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Siobhan Says: The Three Reports that Will Save Your Business
April 20, 2026
Dear Siobhan, I run two food trucks in Detroit, and last month my bank account showed $8,500. I felt like I was finally getting ahead. So I hired another prep cook for $3,200/month and dropped $2,000 on summer festival booth fees. Then my accountant called. Apparently I owe $2,800 in sales tax I “forgot about,” my food costs are eating my profits, and I’ve been spending more than I’m making for two months straight. Now I’m looking at putting expenses on my credit card just to cover everything. How did I go from feeling like I had this figured out… -
- News
Detroit Mission-Based Lenders Meet Each Month to Talk About You. Here’s Why That’s a Good Thing.
March 5, 2026
Need funding but not sure where to start? You’re not alone—and there’s a group working behind the scenes to make it easier. DNEP’s Siobhan Barrett, a former loan officer, co-chairs a monthly meeting with Frederick Paul II from the New Economy Initiative called the Small Business Success Summit. Together, they bring together lenders and business support organizations across Detroit for one reason: to help you find the right funding and support faster. Here’s how it works: Let’s say you apply for a loan, but that lender can’t help—maybe you need $150,000 for an expansion into a new market, but they only… -
Siobhan Says: Where Does this Go? (Your Quick Guide to Sorting Expenses)
March 5, 2026
Dear Siobhan, I’m sitting here with a receipt for printer paper in one hand and my phone in the other, staring at my accounting software like it’s written in another language. Do I put this under “office supplies”? “Business expenses”? “Stuff I bought”? I’ve been frozen for ten minutes. Please help before I just throw it in a drawer and pretend it never happened. — Confused Business Owner Dear Confused, You’re not alone. I get some version of this question at least five times a day: “Siobhan, I just bought a computer… where does it go in my books?” And… -
Siobhan Says: Tax Season Readiness – How to Hire & Work with a CPA
January 27, 2026
Every spring, I see the same Detroit story on repeat: the Tax Time Rescue Mission. It starts with a trail of Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, Shopify, Square, and Toast transactions that never made it into a system, plus a shoebox of receipts that’s really a camera roll of random photos. You juggle a lot, and taxes often fall to the bottom of the list. You’ve met the nonstop demands of your family and your business all year long but tax prep gets pushed aside until the last-minute scramble (and sometimes, the missed filing). It doesn’t have to be that way…. -
Siobhan Says: Top 10 Financial Challenges for Detroit Small Businesses (+ Free Guide for working through them)
December 18, 2025
If you’re reading this before your first DNEP accounting appointment, welcome! You’re about to join dozens of Detroit entrepreneurs who have come to our team and said: “I know my business is making money, but I can’t prove it” or “I’m not sure where to start.” Here’s what I want you to know: You’re not behind. You’re not doing it wrong. And you’re definitely not alone. Based on hundreds of appointments every year, we have identified the ten most common challenges we see every week, in order, AND how you can collaborate with DNEP’s accounting consultants to work through those… -
Siobhan Says: Crafting Realistic Financial Forecasts for Your Business
November 25, 2025
This week, I reflected on the importance of financial documentation and projections for businesses. It became clear that creating realistic forecasts is a major challenge for entrepreneurs, especially when purchasing property or leasing. With the year-end approaching, it’s a great time to prepare your taxes for 2025 and assess your business’s financial health. Start by pulling up your year-end sales data from your point of sale (POS) system and comparing it with your accounting records. If you lack this documentation, now is the time to start! Use your sales data from this past year to understand the cyclical and seasonal… -
Siobhan Says: Planning for Year-End Success (For Every Business Stage)
November 3, 2025
No matter where you are in your business journey, you can finish this year strong. Here’s a checklist for what to do based on where you are in your business life cycle. If You’re Just Starting Out (0-6 months): Your Year-End Check: Your Year-End Focus: Can’t do this yet? We can help! Our CFO Bootcamp starts with the absolute basics – like setting up a simple system to track money in and money out. No shame, just support. If You’re Growing (6 months – 2 years): Your Year-End Check: Your Year-End Focus: Feeling overwhelmed by the numbers? Let’s talk! Our… -
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U-M School of Information Students Offering Free Website Evaluations, Data Analysis to Detroit Businesses for Alt-Fall Break
August 28, 2025
The University of Michigan School of Information, in partnership with the U-M Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project, +Impact Studio, and the U-M Vice Provost for Engaged Learning’s Engage Detroit Workshop grant, are headed to Detroit on October 14, 2025! Through the School of Information’s Alternative Fall Break program, students will travel to Detroit to learn about and work alongside the community and partner with small businesses and nonprofits. Teams of students will tackle projects in website design and evaluation and data analysis. Business owners and nonprofit leaders who are interested in being involved can apply here. Types of Questions Students Can Answer, If You Have the Data: Full details… -
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University of Michigan’s DNEP and BoodleBox Partner to Bring AI Tools to Detroit Small Businesses
August 28, 2025
UMich Students to help 120+ Detroit businesses scale their impact, supported by AI solutions. Ann Arbor, MI [August 28, 2025] – The Detroit Neighborhood Entrepreneurs Project (DNEP) at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and BoodleBox, a leading collaborative AI platform, are partnering to provide Detroit’s small businesses with free access to cutting-edge AI tools and training. Together, DNEP and BoodleBox are taking a significant step forward in democratizing access to resources that can help local entrepreneurs thrive. The partnership will kick off in September with a series of customized workshops called “AI Show & Tell” that are…
