Small Business Consulting
Expert help, one-on-one — and free
Our team of business consultants can help with everything from using social media effectively to introducing you to lenders and writing a business plan.
About the program
A partner in your business journey
Oakland Thrive works with entrepreneurs and small business owners to provide free, targeted support — including one-on-one consultations, training, and workshops in business development, market research, eCommerce, legal support, accounting, and more.
We connect Oakland County's entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources they need to succeed, partnering with local business service providers, chambers of commerce, and known economic-support organizations. Too often, small business owners are unaware that these resources even exist — so we bring them to you.
Special attention is given to underrepresented communities and minority-, woman-, LGBTQ-, and veteran-owned businesses.
Consulting services
A wide array of free & low-cost support
Oakland Thrive supports Oakland County's entire entrepreneurial ecosystem — here's where we can help.
Business Consultants
We connect you with consultants who work one-on-one with you to help strategize, implement your business plan, and more.
Human Resources
Attracting, hiring, and retaining talent is key to success. We help with hiring issues, labor-law compliance, employee benefits, and more.
Government Contracting
Interested in doing business with the government? Our expert partners help you register, find opportunities, and navigate government contracts.
Learn moreTraining & Workshops
A variety of trainings and workshops on subjects pertinent to the small business owner and entrepreneur.
Learn moreLegal Support
From business contracts to patents to commercial real estate and more, we connect you with the business legal services you need.
Accounting
Financial support services covering bookkeeping, financial analysis, financial literacy, growth projections, and more.
eCommerce
Whether you're setting up a website for the first time or already have a web presence, we help you market and sell your products and services online.
Funding
We help you find potential funding sources, understand different types of loans, identify grant opportunities, and more.
Childcare Businesses
We work with your childcare business to ensure you're growing, connecting to resources, and developing a sustainable business.
Learn moreMarket Research
We help your business build a digital presence to help you increase sales.
Digital Marketing & Advertising
Expert advice that can target your desired market and increase your visibility in the marketplace.
Language Translation Services
Language services so you can meaningfully connect with your customers and understand their needs.
Hospitality Services
A dedicated expert in the food service industry to help your business grow.
Learn moreClient testimonials
Hear what our clients have to say
Businesses that have benefitted from connecting with Oakland Thrive include:
I've had this dream of producing a television show and Oakland Thrive helped bring this dream to reality. They got me in touch with Brian Birney of The Birney Directive… At the beginning of the show is an animation that was produced through the Birney Directive at no cost to me because of Oakland Thrive. It would have cost me $10,000. They also provided really good tips and tricks on the social media side to help promote the show. I'm so grateful to Oakland Thrive for all their help.
Working with Oakland Thrive gave me the clarity and support I needed to grow my business with confidence. From marketing support to connections around capital and business planning, I've been able to move forward with more focus and be less overwhelmed. I truly feel like I have a partner in my business journey — I'm not doing this alone anymore.
I have been so grateful for the small business support from Oakland Thrive. They've given me access to services that as a small business owner would have been very difficult to budget for. Joyce Kreger specifically has been like a fairy godmother, walking me through creating a Google Business Profile and a keyword strategy. I'm now visible locally on Google, where I haven't been in the past.
Oakland Thrive has been amazing. Even though I've had my business for over 20 years, Joyce set me up with Oakland Thrive Consultants on numerous occasions that have been immensely helpful in moving me in the right direction. They provided training on Co-pilot, Excel, Word, business strategies, and more.
Through our engagement with Oakland Thrive, we strengthened our financial foundation. By leveraging their B2B services, we worked with Jessica Smith of JLS Vision Services to organize and refine our financials, making us well-prepared and competitive for funding. With our financials in order, we were able to successfully apply for — and win — this highly competitive grant.
If you own a business in Oakland County, you need to call Oakland Thrive. Their free support in areas like legal, marketing, and accounting has helped us strengthen critical parts of our operations that aren't our area of expertise. Working with Oakland Thrive's team is an incredible opportunity for any business owner.
I want to thank Oakland Thrive for supporting me by clarifying my doubts last year for tax season. It was my first year filing taxes with my LLC and I had many questions. I feel very happy to be part of Oakland Thrive because they are a great support for small businesses in the community.
Oakland Thrive played a critical role in supporting the growth of my small business. They connected me with the right professionals who provided high-quality HR and legal support tailored to my practice. Without their support, this process would have cost thousands of dollars. As a result, I am now in a position to hire a contractor and will officially be operating as a group practice.
Our impact
Businesses served since 2022
In free services offered
Resource partners
Ready to work with a consultant?
Apply for services and a member of our team will reach out. It's free — we're glad you're here.