Small business owners make big decisions every day, often without access to the professional support that larger businesses take for granted.
Start Small Think Big connects entrepreneurs with experienced legal and financial professionals who provide their expertise pro bono, giving small business owners high-quality support at no cost.
Professional legal and financial support can shape the decisions that determine whether a business survives, grows, and creates opportunity. But that expertise is often out of reach for entrepreneurs who cannot afford it or don't have professional networks to turn to.
Start Small exists to close that gap — connecting entrepreneurs with high-quality expertise so they can build successful businesses and create greater economic opportunity for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Entrepreneurs supported
Skilled professionals
Professional services delivered
An entrepreneur's potential shouldn't be limited by what they can afford, where they come from, or who they happen to know.
We want more entrepreneurs to have access to the expertise and connections that help businesses thrive — and the opportunity to build businesses that create lasting economic opportunity for themselves, their families, and their communities.
Start Small Think Big began in 2010, when a small network of attorneys started providing pro bono legal assistance to entrepreneurs in the Bronx.
But the entrepreneurs we worked with told us they needed more. They needed help understanding their finances and accessing professional expertise that was often beyond their reach.
So we listened — and we grew.
Over time, Start Small expanded beyond legal services, building a network of professionals and partners committed to putting their expertise to work for small businesses.
Today, what started in the Bronx connects thousands of entrepreneurs with professionals who can help them navigate the challenges of running and growing a business. And we're continuing to build toward something bigger: a world where high-quality professional expertise is within reach for every entrepreneur.
We believe entrepreneurs should have a voice in the support designed for them. We listen first and let their experiences, priorities, and needs shape our work.
We believe the quality of support an entrepreneur receives shouldn't depend on what they can afford. Pro bono describes the cost to the entrepreneur, not the value of the expertise they receive.
Entrepreneurs bring deep knowledge of their businesses, customers, and communities. Our pro bono partners bring professional expertise. We value both — and believe the strongest solutions come from bringing them together.
We stay focused on where Start Small can make a meaningful difference. We build on what we do best, continually test whether it's working, and look for ways to make our impact stronger.
We believe every entrepreneur should have access to high-quality support. That belief pushes us to keep innovating, experimenting, and finding better ways to make our services accessible to more entrepreneurs.
Start Small connects entrepreneurs building businesses with professionals who have expertise to contribute.
We work with companies, law firms, financial institutions, and individual professionals to make high-quality legal and financial expertise available to entrepreneurs at no cost.
Entrepreneurs get access to professionals who can help them make important business decisions. Professionals get opportunities to use their expertise in service of small businesses. And together, we build a stronger network of support around small businesses.
Whether you're building a business, sharing your professional expertise, or investing in entrepreneurs, you can help put expertise within reach of more small business owners.
