Business Advisory for Women Entrepreneurs: 2X Webinar with Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women Promotes New Partnerships

The 2X Challenge, Gender Finance Collaborative and Goldman Sachs Foundation have joined forces to convene partner financial institutions from around the world, showcase the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women online course, and explore opportunities for new partnerships to bring business advisory solutions to local women entrepreneurs.

At their latest webinar, the 2X Challenge and Gender Finance Collaborative (GFC) provided Goldman Sachs Foundation with a platform to showcase Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women online course – an innovative free-to-access online program designed to help women grow their business skills through practical education and training.

Inaugurating the webinar, Arpita Raksit, Chair of the GFC and Jessica Espinoza, Chair of the 2X Challenge highlighted that women entrepreneurs in emerging markets greatly value business advisory services and many financial institutions have begun to add non-financial services – including advisory, mentoring and networking opportunities – to their product and services spectrum for women-led MSMEs. As the world changes in response to the global Covid-19 crisis, online learning opportunities are more important than ever.

Charlotte Keenan, Global Head of 10,000 Women at Goldman Sachs took the audience on a virtual tour through the course on the Coursera platform: “The 10,000 Women online program covers all aspects of business, from finance and operations to leadership, marketing and negotiation. It offers women entrepreneurs around the world a free and truly flexible online learning experience.” The course is available in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

Wambui Ng’ayu, owner and founder of Sprouts Kids Salon & Barbershop in Nairobi, who has successfully completed the course, shared how the practical and comprehensive curriculum has helped her grow her business. “Apart from the financial aspect of it, I learned about the cultural audit of the business and how to ensure that my employees value the business the same way I do.”

Around 80 financial institutions from Asia, Africa and Latin America joined the live webinar – many of them are already exploring how to integrate the course in their existing programs for women entrepreneurs and add value in their respective market. Stay tuned!