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Twenty-nine local female business owners graduated from Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Businesses program Saturday thanks to a collaboration with the Tory Burch Foundation.

Now in its third year, the Goldman Sachs 10KSB Southern California regional program is hosted by Long Beach City College and offers short programs where budding entrepeneurs can learn skills–like accounting, human resources and management–to help their businesses grow.

The first all-female cohort took part in a four-month practical business education program held at Los Angeles City College where they learned financial accountability, leadership, negotiating, marketing, sales and more. The program also included individual advising from business professionals who helped participants navigate legal concerns and develop strategic plans for growth.

“This is a rigorous program with tremendous benefits for women business owners resulting in positive strategic growth for their respective companies and the ability to impact the local economy through job creation,” said Vivian Shimoyama, Regional Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. “We are also pleased to have worked with Goldman Sachs and the Tory Burch Foundation to present this unique cohort experience to the women business owners of the greater Los Angeles area.”

The 29 female entrepeneurs were chosen from all over Los Angeles County and each received a full scholarship from Goldman Sachs and the Tory Burch Foundation.  

“Our goal is to dramatically increase entrepreneurial education opportunities for women entrepreneurs in the U.S.,” said Tory Burch Foundation President Bari Mattes. “Women entrepreneurs need and deserve equal opportunities to access education, capital and mentoring so they can build sustainable businesses, which will help them support their families and strengthen their communities by creating jobs.”

The non-gender-specific Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program has open enrollment throughout the year with a goal of helping businesses increase their growth and create jobs. Alumni of the program include Fred Johring, who owns Golden State Express Inc., a green trucking company that services both the port of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and Miguel Guajardo who operates El Camino Construction & Engineering Corp. and was also awarded the inaugural Shaun Lumachi Rising Star Award earlier this year.

The application deadline for the next Cohort is May 28, 2014. For more details on the program and course deadlines, requirements and to download an application, please visit www.SoCal10KSB.com or email [email protected].

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