By Jennifer Conrad, Managing Editor
Maria Lopez, owner of a small Mexican restaurant in Peoria, was on the verge of burnout. She loved cooking and serving her community, but the constant struggle to find and retain reliable staff was draining her energy and threatening her business. “I was working 70 hours a week,” Maria confessed, “just trying to keep up. I never had time to train my staff properly, and it showed.” Maria’s story isn’t unique. Small business owners across Peoria, and indeed the nation, face similar challenges. But one local resident, Joshua Martinez, saw these struggles not as insurmountable obstacles, but as opportunities for transformation.
Joshua wasn’t always a workforce development guru. Back in 2009, he was just an 18-year-old high school senior in Peoria, trying to save up for a laptop to attend Arizona State University. He landed a job helping launch a local water park, thinking it was just a short-term gig. What he didn’t know was that this experience would shape the rest of his career—teaching him about leadership, business operations, and, most importantly, the power of building something from the ground up. He witnessed firsthand the intricate dance between community and commerce, how a thriving business could revitalize a neighborhood, and how a strong team could make all the difference.
Fast forward to 2025, and Martinez is no longer just opening water parks—he’s opening doors for small businesses across Arizona. As the founder of Oso Consulting and the recipient of the 2025 Small Business Impact Award, Martinez has dedicated his career to solving one of the biggest challenges small businesses face: workforce development.
Oso Consulting: Where Community Meets Commerce
Founded in 2020, Oso Consulting was built on the idea that strong communities create strong businesses. Martinez, a first-generation college graduate, saw firsthand how small businesses struggled to recruit and retain top talent. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, these challenges only intensified, especially in industries like hospitality and tourism. He knew he had to act.
Instead of watching businesses suffer, Martinez took action. He partnered with the City of Peoria to create tailored workforce training programs that help business owners recruit, train, and retain employees. Through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Oso Consulting helped small businesses implement scalable hiring and training solutions that made a real difference. “Small business owners wear so many hats—marketing, payroll, customer service,” says Martinez. “It’s easy to get overwhelmed. We step in to help them create systems that work.”
Transforming Peoria’s Small Business
One of Oso Consulting’s standout initiatives was the Peoria Workforce Training Program, which provided hands-on education and job placement assistance. The program tackled real obstacles, offering transportation vouchers, child-care services, and flexible scheduling to ensure maximum participation. The results were significant. For example, the August 2023 cohort saw 46 participants trained, with 45 earning their ServSafe certification. More importantly, participating restaurants reported a 15% increase in employee retention within three months of hiring graduates from the program. The September 2023 cohort saw similar success, with 92 participants trained and 90 passing their exams. The Peoria Restaurant Expo further amplified the impact, connecting small businesses with trained job seekers, resulting in on-the-spot hiring and mentorship opportunities.
That’s where Maria Lopez’s story comes back in. Oso Consulting not only helped her find qualified candidates, but they also worked with her to develop a customized training program that addressed her specific needs. They even provided transportation vouchers and childcare assistance to ensure her employees could participate. The results were remarkable. Within six months, Maria’s employee turnover rate plummeted, and her customer satisfaction scores soared. “Oso Consulting didn’t just train my staff,” Maria explained. “They gave me the tools and the confidence to be a better leader. They saved my business.”
Expanding the Vision
While Peoria will always be home, Martinez’s vision extends beyond Arizona. Oso Consulting is now gearing up to launch workforce training initiatives in Latin America, with upcoming projects in Mexico and the Dominican Republic.
“If you invest in people, you invest in the future,” Martinez explains. “Our goal is to build sustainable, scalable solutions that empower businesses and communities worldwide.”
A Well-Deserved Recognition
The 2025 Small Business Impact Award is more than just a milestone for Joshua Martinez—it’s proof that true leadership is about service. His work through Oso Consulting has transformed Peoria’s business landscape, proving that success isn’t just measured in revenue, but in the lives and communities uplifted along the way. He faced challenges, he learned from his experiences, and he persevered.
As Arizona continues to grow, leaders like Martinez remind us of an essential truth: No community, no commerce. No commerce, no community.
Get Involved
Want to learn more about Oso Consulting’s impact or see how your business can benefit from workforce training solutions? Visit the Oso Consulting website at www.theosoconsulting.com or contact us for a free consultation at info@theconsulting.com Follow Oso Consulting on Instagram (@OsoConsulting) or connect on LinkedIn (Oso Consulting Group).
Final Thought
Martinez’s journey—from launching water parks to launching workforce solutions—proves that when you invest in people, the possibilities are endless.
