29 JUL 2016

Celebrating the Graduation of the Inaugural 10,000 Small Businesses UK National Cohort

On July 13th, sixty-six small business owners from across the UK completed online and in-person training delivered through 10,000 Small Businesses UK, the first time the program has been available nationwide.

Across two days at Balliol College, Oxford, program participants presented their final business growth plans to mark the end of their 100-hour course. At a dinner celebrating the program’s completion, Dean Peter Tufano of Said Business School, Oxford University, discussed the importance of resilience and innovation for entrepreneurship and encouraged them to use periods of uncertainty as an opportunity to innovate and to grow.

Over the previous four months, the businesses, which range in industry, size and geography, came together in Leeds, Birmingham and Oxford, for intensive in person learning. The online components were delivered via webinar and through a bespoke online platform developed by the Department of Continuing Education, Oxford University.

Two recent program graduates have decided to begin to work together as a result of the program. Tajinder Banwait, founder and managing director of Urban Apothecary London, makes luxury candles and home scents, and Rachel Jackson, founder and creative director of Rachel Jackson London, designs jewelry and will be branching into homeware. Following the program, Rachel will be partnering with Tajinder to customize products for her own range.

“Rachel Jackson London is launching new categories, which will include luxury candles,” Tajinder said, “Urban Apothecary London makes and manufactures beautiful candles - the decision to collaborate was an extremely easy one and 10,000 Small Businesses facilitated the opportunity very early on into the program.”

The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program is designed to provide high-quality, practical support to the owners and leaders of established small businesses and social enterprises as they seek to grow. The program was developed in partnership with Said Business School, Oxford University and is delivered in partnership with Leeds University Business School, Aston University and Manchester Metropolitan University.