FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – The first West Virginia cohort of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) program celebrated their graduation on Friday.
The program, designed to support small business owners through education and networking, partnered with BridgeValley Community & Technical College to facilitate the curriculum.
The curriculum itself was developed by Babson College, which has been recognized for its leadership in entrepreneurship education.
Ashley Chouinard, a graduate of the program and co-owner of Wild Blue Adventure Co. in Fayetteville, reflected on the transformative impact of 10KSB.
“The program really forced us to evolve our mindset,” Chouinard said. “It gave us the tools so we aren’t just working in our business but on it. In West Virginia, I think we all have the ‘coal’ mentality. Often times things are not easy. It is hard work, but it’s in our nature to lock in and do it anyway to provide for our families and our communities.”
Chouinard and her husband, Bill, operate Wild Blue Adventure Co., which offers aerial flight tours over the New River Gorge in a World War II biplane, advanced flight instruction, and vacation lodging.
Chouinard also highlighted the value of connecting with other small business owners.
“I’m really grateful for the chance to expand my business knowledge with the different content we learned every week. But I’m most thankful for the opportunity to meet different small business owners from all over the state. Each one is a master of their craft, and the time we have spent peer learning is just as valuable as the content itself.”
Chouinard of Wild Blue Adventure Company and Holly Fussell of Water Stone Outdoors were the only two graduates from the New River Gorge region.
The program has provided both women and their peers across West Virginia with tools and strategies to grow their businesses while creating a network of collaboration and mutual support.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses continues to expand its reach, offering small business owners nationwide the resources they need to succeed.
