Room 35

What Room 35 does

Room 35 (legal name Room Thirty Five) is a privately held business consulting firm headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan, founded in 2020, with a headcount of 1-10. The firm serves small business owners and entrepreneurs in the construction and trades vertical across Southwest and West Michigan, helping them scale operations, build financial visibility, and access capital. Its core products are delivered as professional services and structured programs: 1-on-1 consulting, the 6-month Blueprint accelerator (targeting construction owners with $100K+ in revenue, with 90-95% of cost covered by state funding for qualifying participants), the 8-week Capital Matters finance workshop (delivered with Kalamazoo Start Up Center and Kruggel Lawton CPAs), the 60-hour Core60 program for aspiring contractors preparing for the Michigan Residential Builder's License, and Open Hours, a live conversational support offering. The firm also runs Program Development and Program Management engagements for cities and economic development organizations seeking measurable community impact.

The underlying technology footprint is limited to standard productivity tools: Microsoft 365, Microsoft Teams for program collaboration, and Microsoft Forms for applications. There is no proprietary platform, no software product, and no disclosed AI/ML capability. The go-to-market motion is community- and sales-led, combining structured content marketing (blog "The Room," social channels on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter, a quarterly "Join The Room" newsletter), monthly networking groups KCDC (Kalamazoo) and CBC (Battle Creek), strategic partnerships, and referral-driven acquisition. Revenue is generated through professional services fees and program tuition on a sliding scale, with no disclosed external funding, institutional investors, or parent entity. Co-founders Joshua (Director of Strategy) and Donovan (Director of Growth) lead the firm, supported by a Marketing Manager, Financial Manager, Lead Consultant, and roughly 15 named advisors.

Name

Room 35

Legal name

Room Thirty Five

Website

https://roomthirtyfive.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Room 35 is a Kalamazoo, Michigan business consulting firm serving construction and trades SMBs in West Michigan with 1-on-1 consulting, the Blueprint 6-month accelerator, Capital Matters finance workshop, Core60 licensing program, and Program Development services for cities and organizations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalamazoo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. 1-on-1 Consulting Services: Hands-on consulting engagements where Room 35 works as a partner with business owners to solve unique problems. Pricing varies; company must have $100,000+ revenue to qualify.
2. Program Management (Blueprint, Core60, Capital Matters): Accelerator and workshop programs with sliding fee schedules. Blueprint is 6-month program (state funding covers 90-95% for qualifying participants). Capital Matters is 8-week workshop with pricing on sliding scale. Core60 is 60-hour interactive program for pre-licensed builders.
3. Program Development: Custom program creation and consulting services for cities and organizations looking to create measurable community impact. Revenue from contract work with government/economic development entities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Room 35 is a Kalamazoo-based business consulting firm that provides hands-on strategy, operations, finance, marketing, and process development services to small businesses and entrepreneurs, with a deep specialization in the construction and trades vertical. The firm delivers these services through 1-on-1 consulting engagements, structured accelerator and workshop programs (Blueprint, Capital Matters, Core60, Open Hours), and custom program development for cities and economic development organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Blueprint A 6-month interactive construction business accelerator designed to help experienced and licensed construction business owners scale their businesses. The program focuses on clarifying direction, building scalable systems, and strengthening professional networks, targeting businesses with $100,000+ annual revenue.
• Capital Matters An 8-week finance workshop helping business owners master financial skills including cash flow, budgeting, and credit management. Prepares participants for capital access and business growth through expert-led sessions and personalized coaching, with a sliding fee schedule.
• Core60 A 60-hour interactive program designed for aspiring and early-stage contractors to prepare for their Michigan Residential Builder's License, covering licensing prep, business planning, and fieldwork strategies.
• 1-on-1 Consulting Hands-on consulting where Room 35 takes a partner role in each company they work with, diving deep to solve unique problems for business owners. Requires companies to have $100,000+ revenue to qualify.
• Program Development Custom program creation and consulting services for cities and organizations seeking to create measurable community impact through economic development initiatives.
• Open Hours A live, conversational support space for business owners who need fast help and real answers, offering unscripted help centered on real-time questions, roadblocks, and decisions.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2 million+ in client revenue generated in first two years of business
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KCDC (Kalamazoo Contractors and Builders Connect)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMonthly networking group meeting every first Friday at Kalamazoo County Land Bank. Room 35 refers clients to KCDC for industry connections, project opportunities, and business relationships. KCDC serves as a hub for construction professionals, general contractors, subcontractors, and real estate professionals.
• CBC (Calhoun Builders Connect)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMonthly networking group meeting every fourth Friday at LINK Community Event Center in Battle Creek. Similar structure to KCDC, serving Calhoun County builders and business owners. Room 35 refers clients and connects them to regional industry network.
• Kalamazoo Start Up CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Capital Matters program delivery. Provides co-working environment and startup ecosystem connections for participants. Joint program offering combining Room 35's financial expertise with Start Up Center's entrepreneurial resources.
• Kruggel Lawton CPAsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCPA firm partner in Capital Matters program. Provides expert-led sessions on financial topics and serves as resource for participants seeking professional accounting guidance.
• Elite CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing mentorship opportunities, hosting workshops, and offering hands-on training for Blueprint participants on active job sites. Elite Companies helps shape curriculum for Core60 and Capital Matters programs based on real-world experience.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SCORE: SCORE is a U.S. nonprofit network providing free mentoring, workshops, and consulting to small businesses including trades and construction entrepreneurs. It is the closest broad-incumbent counterpart to Room 35's consulting and accelerator offerings, though it is volunteer-driven and nationally scoped rather than construction-focused.
• Small Business Development Center (SBDC): SBDCs are SBA-funded centers that provide no-cost consulting, training, and capital readiness support to small businesses, often with state-government funding models similar to Room 35's Blueprint program. Comparable in advisory depth and economic-development alignment, though they cover all industries rather than specializing in construction.
• Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses: Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a multi-week accelerator for growth-oriented U.S. small business owners that combines education, mentoring, and a capital access network. Highly comparable to Room 35's Blueprint accelerator format, though it is broader in scope and nationally recognized.
• Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA): MBDA is a federal agency operating centers that provide consulting, capital access, and contracting support specifically to minority-owned businesses. Directly comparable to Room 35's stated focus on BIPOC-owned construction entrepreneurs and on building capital readiness in underserved segments.

