Wahneta Dimmer (pictured above) of Cedar Rapids, a graduate of the seventh cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program in Iowa, shares her perspective and story with attendees during a recent Celebratory Luncheon recognizing the program's fifth anniversary. Dimmer is the owner of Hands in Harmony.
The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program officially marked its fifth anniversary during a Celebratory Luncheon and Alumni Clinic held Sept. 29 at the DMACC Ankeny Campus, and more than 100 program alumni and community partners from across Iowa were in attendance.
The Goldman Sachs 10KSB program in Iowa is a statewide collaboration among all 15 of Iowa’s community colleges, with DMACC leading coordination of the program. Graduates are small business owners from across the state who represent a diverse range of business and industry. Since its inception, the program has graduated over 14,000 alumni nationwide and more than 250 10KSB alumni in Iowa.
“Small businesses account for 99.3 percent of all businesses in Iowa and employ 46.6 percent of the state’s workforce,” said Jacki Boldt, Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program in Iowa. “However, even though small business owners put in countless hours and play a key role in our economy, their impact isn’t always recognized or even fully understood. Iowa’s communities truly rely on small business owners, and we are proud to help support and celebrate their success.”
This fall, the Goldman Sachs 10KSB program in Iowa is working with its 10th cohort of small business owners. The program includes 12 weeks of curriculum, offered at no cost to all accepted scholars. Participating small business owners gain practical skills in topics such as negotiation, marketing and employee management that can immediately be put into action. They also receive the tools and professional support to develop a strategic and customized growth plan that will help take their business to the next level.
The program's recent five-year anniversary celebration featured presentations from three 10KSB alumni who spoke about various elements of small business ownership. The alumni presenters were Wahneta Dimmer of Cedar Rapids, owner of Hands in Harmony; Sue Gehling of Breda, owner of Classroom Clinic; and Tom Rauen of Dubuque, CEO of 1-800-TSHIRTS. Additionally, Andrew Felix, DMACC Associate Professor of Marketing/Management, led an Alumni Clinic on Pricing Strategies during the event.
“The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program has been a great addition to our community college programming and an asset to our broad continuum of services,” DMACC President Rob Denson said while addressing program alumni at the event. “Community colleges are often known for their role in ensuring a pipeline of skilled workers, but their role in economic development is equally as critical to the workforce. Through a range of programming, our community colleges in Iowa work to upskill current employees, foster entrepreneurship and innovation and drive growth of businesses. We are fortunate to have played a small role in that growth with so many of you.”
Applications are currently being accepted for the Spring 2024 cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program in Iowa. The deadline to apply is October 31. To learn more, please visit iowa10ksb.com. Small business owners who are interested in participating are also encouraged to email Jacki Boldt at jlboldt@dmacc.edu for more information and/or with any questions.
Contact: Jacki Boldt, Executive Director, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa,
(515) 313-8598, jlboldt@dmacc.edu