Business Advisor

Who We Are

The Northside Economic Opportunity Network’s (NEON) mission is to build wealth for low-to-moderate-income entrepreneurs in North Minneapolis and surrounding communities. Our vision is to transform North Minneapolis and the surrounding area into a prosperous, visible, sustainable, and highly diverse multi-cultural community of entrepreneurs. We work with individuals at various stages of entrepreneurship - from "information seekers" to existing business entities, providing a roadmap to start, grow and thrive as scalable businesses.

NEON promotes economic equity by identifying business ownership as a path toward income generation and long-term asset building. NEON will increase work to start, support, sustain, and expand the number of culturally diverse businesses owned and operated in North Minneapolis. We strive for the best customer service in the world, relentless pursuit of excellence, and respect for the individual. Working with our team provides an opportunity to utilize our collective power to improve and expand programs for the benefit of the North Minneapolis community where entrepreneurs can start, grow and thrive.

$65,000 - $72,000 annual salary, depending on qualifications and experience.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) starting at 18 days per year
• 10 paid holidays, 2 floating holidays and a seasonal paid office closure for a week at the end of each year
• 100% employer-paid
  health, dental, and vision insurance for employees and their families
• Health Savings Account (HSA) fully funded by NEON for individual or family coverage
• NEON pays for basic life insurance with the option for additional employee-paid coverage
• NEON also pays for Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) and long-term disability insurance
• NEON sponsors a retirement plan witha 6% employer match
  and immediate vesting.

Because NEON is a member with Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities (MACC) who partners with St. Mary’s University, NEON employees and their spouses are also eligible for the following benefits y’s University:

• Discounted tuition for Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate programs
• Professional development opportunities
• Access to advancement (internships, job placement, field practice)

NEON is seeking a Business Advisor to provide mentorship, guidance, and technical assistance to clients, helping them refine business ideas, develop strategies, and navigate challenges, while also advising on business development, growth strategies, and operational best practices; facilitating trainings and workshops relevant to small business owners; managing a caseload of local entrepreneurs and businesses with ongoing support and expertise; and performing administrative tasks that advance the Business Development team’s objectives and NEON’s broader mission.

Responsibilities will include the following:

• Recruit and engage new clients, assisting with business idea assessment, pre-venture planning, start-up processes, and existing business needs.
• Manage, assess, and advise a caseload of approximately 25–40 business clients.
• Provide business readiness coaching and develop individualized work plans to help clients achieve their business goals.
• Track monthly client progress and ensure alignment with programmatic objectives.

• Assist clients in identifying capital needs, sources, and preparing documentation for loan applications.
• Review and provide guidance on business and strategic plans to strengthen clients’ business models.
• Support clients with bookkeeping setup, maintenance, and the use of financial statements as management tools.
• Advise clients on business registration, licensing, marketing plans, and regulatory compliance relevant to their business model.
• Guide clients through proof-of-concept processes and support space selection, lease agreements, and real estate procurement.
• Submit reports in accordance with funder guidelines.
• Provide one-on-one consulting to training class participants.
• Assist clients with contract bidding,…