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Stop Working In Your Business. Start Working On It.

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Returns to IACCGH with a Program That Has Transformed 1,200 Houston Entrepreneurs

By Somdatta Basu

She began not with a slide, but with a question — and a show of hands.

“How many of you started your business because you wanted freedom?”

Nearly every hand at Elite Restaurant in Sugar Land went up on June 30, 2026, as the IACCGH Small Business Series welcomed back Dr. Jennifer Kellough Holmes, Executive Director of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses at Houston City College.

“Now keep your hands up,” she continued, “if somewhere along the journey you discovered you were working more hours than ever.”

The hands stayed up. The laughter was the knowing kind.

“We start businesses because we want freedom. But somewhere along the way, we become the CEO of marketing, human resources, customer service, accounting — and sometimes even the janitor. We become so busy working in our business that we rarely have time to work on our business.”

That single observation set the tone for everything that followed.

Fifteen Years, 1,200 Businesses, $2 Billion

Since launching in Houston in 2011, the program — delivered through Houston City College and Babson College, the nation’s leading entrepreneurship school — has graduated more than 1,200 Houston business owners who have generated over $2 billion in annual revenue and created more than 21,000 jobs.

“That represents more than business success,” Dr. Holmes said. “That represents families supported, careers created, neighborhoods strengthened, and communities transformed.”

Goldman Sachs funds the Houston program at approximately $1 million per year, making it entirely free to participants. Scholars who are CPAs have independently valued the education and advisory support at between $80,000 and $100,000.

For sixteen weeks, scholars meet every Thursday, working through ten modules with a dedicated business advisor while building a growth plan using Goldman Sachs-funded LivePlan software. In Module 8 — Being Bankable — approximately thirty bankers participate and every scholar pitches their business.

“When you walk out of this program,” she said, “you have everything you need to successfully grow.”

Stories That Stopped the Room

Statistics alone do not inspire people, Dr. Holmes reminded the audience. Stories do.

She shared three.

Danny Lovelady, a disabled veteran and CEO of Ark of Security Solutions, entered the program with ten employees and approximately $290,000 in annual revenue, unsure he even belonged. Today, he leads a team of sixty-five employees, generates $4.2 million annually, is expanding into multiple states, and is negotiating an acquisition.

“My growth plan became our company’s North Star,” he told her.

His wife now serves as Chief HR Officer, while his sons are preparing to carry the company forward.

“That’s what sustainable growth looks like,” Dr. Holmes said. “Growth that benefits employees, families, and communities.”

Another graduate, Dr. Thomas, found the program’s greatest gift was community — alumni collaborations that produced referrals, partnerships, and continued growth. Through 10KSB Connect, the program’s national networking platform, one recent graduate with an air conditioning company was flown to Florida by a larger firm that offered to mentor her.

“Everything,” Dr. Holmes said, “is just a handshake away.”

And Dr. Roy Rivera, a physical therapist, secured a $1.5 million SBA loan to build his own facility in Independence Heights — constructed by a builder from his cohort, supported legally by an attorney from his cohort, and outfitted with signage by another cohort member.

Dr. Holmes later became his patient herself after spraining her ankle last September.

He was recently named SBA District Small Business Person of the Year.

Who Qualifies?

The criteria are simple: business owners operating for at least two years, with at least two employees — including 1099 contractors and part-time employees — and a minimum of $75,000 in annual revenue.

There is no upper limit.

And for those worried their financial records may not be ready, Dr. Holmes offered a clear message:

“Do not let what you think you don’t have prevent you from applying. We will help you.”

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the program’s multiple annual cohorts, with the next application deadline scheduled for September 30, 2026.

A Chamber That Brought Her Back

IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia explained why the Chamber invited Dr. Holmes to return for a dedicated session.

“I have several members who have benefited immensely from the program. That’s why we wanted to invite Dr. Holmes back. The last time, her talk was blended into another program — we wanted today to be a focused discussion to walk you through the benefits and the process.”

He offered entrepreneurs one piece of hard-earned wisdom of his own:

“Even though you’re busy making money, you need to account for your money — have your accounts in order to get the financing you need.”

And he reminded the audience that while the program is free, participants are still investing an important resource.

“You’re still using a very important commodity — your time. So review the program carefully and make sure you’re ready to fully commit to it.”

The session drew Harris County First Assistant County Attorney Neil Sarkar, representatives from Wallis Bank, and leaders from sister chambers across the Houston region.

“Every successful business in this room,” Dr. Holmes closed, “began with someone willing to believe that tomorrow can be better than today.”

Pic Credit: Bijay Dixit (photographer)