No-cost expertise for 25 hours per advisor
Hennepin County contracts with more than 30 business advisors to provide group learning opportunities and professional consulting services. Advisors bring cultural understanding to their practice, as well as deep expertise across various business types and sizes. Advisors collaborate with you to determine a plan or strategy so that you can take the next step.
Elevate Hennepin advisors offer strategic guidance for your business to get to the next step. While they may support some implementation activities, business owners are responsible for ongoing maintenance and day-to-day operations. Businesses should be prepared to engage their own resources for complex projects that are anticipated to take more than 25 hours.
Contact an advisor below to help you identify and plan for your next critical step.
Not sure where to start? Schedule a one-on-one consultation with a Business Navigator.
Advisors resources
One-on-one general business advising and human resource support.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Construction; Disadvantaged businesses; Indigenous / Native American; Latinx; LGBTQIA+; Nonprofit sector; Social impact businesses; Veteran; Women; Immigrant
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Idea stage businesses; Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Hmong; Speaks Spanish
For over 25 years I have worked with entrepreneurs, career professionals and Fortune 100 companies to increase their profitability and maintain their sanity.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Disadvantaged businesses; Indigenous / Native American; Latinx; LGBTQIA+; Nonprofit sector; Social impact businesses; Women
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English
Better Business Bureau of MN & ND
Marketing, social media training, marketing skills development for startups through second-stage businesses.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Co-op businesses; Construction; Disadvantaged businesses; Immigrant; Indigenous / Native American; Latinx; LGBTQIA+; Nonprofit sector; Restaurant sector; Social impact businesses; Veteran; Women
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Spanish; Speaks Hmong
Kathy Pyle with Clear Talk Accounting is an accounting specialist that offers financial literacy, cost analysis, financial management, and bookkeeping training.
Learn more →
Specialties
Women; LGBTQIA+; Construction; Restaurant sector; Social impact businesses; African American or Black; Latinx; Asian and Pacific Islander; Co-op businesses; Disadvantaged businesses; Immigrant; Indigenous / Native American; Nonprofit sector; Veteran
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English
ConnectUP! Institute is a social finance and enterprise development center. We provide education, consulting and collaboration on innovative social finance.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Social impact businesses; Women; Construction; Nonprofit sector; Disadvantaged businesses; Indigenous / Native American; LGBTQIA+; Latinx; Immigrant; Veteran; Co-op businesses
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Hmong; Speaks another language
Armed with this experience and knowledge of legal solutions used by large entities, Davis Law Office set out to bring the same level of service to smaller organizations and individuals.
Learn more →
Specialties
LGBTQIA+; Social impact businesses; Women
Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English
Enviro-Tech Construction Services
Enviro-Tech Construction Services offers up to 25 hours of advisory services free of charge to eligible Hennepin County contractors.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Construction
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English
We collaborate with clients to manage risk and prepare their businesses for robust growth.
Learn more →
Specialties
Disadvantaged businesses; Latinx; LGBTQIA+; Women
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Spanish
We serve our clients by providing access to resources and capital to empower their businesses.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Women
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English
Impact Hub Minneapolis-Saint Paul is a locally rooted, globally connected, 501c3 nonprofit organization that inspires, connects and empowers people working to solve social problems in our city and beyond.
Learn more →
Specialties
Social impact businesses; Nonprofit sector; LGBTQIA+; Women
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Startup businesses (0 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English
JLLB Media is an Elevate Hennepin advisor offering up to 25 hours of marketing services at no cost.
Learn more →
Specialties
Disadvantaged businesses; Immigrant; Latinx
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Spanish
Khoo Consulting, LLC, helps organizations solve their business problems through 20 years of comprehensive marketing and communications experience.
Learn more →
Specialties
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Hmong; Speaks another language; Speaks Spanish
Latino Economic Development Center
The Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) was created in 2003 and is the only Latino-led and Latino-focused economic development organization as well as CDFI in Minnesota and the upper Midwest.
Learn more →
Specialties
Disadvantaged businesses; Immigrant; Latinx; Construction; Restaurant sector; Social impact businesses; Indigenous / Native American; LGBTQIA+; Women
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Spanish
Led by TRUTH invests in founders of color by co-creating a learning experience that provides an inclusive space for founders to be the catalyst that turns their dreams into reality.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Disadvantaged businesses
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees); Idea stage businesses
Speaks English
To increase access to the legal system LegalCORPS assists entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofits, especially those that strengthen low-income communities, by providing individuals and organizations with business law services they could not otherwise afford.
Learn more →
Specialties
Disadvantaged businesses; Construction; Co-op businesses; Nonprofit sector; Restaurant sector; Social impact businesses; African American or Black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Indigenous / Native American; Latinx; LGBTQIA+; Immigrant; Veteran; Women
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks another language; Speaks Spanish
NextStage is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support entrepreneurs at every stage.
Learn more →
Specialties
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Hmong; Speaks another language; Speaks Somali
MCCD Open to Business is an association of nonprofit community development organizations committed to expanding the wealth and resources of neighborhoods through housing and economic development initiatives.
Learn more →
Specialties
Disadvantaged businesses
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Hmong; Speaks Somali; Speaks Spanish
Sigma Consulting & Training is a consultancy and training provider specializing in advising and guiding BIPOC-owned small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Immigrant; Co-op businesses; Nonprofit sector; Social impact businesses; Disadvantaged businesses; Asian and Pacific Islander; LGBTQIA+; Women; Veteran; Latinx; Indigenous / Native American
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Somali
Springboard for the Arts' mission is to support artists with the tools to make a living and a life, and to build just and equitable communities full of meaning, joy, and connection.
Learn more →
Specialties
Disadvantaged businesses; African American or Black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Co-op businesses; Indigenous / Native American; LGBTQIA+; Latinx; Women; Immigrant; Veteran
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Hmong; Speaks another language; Speaks Somali; Speaks Spanish
Technologist Computers is a leading provider of high-quality computer hardware, software, ecommerce, websites and cybersecurity services. We are a social enterprise that delivers customized IT solutions.
Learn more →
Specialties
African American or Black; Disadvantaged businesses; Co-op businesses; Nonprofit sector; Women; Immigrant; Latinx; Social impact businesses
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English; Speaks Somali; Speaks another language
Victor Jones is a business coach and strategist who specializes in concept development, management, planning, operations, human resources, and finances.
Learn more →
Specialties
Restaurant sector; African American or Black; Disadvantaged businesses; Construction; Social impact businesses; Asian and Pacific Islander; Indigenous / Native American; Latinx; LGBTQIA+; Women; Veteran; Immigrant
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Idea stage businesses; Second stage businesses (10+ employees); Startup businesses (0 employees)
Speaks English
Tools to help women-owned businesses achieve economic success through planning and assessment, accounting best practices, and financial advising.
Learn more →
Specialties
Women; Construction; Nonprofit sector; Restaurant sector; Social impact businesses; African American or Black; Asian and Pacific Islander; Disadvantaged businesses; Indigenous / Native American; LGBTQIA+; Immigrant; Latinx; Veteran
Early growth businesses (1-9 employees); Second stage businesses (10+ employees)
Speaks English