Apply to 10,000 Small Businesses and Ride Towards a Sustainable Future

Small business owners can apply through Monday, June 2nd to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses national class at Babson College.  This unique program is delivered through a blend of online and in-person sessions to help small business owners gain the skills needed to recognize new opportunities and embrace practices that increase business growth.

Jeff Anderson is one recent graduate of the program. Jeff and his brother, Joey, started bioRide, a car service with a fleet powered by biodiesel (converted waste cooking grease), in 2010. Their interest in sustainability inspired their business launch, but these entrepreneurs also wanted to “find a better way of doing things and make a positive difference.”  Below, Jeff answers interview questions posed by Virginia Community Capital on his experience with the 10,000 Small Businesses program.

What was your favorite part of the program and why?

Meeting people similar to myself. Working for yourself you very rarely get to meet people of a similar mind and spirit. You’re often just too busy. This program let me focus on that type of interaction and I gained a great bit from the peer learning. I’ve been texting two other people in my cohort all day long just today.

The program created an extended network for me.

What skills did you particularly want to hone when you signed up for the competition? And did you feel like the training addressed those? 

I wanted to focus on financial analysis and cost accounting. The training more than exceeded expectations.

 Have there been any unforeseen challenges with attending the classes?

One common theme among several in cohort was that it’s an incredible program, but you had to make quick adjustments to your schedule in order to make the most of the experience.

I looked at those challenges as an opportunity and so did everyone else. This resulted in more effective time management, so you as an owner can work on the business instead of in the business.

How do you think this training will impact your business?

As a result, I now have more regimented action steps. Every person has goals. It helps to make goals attainable and not just setting goals, but how to involve the entire business around those goals—the HR, the accounting, the culture.

Join Jeff and a growing national network of graduates who know that Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses gets results. Learn more and apply today.

This interview was originally published by Virginia Community Capital, a community development financial institution dedicated the prospect of building wealth for all through its lending, savings, and advisory services.