key pillar in the Salt Lake community.”

Every pillar needs a strong foundation, and — ever since Goldman Sachs made its first $15 million commitment to the College in in 2012 — SLCC has provided a firm and fertile one, with the program currently based out of SLCC’s Miller Campus.

The program’s 12-week curriculum equips participants with tools for successful entrepreneurship, including how to manage and report finances, what effective leadership looks like, and tactics for negotiation. The final product is an actionable growth plan, something that turns dreams and ambitions into a tangible path.

Natalie Cass, a recent graduate and founder of Cass Studios, LLC, is just one example of the program’s lasting benefits for small-business owners. “Early on, I was able to use tactics and strategies from the program to stabilize cash flow and reduce stress,” she says. “I’m currently focused on laying the groundwork — cleaning up my financial records, establishing accurate metrics, and ensuring I have the right people in place — before scaling the business.”

Many program attendees enter with a plan to scale but leave with a new understanding of just how far they can go. Dr. Betty DeLass, founder of Reborn Pelvic Health & Wellness, attests to that, saying she “learned to dream BIGGER [emphasis hers] than I had been prior to this program,” though the growth was equal parts personal and professional. “You will get as much out of GSSB 10K as you put in,” she says. “It really is quite the gift.”

Cass also highlights another key benefit of the program. As a member of the alumni community, she’s connected with a likeminded “network of small business owners, people with passion and grit who truly support one another.” And that community is set to get even bigger. Beginning this year, the program will reach beyond Salt Lake City as Utah becomes the 11th state to expand the program with Goldman Sach’s Investment in the Rural Communities initiative.

Asahi Pompey, the global head of Corporate Engagement and chair of the Urban Investment Group, refers to the new initiative as “doubling down” on investing in Utah businesses. She says the expansion will help replicate the city-centered success of 10,000 Small Businesses in communities that don’t often see the same level of resource investment, “reaching small businesses across the state so that even more Utahns can grow and thrive.”