January 25, 2023

Social Driver Executives Accepted into Premier Business Program at Columbia

EC-America Program Focuses on Entrepreneurship and Competitiveness, Company Growth

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Social Driver, a leading digital marketing agency committed to the value of "putting people above everything else," was accepted into the inaugural U.S. cohort of EC-America, a premier business program for Latino-owned businesses hosted by the Columbia Business School in New York

"We are thrilled to have been chosen for Columbia Business School's EC-America program," said Thomas Sanchez, CEO and Cofounder of Social Driver, "This is a chance for us to further our goal of establishing strong, partner-level relationships with our clients, while also working to enhance our company culture, processes, and services."

EC-America is a year-long series of in-person and virtual courses for established Latino business leaders designed to empower entrepreneurs with the tools and skills they need to build and expand their companies. The program is rooted in the values of entrepreneurship and competitiveness. It is the perfect opportunity for Social Driver as the company advances to be at the forefront of the industry. "This program will allow Social Driver to bring even more value to clients and set a new standard for digital marketing services," Sanchez said.

"The program focuses on operational effectiveness: how to run the business and create efficiencies within the business," said Leslie Albrecht, VP of Operations, who joined Social Driver more than ten years ago and has become one of its top executives. "It's a great wealth of information, especially considering my role within the company. We are constantly looking for ways to improve our processes, and this program will allow us to do that even more effectively."

The program is carefully designed to foster community and camaraderie among participants, creating opportunities for shared learning and growth. Participants will learn from Columbia Business School professors and occasional guest lecturers and have the opportunity to meet and learn from other established entrepreneurs. 

"Meeting fellow entrepreneurs was as significant and educational as the professors and lectures. It's a cohort of established businesses that are successful and continuing to grow. That means opportunities to share and learn from each other," said Jon Gavejian, VP of Project Management, who joined Social Driver more than four years ago, contributing to tremendous growth over that time. "This experience will allow us to bring even more value to our clients, especially big companies looking for a digital marketing agency at the forefront of the industry."

Participation in EC-America will be a valuable investment for the future of Social Driver. More will be shared about the experience over the next year. 

About EC-America: EC-America is a high-impact program exclusively for Latino entrepreneurs of established firms in the United States that will empower leaders with concrete skills and methodologies to build and expand their companies. Through this program, housed in Columbia Business School's W. Edward Deming Center for Quality, Productivity and Competitiveness, EC-America will train Latino entrepreneurs to grow their companies, create jobs, strengthen professional networks, and generate revenue to advance economic equity.