How Can Early-Career Professionals Make an Impact? Meet the Rising Talent Giving Their Expertise as Small Business Consultants

Need to Know

• TAP has 226 vetted, trained, and active volunteer consultants, and 92% report being satisfied or extremely satisfied. Meet five up-and-coming professionals among them.

• Rising professionals bring fresh skills in AI, data, and technology that small business owners rarely get access to, and they build their own leadership along the way.

• National Philanthropy Day, first proclaimed in 1986, honors gifts of time as well as money, and TAP is recruiting the next generation of expert consultants.

  
  

Philanthropy is more than writing a check: when early and mid-career professionals donate their time as volunteer consultants, under-resourced small business owners get free 1:1 support that helps them strengthen their businesses, create jobs, and build wealth in their communities. This National Philanthropy Day, observed every year on November 15, we are celebrating the millennial and up-and-coming professionals who make that possible, and inviting more of their peers to join them.

Why Is National Philanthropy Day Celebrated on November 15? The Story Behind the Day

National Philanthropy Day was first proclaimed by President Reagan on November 15, 1986, and is observed every year to honor gifts of time and talent as well as money. For the full history, see Candid’s article on the story behind National Philanthropy Day. 

What Is Pro Bono Consulting? Giving Expertise, Not Just Dollars

Pro bono consulting means donating the professional expertise you use every day. That is the heart of The Acceleration Project (TAP), a nonprofit that pairs under-resourced small business owners with accomplished consultants for free, 1:1 support. TAP was founded in 2012 to support small business owners navigating critical growth moments and to create pathways for long-term economic independence through tailored programs and guidance that strengthen resilience and community impact. TAP complements capital by providing the guidance that helps business owners make informed decisions, create jobs, and support long-term economic growth. To date, TAP has served more than 13,100 clients through customized engagements.

As of October 2026, TAP has 226 vetted, trained, and active consultants from 23 states and 2 countries. Each completes five initial training sessions and attends multiple professional development sessions throughout the year. TAP also brings on the people with the most compassionate hearts, because caring about the business owner across the table is what makes the expertise land. Of those consultants, 62% hold advanced degrees, 38% have owned small businesses themselves, and together they speak 23 languages, with 21% speaking Spanish. That foundation is strong, and we want it to keep growing with the next generation of professionals.

Why Do Young Professionals Give Their Time as Small Business Consultants? Five Reasons in Their Own Words

Our featured consultants are early and mid-career professionals in software, sales technology, organizational strategy, healthcare marketing, and AI. Their reasons differ, but each story starts with someone who helped them or someone they love who needed help.

Caleb King, Senior Solutions Architect at HubSpot. Caleb grew up watching both parents run solo businesses and struggle with areas outside their expertise. He also remembers moments when, in his words, "for no cost and no benefit, people gave me a helping hand." TAP is how he passes that on.

Alex Foner, Korn Ferry Organizational Strategy Advisory. Alex, whose parents own small businesses, has supported several TAP clients through Deep Dives. His conversations showed one client "she wasn't in this alone, despite entrepreneurship being a lonely endeavor."

Caity Bond, Product Marketing Manager at Athenahealth. Caity supports owners through the 1:1 Series and Small Group Coaching. Her favorite part is giving clients "dedicated time and space to step away from the day-to-day and think strategically about their businesses."

Lynn You, Senior Software Engineer at Etsy. Lynn builds and scales APIs for a living. She chose TAP because it works so closely with owners, and she gives her time through workshops and Deep Dives while growing her own skills and network.

Sudha Kanupuru, MBA candidate at Wharton. Sudha works in digital transformation, data, and AI. She joined the TAP community to help owners solve practical challenges, including those without easy access to technology like AI.

Each consultant also named growth as a reason to join, from coaching skills to professional networks. For early-career professionals, TAP is a place to build leadership experience while giving back.

How Can You Support Small Business Owners This Philanthropy Day?

How to Become an Expert Consultant with TAP

If you are an early or mid-career professional with skills to share, TAP would love to hear from you. Apply to become a TAP consultant.

How to Apply for Free Small Business Consulting

If you own a small business and want free 1:1 support from an accomplished consultant, visit theaccelerationproject.org to learn more and apply for services.

How to Donate to TAP on National Philanthropy Day

Contributions help TAP guide more small business owners through critical growth moments. Make a donation to TAP.

To every TAP consultant: thank you.