Upon the death of his father, Joe Donato took over an ailing family manufacturing and distribution heating supply business.  At the age of seventeen he had the responsibility of caring for his mother and six brothers and sisters. He knew that his business had to succeed.  These were tough times, but through sheer determination and help from mentors, family and friends, Joe was able to build a profitable multi-million dollar business.  After 23 years in the business, Joe felt it was time to share his experience with others.  He had learned from the best and wanted to pass his experience on to aspiring entrepreneurs.

In 1995 Joe sold his business and moved to Tucson Arizona with his wife and two children.  Shortly after arriving in Tucson, Joe began working with the Tucson Urban League as the Program Coordinator of an Entrepreneurship Program.  This program encompasses in-depth business training and funding for low-income and minority individuals aspiring to either start or expand a business.  In 1997, Joe left the TUL to join the Pima College Small Business Development Center but his dedication to small business has led him to continue his work with the Urban League program as a consultant and mentor.

During his work as Director of the PCC SBDC, Joe worked with hundreds of clients in every aspect of business.  He worked with the simple start-up home based business to the larger   Venture Capital backed business.  Community outreach has always been an important component of Joe’s focus.  As a small business advocate, Joe has served on numerous community economic development committees including the SBA sponsored "Small Business Week:”, "Minority Enterprise Development Week” and the Greater Tucson Economic Council’s “Idea Funding”.  In addition to serving on committees, Joe advocates entrepreneurship through public speaking engagements. 

Currently, Joe is a private business consultant and trainer.  His focus is on helping businesses succeed through proper planning, goal setting and implementation.  Joe’s vision is for all entrepreneurs to have the opportunity to achieve their goals.