Founder education and mentorship
As a board advisor with the National Entrepreneurs Association's Michigan chapter, Shawn supports practical founder education, workshops, and cohort-based business development.
Founder and CEO
Shawn Thornton II
A native Detroiter, small-business advocate, and technology leader focused on helping growing organizations use secure, practical technology without unnecessary complexity.
Why Shawn founded Smart Biz iT
Shawn started Smart Biz iT to help level the playing field for small businesses by giving them access to secure, scalable technology and experienced guidance without enterprise-level complexity or cost.
After seeing smaller organizations overcharged, under-supported, or buried in technical jargon, he built Smart Biz iT to provide practical cybersecurity, compliance, and technology support that connects business needs to completed work.
Technology and operating experience
Shawn brings more than 15 years of experience in business operations and strategy. His background includes leading technology initiatives at Ford Motor Company in the connected and autonomous vehicle space and serving as a Senior Technology Leader at Amazon, where he supported AI-powered solutions at scale.
A practical approach for smaller teams
Smart Biz iT helps founders, executives, and operating teams simplify security decisions, implement safeguards, organize evidence, and build systems that can continue operating after the initial project is complete.
“I believe when small businesses thrive, Detroit thrives. Let’s build something great, together.”
Shawn Thornton II, Founder and CEO
MICHIGAN COMMITMENT
Helping Michigan founders build companies that can earn trust and grow
Michigan has the talent, ideas, and determination to build important companies. Too many early-stage and small businesses are expected to meet enterprise security and compliance expectations before they have an enterprise team. Shawn's goal is to close that gap with practical guidance, honest priorities, and hands-on implementation.
For Shawn, supporting the ecosystem means more than attending events. It means helping founders protect customer data, prepare for larger opportunities, answer difficult security questions, and build systems that will continue working as the company grows.
Black Tech Saturdays and Michigan Central
Shawn participates in Detroit's founder community and was selected for the inaugural Black Tech Saturdays and Michigan Central business cohort, connecting Smart Biz iT with founders, mentors, and innovation resources.
Security that supports growth
Smart Biz iT helps SaaS companies and other smaller organizations prepare for customer requirements, SOC 2, HIPAA, cyber insurance, and stronger day-to-day security.
Clear help, not gatekeeping
Shawn's approach is to explain the requirement, identify the real risk, and recommend the smallest responsible next step. When another specialist is a better fit, he says so.
EXPERIENCE BROUGHT HOME
Enterprise experience translated for smaller teams
Shawn's career has included technology and operations work in complex organizations. The purpose of that experience is not to make a small business operate like a Fortune 50 company. It is to give smaller teams the right controls, evidence, and operating habits for their actual risk and growth stage.
Ford Motor Company
Supported technology and engineering work connected to connected and autonomous vehicle programs.
Amazon
Held senior technology leadership responsibilities involving AI governance and operations at scale.
Smart Biz iT
Brings those lessons into practical cybersecurity, compliance, and technology operations for startups and small businesses.
Talk with Smart Biz iT about your next security or compliance priority
Start with your business goals, current concerns, customer requirements, or compliance questions. The first conversation is designed to clarify the situation and identify a practical next step.
Book a Compliance Clarity Call