From Small Business to Big Impact: Leadership, Confidence, & Community at the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses Summit | 362

Running a small business feels like jumping out of a plane and building the parachute on the way down… all while managing a team, cash flow, and our kid’s snack schedule. In this LIVE episode at the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Summit, I sit down with three women who prove that entrepreneurship isn’t just about revenue and hiring — it’s about who you become while you’re building.

You’ll hear from:

Natalie Kaddas - CEO of Kaddas Enterprises and respected community and business leader who serves on the San Francisco Federal Reserve Board and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Natalie talks about:

• Using her seat at powerful tables to make sure small business voices are heard, even when those business owners can’t be in the room.

• How the 10KSB program helped her dream bigger, pivot, and grow from survival mode into strategic leadership.

• Why confidence is built like a muscle: through showing up, practicing, and doing it scared instead of waiting to “feel ready.”

Tessa Arneson - Co-founder of Maven District, where a pilates studio has evolved into a vibrant, women-powered real estate and community hub where 75% of the businesses are women-owned. Tessa is on a mission to help women lead with their whole selves — with love and curiosity — without burning out in the process.

In this conversation, Tessa pulls back the curtain on:

• Why she doesn’t believe you can “do it all” and why the grind-24/7, “sleep-when-you’re-dead” hustle culture is a fast track to mental and physical collapse — especially for women.

• Her non-negotiable rituals for staying well while running a business

• How her business partner, Rocky, taught their team to use top 3 daily priorities

• Her advice to women who want to start a business but are scared

Perlla Deluca - Owner & CEO of Southeast Constructors and founder of the Pink Hard Hat Foundation, Perlla is an immigrant woman thriving in construction — and building a movement for women and people of color in the trades.

In this episode, she shares:

• How the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program helped her learn financials and leverage, leading her to eventually open a school and foundation — all powered by access to capital and the belief that she could do more.

• How she refuses to let negativity live rent-free in her mind, using gratitude and mindset as daily practices, especially when things are hard.

• Why success, for her, is measured in people and growth, not money — and why she’s more excited about her students buying homes than she is about her own wins.

A big thank-you to Goldman Sachs for the work they’re doing through the 10,000 Small Businesses program — a $750 million commitment helping entrepreneurs across the U.S. grow, hire, and lead through education, support, and access to capital. If you’re ready to grow your own business, you can learn more and apply at gs.com/10ksb Link:https://www.goldmansachs.com/community-impact/10000-small-businesses/us

Thank you to our sponsors!

Get 20% off your first order at curehydration.com/WOMANSWORK with code WOMANSWORK — and if you get a post-purchase survey, mention you heard about Cure here to help support the show! 

Visit beducate.me/womanswork69 and use code womanswork69 for 65% off the annual pass. 

Black Friday has come early at Cozy Earth! Right now, you can stack my code WOMANSWORK on top of their sitewide sale — giving you up to 40% off in savings.

Connect with today’s guests:

Natalie Kaddas:

Website: http://www.kaddas.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-kaddas-5610184/

Perlla Deluca:

Website: https://www.thepinkhardhat.org/

Iowa School of Construction: https://www.iowaschoolofconstruction.com/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perlla-deluca-b00722114

Tessa Arneson:

Website: https://mavenslc.com/ 

Join The Community: https://stan.store/mavencommunity

IG: https://www.instagram.com/maven.community/

LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessa-arneson-b3b41316/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices