10,000 Small Businesses: Benefiting from peer-to-peer learning
PEER-to-peer learning is a major part of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses programme, and helps participants change the way they plan for growth.
While an essential facet of the programme, it can take some time to get used to. Preston based entrepreneur Adam Patel, a member of the 2012 cohort, explains: “For the first couple of weeks some people are fairly quiet – people do become much more open as you get to know and trust each other and soon after people were asking for my help to finish their growth plans – it gives you confidence.
“There were people who were educated to doctorate level on the course and they were listening to me as much as I was listening to them.10,000 Small Businesses gets you out of the business to think about it and work on your business.
“I would recommend anyone to go on the course. My business is better because of it, it’s a good foundation for the next level.”
Mr Patel founded UK Good Deals in 2004, then launched his motorcycle accessories business Ghost Bikes in 2006. In 2009 he added Pro-Jump, a website selling jumping stilts – some of which were used in the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.
Now in his early 40s, he started his working life in the family retail stores and market stalls business. Sales from his businesses were £3.6m last year and they are projected to rise to £4.2m this year.
The 10,000 Small Businesses programme couldn’t be further from the traditional image of an academic course. Each cohort of up to 30 entrepreneurs brings together leaders of small businesses or social enterprises from a wide range of industry sectors, ages and backgrounds.
Deepak Jayaraman, head of corporate engagement for Goldman Sachs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, explains: “We know that peer-to-peer
learning and mentoring are key components of any small business programme. It’s really challenging to be a small business owner.
“There is a responsibility to your staff, to your bank, to suppliers and customers, and to your family. It is on one person’s head when they are building teams. 10,000 Small Businesses puts them in a programme where they can be honest.”
Funded by the Goldman Sachs Foundation, 10,000 Small Businesses is a practical programme designed to help the leaders of established small businesses and social enterprises define and achieve their growth aspirations.
The supplement looks at some of the areas considered important to bolstering small business growth, such as networking and peer learning opportunities and the new ideas, knowledge and skills which are generated through the process.
