Before the Crisis: Investing in the Foundation of HR for Small Businesses

Four small business owners, two men and two women gathered in a modern office setting. Around them float speech bubbles containing various human resources terms.

I am thrilled to introduce Connect to Purpose (C2P), Inc., my new nonprofit. Our mission is profoundly simple yet critical: to empower entrepreneurs and small businesses in their early stages by providing pro bono human resources (HR) and organizational development (OD) services, development and networking. We focus specifically on businesses operating for less than seven years with a dedication to early-stage marginalized entrepreneurs and business owners.

"Waiting until you 'need' HR usually means you’re already in a crisis." - Michelle Majette

Why Small Business Owners Need Strategic HR

Small business owners (SMBs) are truly champion multitaskers. Entrepreneurs, or solopreneurs, must wear many hats, juggling product development, sales, marketing, and cash flow. When HR responsibilities—such as compliance, hiring, and culture development—are added as another "duty as assigned," it can lead to decision fatigue and burnout. This heavy load limits a business’s ability to hire and foster great employees who facilitate growth.

The problem is that for many entrepreneurs, HR is treated as an afterthought until it’s too late. Waiting until you 'need' HR usually means you’re already in a crisis. HR is a foundational component of success, ensuring compliance, mitigating legal risk (like contractor misclassification), and helping organizations avoid costly operational issues while maintaining sustainable growth. Connect To Purpose provides critical support, from HR Bootcamps and compliance essentials to leadership coaching and culture strategies, ensuring businesses build fair, engaging, and human-centered workplaces that scale smarter.

"Because building a business should not mean breaking yourself—or your team." - Michelle Majette

Support Connect To Purpose Ahead of Giving Tuesday 2025

Connect to Purpose is dedicated to creating a thriving ecosystem where all businesses, regardless of financial limitations, have access to the people, culture and workforce expertise necessary for long-term success. To achieve this, we rely on individual and philanthropic contributions.

We are launching our campaign early for Giving Tuesday 2025, which is scheduled for Tuesday, December 2, 2025. Your donation is an investment in resilient entrepreneurship. Because Connect To Purpose is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your contribution is fully tax-deductible. Every gift has a direct impact.

We encourage you to make your secure, tax-deductible gift today via Zeffy. Your early support ensures we can provide pro bono, competency based Human Resources and Organizational Development services to at least 50 local entrepreneurs. Because building a business should not mean breaking yourself—or your team. Are you interested in volunteering? Do you know an entrepreneur who can benefit? Connect with us via hello@connect2purpose.org.