
Accounting Aid Academy: Helping small businesses learn and thrive.
Small businesses comprise more than 98% of Michigan businesses and employ half of Michigan workers. Helping small businesses thrive benefits everyone in our state.
That’s why the Accounting Aid Academy exists: To educate small businesses and give them the sound financial management practices that lead to stability and growth. We help small businesses pinpoint areas that need improvement and coach them to strengthen those areas. Along the way, we make sure they have the skills they need to manage their finances, such as:
- Establishing strong accounting systems and bookkeeping practices
- Managing income and sales taxes and preparing tax returns
- Interpreting and creating financial statements
- Making sound business decisions
- Leveraging capital and credit
Toward these goals, we provide business consulting, workshops, labs, and presentations, as well as open office hours for initial consultations.
We can help businesses on any budget.
Accounting Aid Academy offers:
- Low-cost membership services
- Our special Thrive program (by application only)
Interested in our services? Fill out the contact form below and let’s get started helping your business thrive.
An Accounting Aid Academy representative will contact you within one business day.
Meet the Accounting Aid Academy Team

Rachel Campbell
Small Business Financial Analyst
Rachel began her career at the Accounting Aid Society in 2010 as a Tax Site Supervisor in our individual tax program. Driven by her commitment to strengthening Detroit’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Rachel has helped the academy grow a broad client portfolio by building relationships with business owners and meeting them where they are in their business cycle. Rachel applies her knowledge, experience and uses a hands-on approach to help clients gain a deeper understanding of their financial operations and maintain tax compliance. She earned her B.B.A from the University of Michigan – Dearborn, where she majored in accounting and holds credentials as an enrolled agent.

Lisa Day
Small Business Accountant
Lisa Day joined the agency in May of 2021. She is a highly experienced finance professional who brings a wealth of knowledge in the realm of finance. In her current role as the Accounting Aid Academy’s Small Business Accountant, Lisa uses her experience in analysis and customization of financial plans to work with small business owners to achieve healthy and sustainable business growth. Lisa has also volunteered as a tax preparer at the Accounting Aid Society, as well as several other organizations such as the National Association of Black Accountants and Davenport University, where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance and Master of Business Administration in finance.

Maria Mendez, E.A.
Small Business Accountant
Maria has over 15 years of experience providing tax services to families and small business owners, with a focus on helping clients navigate and build in systems and structures that have historically excluded underserved populations. In her role as a small business accountant, Maria integrates her extensive experience with her empathetic nature to equip business owners with skills and confidence to pursue what is most important to them. Additionally, Maria is active in several neighborhood-level collaborations who support bilingual and Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs. A native of Mexico, Maria received a B.A in accounting from the University of Chihuahua and is an enrolled agent.