Mainstreet Collective
Everything local business owners need to open, operate, and grow a service, neighborhood, or brick & mortar business in Michigan. Access hands-on programs, funding, mentors, and a community of fellow Main Street entrepreneurs.
- Retail
- Restaurants & Food
- Services
- Storefronts
- Downtown Development
Your Home Base for Local Business Growth
The Mainstreet Collective brings together business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, downtown development organizations, and local business supporters across Michigan.
Inside this collective you'll find everything you need to launch, grow, and thrive:
- Experienced mentors & business coaches
- Programs for retail, food, and service businesses
- Grants, microloans & funding resources
- Workshops on marketing, operations & finance
- Peer discussions with other local business owners
- Connections to downtown development organizations
At a Glance
- Who it's for
- Local business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, downtown developers
- Focus areas
- Retail, restaurants, cafes, salons, fitness studios, professional services, storefronts
- Outcomes
- Revenue growth, customer acquisition, operational efficiency, community connections
- Region
- Michigan, Jackson + Hillsdale Counties
Champion
Alex Masten
Director of LOCAL & Entrepreneurial Services
Helping local business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and downtown developers open, operate, and grow on Main Street.
Mainstreet Readiness Levels (MSRL)
Specifically built for brick-and-mortar and service businesses. After intake, we assess your operational foundation, profitability per square foot, and team autonomy before setting your next quarterly milestone.
Demand
Do enough of the right people want this, at this price, again?
Catches: The business nobody actually needs
Model
Does the money work per sale, per month, and across a full year?
Catches: The busy business that loses money on every job
Operations
Can it be delivered consistently without the owner doing everything?
Catches: The owner who bought themselves a job
The 4-step Milestone Acceleration Loop
Our continuous growth cadence — reviewed and rescored quarterly.
AI Intake & Scoring
Complete our intake form. Our AI-assisted intake engine scores your business against TRL, MRL, CRL, or MSRL scales.
Intake Meeting & Map
Meet one-on-one with our leadership. We deep-dive into your numbers and define 3–5 pivotal, achievable milestones.
Ecosystem Connection
Get plugged into the exact programs, EIR mentors, grants, and collectives tailored to hit your milestone goals.
Quarterly Rescoring
Accomplish your milestones, return each quarter to re-score your readiness levels, and unlock the next tier of growth capital.
Mainstreet Collective team & experts
The coaches, experts in residence, and team members guiding Mainstreet Collective.
Ken has a passion for growth. Throughout his journey as an entrepreneur, he has had some pretty cool successes and fantastic failures. Learning a lot about the lean startup method and is passionate about helping other companies and startups through the lean startup methodology.
Brandon is the visionary founder of Lean Rocket Lab, driven by a passion for nurturing and empowering startup companies. With a relentless commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurial success, Brandon has created a thriving ecosystem within Lean Rocket Lab.
Retired-Associate Regional Director guiding entrepreneurs and small businesses to start and stay in business. Formerly, an entrepreneur with over 9 years experience in business management, event planning, marketing, communications, accounting, and kitchen management.
Leland is one of our EIR's at Lean Rocket Lab. Leland has a diverse skill set spanning business analytics, software development, manufacturing, and technology. With a wealth of knowledge and experience in these pivotal areas, Leland is a valuable asset to the Lean Rocket Lab community, providing invaluable insights and guidance to fellow members and entrepreneurs.
Devon is the owner of Epic Blue Marketing, a full-service creative agency serving clients across Mid-Michigan and the U.S. with branding, press and communication plans, social media management, web development, and video storytelling campaigns. Devon is also the owner of Belle Row Boutique, a women's online and traveling clothing boutique. Before launching Epic Blue, Devon held senior leadership roles as Director of Public Relations at Lansing Community College and Marketing Director at TiiCKER, building deep experience in media relations, event management, public affairs, and advertising. She's passionate about mentoring young professionals and giving back to her community, having volunteered with organizations including Junior Achievement USA, the MI-ACE Women's Network, the Children's Trust Fund, and Michigan Tribe.
Thomas Harris is a Small Business Financial Wellness Specialist at American 1 Credit Union, where he helps local business owners strengthen their financial footing and make smarter money decisions. A natural leader since his teens, he pairs hands-on experience with a genuine passion for helping people, bringing energy and approachability to the often-intimidating world of business finances. A Jackson College graduate and proud Jackson local, Thomas is deeply involved in the community — including the Drive Jackson committee — and has long been an advocate for causes like local hunger relief.
Upcoming Mainstreet Collective events
Workshops, bootcamps, and gatherings tied to Mainstreet Collective.
No Mainstreet Collective events scheduled
New events are added regularly. Check back soon.
Mainstreet Collective resources
Curated software, services, and support available to Mainstreet Collective participants.
Hillsdale county business support
Free business consulting/workshops
Meet our members
Businesses growing with the Mainstreet Collective.