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Investing $100 million in the heart of rural communities

Small Business Drives Economic Growth

For over a decade, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses has helped entrepreneurs grow their businesses with results-oriented business training, access to capital, and personalized support services. More than 14,000 businesses have graduated from the program, employing over 245,000 people and driving more than $17 billion in annual revenue.

While small businesses are the primary source of jobs in America’s rural communities, they face a unique set of challenges. According to a Goldman Sachs survey, 86% of small businesses in rural communities have plans to grow their business, but only 7% believe that they are receiving sufficient private sector resources to support growth.

To answer this, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is expanding its best-in-class program with a $100 million commitment. This will enable more rural small businesses to take part in the results-oriented business education program and access the capital that can help drive growth, create jobs, and increase revenue.

Press Release: Investing in small businesses across rural communities

 

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Small Business Owner Perspectives

“Being a small business in a rural area doesn’t minimize the impact that we have on the economy. We help to sustain the community, the state, and the country.”



LaTeasha Gaither-Davis – Memphis, AR
Therapeutic Focus 

“Thriving rural communities mean that more populated areas can thrive too. If small towns are doing well and our money stays local, we can support and do business with people in bigger cities.” 



Carl Clemetson – Minot, ND
Hometown Elegance Event Catering & Productions

 

“In rural areas, people embrace you because you’re an involved part of the local community. We do flavors for nonprofits nearby, we’re part of the local festivals, we cater to numerous other businesses. Having that access to our neighborhood and communities is invaluable.”



Sally Mengel – Little Rock, AR
Loblolly Creamery

“We have people working in our space who are developing software specifically for agriculture. There’s a lot of innovation happening in the rural parts of the country. We need to get the internet to everybody and our Governor is working on that.” 



Beth Nodland – Bismarck, ND
Juniper LLC

“I wanted to influence those around me purposefully. I wanted to make a big impact in a big way on the community we serve. Being in a small city like Billings, we are able to be the change we want to see.” 



Jilan Hall-Johnson – Billings, MT
The Sassy Biscuit Co.

“Small business owners are hard workers. They give a lot to their businesses and to the community in general; a lot of small business owners are involved with different organizations. We’re here to support our community and for them to support us.” 



Sara Christianson – Bismarck, ND
Board & Brush

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We are currently accepting applications from small business owners for our South Dakota and Missouri classes, which will start in early 2024. To learn more, please visit our application page. 

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10,000 Small Businesses Voices

10,000 Small Businesses Voices
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10,000 Small Businesses