Direct peers

• ActionCOACH: ActionCOACH is the world's largest business coaching and consulting franchise, working with SMB owners on strategy, operations, sales, and team building. Closely comparable to Room 35's 1-on-1 consulting and accelerator offerings in target customer (SMB owners) and methodology, though it serves all verticals through a franchise model.

Emerging players

• Tory Burch Foundation Capital Program: The Tory Burch Foundation runs a Capital Program and entrepreneur education initiatives for women-owned small businesses, combining education with capital access partners. Comparable in program structure to Room 35's Blueprint, though it serves women founders across industries rather than construction trades.
• EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization): EO is a global peer-network of founders running accelerator-style learning forums, mastermind groups, and chapter-based events for growth-stage entrepreneurs. Comparable to Room 35's community-led GTM via KCDC/CBC and to its cohort-based program model, though EO serves founders above Room 35's revenue thresholds.

Others

• Accion Opportunity Fund: Accion Opportunity Fund is a nonprofit CDFI providing small business loans and financial education to underserved entrepreneurs. Comparable to Room 35's Capital Matters workshop content (cash flow, budgeting, credit management) and to its focus on capital readiness for underbanked small businesses.
• Kauffman Foundation FastTrac: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation runs FastTrac, an entrepreneur education program that trains aspiring and existing business owners on planning, growth, and operations. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem enabler producing SMB education curricula, not a direct competitor.
• Bplans: Bplans is a Palo Alto Software-owned platform offering business plan templates, financial forecasting tools, and small business education. Comparable to Room 35's content-led education approach (The Room blog, financial literacy programming) but as a digital, self-serve resource rather than a high-touch consulting practice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/room_thirtyfive
• Facebookfacebook.com/Room35Consulting
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/room-35
• Instagraminstagram.com/room_thirtyfive

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Room 35