As automation and AI rapidly transform business operations, Cole Scanlon, a 2024-2025 Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative grantee and founder of Banyan Strategy Group, is ensuring that small businesses aren’t left behind in the race to scale.
Cole delivered targeted, AI-powered growth marketing support to businesses through a pilot initiative at the University of Toronto. Often rich in purpose but limited in time and capacity, these organizations now gain access to tools and strategies once reserved for larger firms. From automating digital outreach to optimizing campaigns through data, Cole’s model empowers owners to grow their sales and impact without burning out.
This pilot initiative is about more than short-term results—it’s a proof of concept for a scalable, sustainable support structure. The vision is a tiered model where early-stage entrepreneurs receive high-quality, no-cost services, funded in part by market-rate consulting for established businesses. In doing so, Banyan Strategy Group blends entrepreneurial acceleration with a commitment to social impact.
Cole’s approach is rooted in a track record of public-minded innovation. In 2017, at 22 years old, he was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in Education for co-founding the Fair Opportunity Project, which delivered free college admissions resources to thousands of students across the United States. As Forbes noted, the project “created and distributed a free college admissions and financial aid guide that's reached 57,000 public high schools in the U.S.” (Forbes, 2017). That same year, CavsConnect reflected on Cole’s broader impact, writing that “his passion for education and dedication to the community have made him a role model for future generations” (CavsConnect, 2017).
He has also led research at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science and held roles at the World Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Google. His current work draws from his interdisciplinary background, bridging data, strategy, and human connection.
In cities like Miami and Toronto, Cole meets face-to-face with small business owners—barbers, landscapers, chiropractors, roofing contractors—entrepreneurs who understand the value of digital tools but lack the time, support, or technical knowledge to leverage them. Cole’s solution is both pragmatic and powerful: simplify the process, automate what can be automated, and return time to the founders so they can focus on what they do best—serving their communities and growing their businesses.
One of his recent innovations, BizBoost AI, is a no-code tool that offers businesses a free AI-powered audit of their online discoverability. Users input a few key details, and within moments, receive actionable steps to improve visibility and performance. It’s a foot in the door for business owners, who may not realize that a simple online listing could mean five new customers a week.
As Banyan Strategy Group continues to grow, so does its reputation for delivering practical, scalable solutions tailored to real-world challenges. Already trusted by more than 50 businesses, startups, and nonprofits, including Jets for Vets, Coastal Space Design, Cy’s Linen Services, and Let Me Graduate, Banyan Strategy Group is proving that automation doesn’t have to come at the expense of personal connection.
Cole is now building the next phase: a systematized service model that automates repeatable tasks while preserving the high-touch, human element that entrepreneurs value. With subscription options and managed service tiers on the horizon, Banyan Strategy Group’s offerings are designed to be not only accessible and efficient but deeply aligned with the everyday needs of small business owners. At its core, the goal remains clear: to help ventures grow sustainably while giving founders back their most precious resource—time.
Cole’s work is supported through the Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship Initiative, a program designed to foster innovation and cross-border collaboration. In partnership with Alacrity Canada (powered by Startup Science), the initiative connects promising entrepreneurs with mentorship and support to help transform ideas into lasting ventures. Alacrity Canada’s demand-driven innovation model helps startups grow with guidance from experts across industry, academia, and government.
Learn more about Banyan Strategy Group at:
https://www.banyanstrategygroup.com/
Learn more about the Fulbright Canada Entrepreneurship initiative at:
www.fulbright.ca/programs/entrepreneurship-initiative
Learn more about Alacrity Canada at:
www.alacritycanada.com
Explore Startup Science's growth acceleration:
https://www.startupscience.io