Elevate advising, community ‘cheerleading’ propels The Arts Creative forward
When longtime art teacher Katie Ross got the idea to start The Arts Creative in Bloomington, she had great ideas for classes, insights for connecting with students and building community. Finding capital, developing marketing, and business finances were not her strengths.
“That’s been a little bit of a learning curve for me, so I’ve been taking full advantage of everything I can,” said Katie. “I’ve got a lot of support from Elevate Hennepin.”
Katie worked with several advisors, including NextStage and AM & Associates, for support organizing her thoughts and developing a solid business plan. She worked with JLLB Media to develop a successful marketing strategy and see through the eyes of her consumers. She worked with Clear Talk Accounting to develop a solid financial management plan. And she worked with Springboard for the Arts to learn from other entrepreneurs with an art background and raise funds for one of her art camps.
She also joined CEO Start to bring all her insights together into a robust business strategy that she pitched to fellow entrepreneurs and her community in Bloomington.
“What can I say,” said Katie. “I really, really appreciate the support and resources from Elevate.”
Watch her story and how the “cheerleading” helped keep her moving forward when building her business got hard.
Show all resources
Get connected to professional resources, tools, and guidance from business experts.
Schedule a consultation
Meet one-on-one with a Business Navigator to assess your best next step.
Real businesses, real stories.
How to use the updated Elevate Hennepin resource directory
We’ve made a few minor updates to the Elevate Hennepin resource directory going into 2026. Keep up with those changes and get a refresher on how to use the resource directory to find the best advisor, cohort, or local resource for your business.
Grow with your peers in Elevate Hennepin cohorts
Brandon Bell, who oversees cohort programming in Elevate Hennepin, broke down what makes cohorts so powerful and how to find the right one for you and your business goals.
Related upcoming events
How ERAF can transform your business
Learn how this innovative program can position your business as a leader in inclusivity while meeting your workforce needs.
2026 capital access workshop
Dive into this capital access education workshop that will cover the wide array of funding options that are appropriate for each stage of a company, from pre-revenue to over $1 Million.
Manage your finances with confidence using scalable accounting systems
In this webinar, our expert presenter will guide you through the essential accounting systems every small business needs to operate with confidence.