Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses Alum Receives White House Invite, Booth at International Trade Show
Kaddas Enterprises CEO Natalie Kaddas, an alumnus of the
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program at Salt Lake Community College,
attended a recent dinner in Germany at the request of the White House and
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and also exhibited her business at Hannover
Messe, the world’s largest industrial trade fair held in Germany.
The dinner’s
attendees included executive leaders from U.S. companies such as Microsoft,
Honeywell and Lockheed Martin, along with top German business leaders, various
government officials and foreign dignitaries. Kaddas, the only small business
represented at the table, was able to promote a high-quality manufacturing
business model and present American-made products as industry-leading examples.
Discussion topics at the event ranged from economic growth promotion to energy
and climate and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Kaddas was
able to speak at the dinner with both President Barack Obama and Chancellor
Merkel.
Natalie Kaddas and President Barack Obama
The Governor’s Office of Economic
Development (GOED) provided six Utah companies, including Kaddas Enterprises,
the opportunity to exhibit in Germany at Hannover Messe through Utah’s State
Trade and Expansion Program (STEP), a U.S. Small Business Administration
program aimed at helping small companies expand into foreign markets. Kaddas
Enterprises is a second generation, family-owned business specializing in
thermoform plastic manufacturing. In operation for more than 50 years, Natalie
Kaddas’ company has joined GOED on a number of trade missions and shows and has
tripled international sales since 2013.
“Kaddas Enterprises is a true
trade mission success story,” said Franz Kolb, regional director in GOED’s
International Trade and Diplomacy Office. “Our trade missions and participation
in trade shows are designed to open doors for these companies, and then they do
the rest. Natalie has stepped up in an admirable way and serves as an excellent
example of utilizing programs like STEP and opportunities like GOED trade
missions to grow globally.”
Kaddas took part in the Goldman
Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program at SLCC and is also a client of the Salt
Lake Region Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “It was a very, very cool
experience! I never thought my business would take me to a place and event like
that. I am honored to have represented U.S. small businesses,” said Kaddas. “The Kaddas Enterprises team is dedicated to
developing some of the most sought-after products available in the global
market. Commitment to quality and perseverance in customized strategy are at
the heart of small business. It has been an honor to represent that at such a
prestigious event. Before the (Goldman Sachs and SBDC) programs we had
seven employees and a very small customer base, with revenues that were
declining year over year. With Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and the
SBDC I began to export internationally and am now realizing the potential of my
business.”
SLCC’s Miller Business Resource Center (MBRC) is home
to the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program. The MBRC offers a
wide range of services and support to businesses and organizations within our
community. Additionally, the MBRC has community and industry partnerships that
also provide assistance to the Center.
The Utah Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC) is
the largest and most accessible statewide source of assistance for small
businesses in every stage of development. The Network has 14 locations
across Utah, including 10 regional centers and five service locations staffed
by more than 30 team members. The Utah SBDC Network is a partnership
between the state’s colleges and universities, the U.S. Small Business
Administration and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
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