• This marks the 11th cohort of entrepreneurs to graduate from the 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa.

  • The program addresses the most significant challenges faced by small business owners and helps equip them with the tools they need to succeed.

  • Participants work one-on-one with a dedicated Business Advisor to develop practical skills needed to recognize new opportunities and develop a customized growth plan to take their business to the next level.

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program recently celebrated 32 small business owners as Spring 2024 graduates of the program's 11th cohort in Iowa.

The celebration recognized the achievements of these Iowa entrepreneurs, who live and work in communities across the state, and highlighted the critical role that small businesses play in driving economic growth and creating jobs in the local community.

The newest graduates now join a network of more than 15,000 program alumni across the nation, including 300 program alumni in Iowa. The 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa is administered by Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) in collaboration with all 15 of Iowa's community colleges.

“We are proud to celebrate the most recent graduates from our Iowa cohort of the 10,000 Small Businesses program," said Jacki Boldt, Executive Director of the 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa. “By providing small business owners with the resources and tools they need to succeed, we can ensure that these entrepreneurs can continue to create jobs and uplift our local economy and communities. These small business owners are the future of economic growth across the and we are committed to helping them thrive."

During the 12-week 10,000 Small Businesses program, small business owners work one-on-one with a dedicated Business Advisor to gain the practical skills needed to recognize new opportunities and develop a customized growth plan to take their business to the next level.

The program addresses the most significant challenges faced by small businesses by providing practical business education, access to capital and support services. Over the past five years in Iowa, the program has played a key role in supporting the local economy and bolstering the local small business ecosystem by equipping entrepreneurs with the tools they need for their businesses to succeed.

"The practical education and mentorship I received from the 10,000 Small Businesses program have been invaluable to my business," said Brittany Todd, owner of Mill Street Mocha in Decorah, Iowa, and a graduate of the 10,000 Small Businesses program's 11th cohort in Iowa. “With a solid growth plan in hand, I am looking forward to applying what I learned to take my business to the next level and am excited to join a community of small businesses, both in Iowa and nationally. I am grateful for Goldman Sachs' commitment to helping small businesses and local entrepreneurs succeed."

Graduates from the Spring 2024 cohort of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses in Iowa include:

  • Dwana Bradley, Iowa Urban Media, Des Moines

  • Clife Estores, Clife DJ Company, Cedar Rapids

  • Betty Garcia, Tortilleria Sonora, Des Moines

  • Jen Hart, Bubble's Boba Tea, Davenport

  • Crystal Hinders, The Furniture Barn, Charles City

  • Lance Hummel, Higley Industries, Dyersville

  • Adam Jacobs, American Alarms, Des Moines

  • Jake Kopriva, Kopriva Marine, Clear Lake

  • Debbie LaCroix, The Expansion Center, Sioux City

  • Aaron Lenz, The Roadhouse, Orange City

  • Jake Levsen, Hometown Hearing, Newton

  • Liz Lidgett, Liz Lidgett Gallery & Design, Des Moines

  • Chris LoRang, Capital Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center, Des Moines

  • Blanca Plascencia, El Fogon, West Des Moines

  • Clint Rabe, Resource Consulting Engineers, Ames

  • Phillip Ramsey, Uncommon Wealth Partners, Ankeny

  • Joe Richardson, Surface Experts of Central Iowa, West Des Moines

  • Abbi Rickelman, Designed 2 Move Spine & Sport, Ankeny

  • Ashley Risting, LINK, Grinnell

  • Amy Schreiber-Bierbaum, Max's Coffee, Runnells

  • Jess Schroeder, Expedition Wellness, West Des Moines

  • Colton Sleister, Sleister Music, Ankeny

  • Jill Soenen, Caribbean Coffeehouse, Humboldt

  • Beth Stanek, 319 Ramps & Accessibility, Jesup

  • Jason Staner, Freddie's Popcorn Company, Dubuque

  • Brian Stoll, Illuminate Digital, Cedar Rapids

  • Danielle Stowell, Wicked River Event Production, Dubuque

  • Josh Swartwood, Swarty's, Clear Lake

  • Elle Terhaar, ReproScan Technologies, Winterset

  • Tim Thelen, BilT Guitars, Des Moines

  • Brittany Todd, Mill Street Mocha, Decorah

  • Anna Wilson, Glyn Mawr Winery-The Local, Mount Vernon

For more information about the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa, visit iowa10K​SB.com.

Contact: Jacki Boldt, Executive Director, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa, (515) 313-8598, jlboldt@dmacc.edu