Just call it artisanal banking.
Running a hip North Brooklyn restaurant takes more than just knowledge of the best vinegar-to-water ratio for pickling vegetables, and apparently a few of the area's most well-known gourmet spots have been taking business tips from corporate honchos at Goldman Sachs.
The owners behind South Williamsburg's Pies 'n' Thighs, Williamsburg brunch spot Egg and Greenpoint gourmet deli Eastern District all graduated from a small business education program run by Goldman Sachs, according to a story from QZ.
The "10,000 Small Businesses" program, which has been around since 2009, is a "mini-MBA" for business owners. The program is free and about 80 people from Brooklyn have graduated from it since its inception.
It's run in partnership with LaGuardia Community College in Long Island City, according to the investment bank.
Writer Tim Fernholz talked to the entreprenuers behind all three popular spots, who all said they made gains in business acumen to bolster their foodie enterprises.
Eastern District co-owner Beth Lewand said lessons from the Goldman Sachs program pushed her to hire more people and stay open for more days, which grew the business.
Carolyn Bane of Pies 'n' Thighs said tips from the program helped her negotiate with people when the fried chicken restaurant opened a new location in Manhattan.
“That advice was really helpful," she told QZ. "Anchor low, put your foot down, and be ready to walk away.”
DNAinfo New York is waiting to hear back on how many Brooklyn business owners have been part of the program and how much they pay to take part.
But none of the owners QZ talked to noted any the irony behind taking classes from a corporation like Goldman Sachs.
Apparently, even a "hipster" sometimes business needs a little help from a big guy.
“For financial guidance and education, you have to pay for that,” Lewand told QZ. “Everyone is happy to share their opinions about beer and cheese and fried chicken… [but] people aren’t coming over and being like, yeah, hey, let’s have some beers and I’ll teach you QuickBooks.”
