Thank You, Goldman Sachs

Today, I want to pause and do something I encourage others to do often—lead with grace and gratitude. As a proud graduate of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) and a returning Business Advisor for OMBW #BlackinBusiness, I had the honor of celebrating the graduation of Cohort 8 earlier this week—with 301 solo enterprises strong. Goldman Sachs’ unwavering commitment to uplifting small businesses continues to inspire me, and I am truly grateful to be part of this community.

My own business has grown because of meaningful connections I’ve made through the 10KSB national network. These relationships have opened doors to partnerships that strengthen our performance, increase our economic capacity, and contribute directly to our bottom line. For this, I remain deeply appreciative.

What makes these experiences extraordinary is the layered support—training, education, and access not only to best practices of a global brand, but also to leadership across the organization. Add to that the wisdom and generosity of external partners, Board members, and stakeholders who are committed to paying it forward through knowledge-sharing, storytelling, and investment, and you have something that is truly transformational.

My reflection today was sparked by a critical business question I had been struggling to answer for months—one that I needed to resolve quickly to stay competitive. The gift of attending a Goldman Sachs' small business event, even if you are not the primary beneficiary, is that you are surrounded by brilliant, generous minds eager to help you think through your toughest questions. OMBW BiB graduates celebrated their accomplishments alongside inspiring leaders who shared their best advice. They received advocacy training from Joyce Brayboy, participated in enriching workshops, and enjoyed dynamic speakers—including a memorable fireside chat with Russell Horwitz. Within it, I also found the clarity I needed. 

For months, I had been wrestling with this:

What sustainable value can my firm offer as AI rapidly absorbs operational tasks?

I thought the answer might be re-emergence of critical thinking skills—and while important, I learned it was something even more elemental.

This wasn’t the first time Mr. Horwitz had shared his insights with us. After his appearance at a previous graduation, I viewed him as a kind of small business oracle—someone with a mile-high view of the business landscape who can translate incoming challenges into practical guidance. His conversation with Jessica Taylor began with Goldman’s OneGS 3.0 AI strategy, and within minutes, my perspective shifted. My first note read: “For the first time, we are seeing a separation of labor from productivity.” I felt a mind shift coming. A quick search provided more context as results populated with familiar themes—operational efficiency, staff reductions, talent and growth, and change. He offered that sales, traders, and asset managers will grow. I wrote, “What does that look like for my business?”

He also described the rise of well-rounded professionals—those who succeed because of their social skills, their presence, and their ability to read a room. And, in that moment, the answer became clear:

In an AI-powered world, our humanity is our competitive advantage.

Within a world fully anchored in AI, we are not becoming less human—we are being called to become more human. With that clarity, there is a path to think critically about how we show up, how we present, manage ourselves, and lead others. Mr. Horwitz demonstrated this as he fielded questions from small business owners, modeling in real time the very skill he described. The ability to show humanity is the skill set AI cannot disrupt.

My takeaways continued to fill the page: culture is enduring… and continuously tested… balance programmatic with culture… Be purposeful! … It’s the small things that people do.

To the 46,000 global employees of Goldman Sachs—along with David Solomon, John F. W. Rogers, Asahi Pompey, and the leaders from the Board of Directors, Executive Officers, and Management Committee—thank you. Your generous presence, thoughtful insights, and words of encouragement shared with the 301 graduates of OMBW BiB Cohort 8 mean more than you know. Your commitment to empowering small businesses, challenging us to think critically, supporting our growth, and reminding us to lift others as we rise is profoundly appreciated. We are truly grateful.

If you are an OMBW BiB graduate—or was fortunate enough to be in the room, consider sharing your key takeaways, lessons learned, or extending your own message of grace and gratitude.