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 Elevate Hennepin is Hennepin County's initiative to help businesses start and grow.
 For Jill Lipski Cain, Elevate Hennepin advisor and founder of Arch Empathy, helping small business owners with marketing isn’t just about social media strategies or brand colors, it’s about finding the spark that customers are looking for.
“Consumers need something to connect to,” she explains. “My process is drawing out the story. It’s there, we just have to find it.”
 Entreprenures working together in the 2026 CEO Start Bootcamp.
Now is your chance to apply for the next CEO Start Bootcamp scheduled for May 30 and 31 in Bloomington.
CEO Start Bootcamp is a two-day, hackathon-style learning opportunity to challenge assumptions, stretch entrepreneurial thinking, and provide concrete tools to bring a new business to life.
"The facilitators were so attentive and helpful in so many aspects in helping me grow my business and my knowledge. I can’t wait to see them in action." - 2025 participant
Through this program, entrepreneurs will:
- Explore their business model
- Craft their message
- Lay out a financial model for success
- Set goals to launch
Thanks to an investment from Hennepin County, this opportunity is available at no cost. Participants will leave the cohort with materials, resources, and a process to examine their next great idea.
 Join Get Started on May 20 at noon. This no-cost, 90-minute virtual interactive session is designed for anyone with a business idea looking for a jumpstart.
Participants will learn from expert facilitator, Angel Antje, and Elevate Hennepin Business Navigators on how to use the Business Model Canvas, an efficient method for building the initial draft of a business plan.
Participants will leave the program with materials, resources, and a process to assess their business idea.
Online event, May 20, 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lead generation that works - build a predictable pipeline
Lead generation shouldn’t feel like gambling. In this session from Elevate Hennepin education partner SCORE, break down the lead-gen strategies that consistently work for small businesses.
Online event, May 13, 12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Cost: $15
Register today
WomenVenture overview
Join a free, 60-minute webinar from Elevate Hennepin advisor WomenVenture to come together and learn about WomenVenture’s program offerings.
Online event, May 18, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Register today
TikTok advertising and marketing
Learn the ins and outs of using TikTok to market your business to specific audiences. This course, hosted by the Hennepin County Library, will introduce you to TikTok and why it's popular while showing you how to reach your target audience by creating engaging videos, captions, and hashtags.
Online event, May 19, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Register today
Minnetonka Thriving Thursdays: Elevate Hennepin office hours
This Thriving Thursday event is an in-person, office hours-style pop-up for Minnetonka-based businesses provided by Elevate Hennepin. Connect with Elevate Hennepin consultant Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD), and Elevate Hennepin Business Navigators to take your next step forward.
In-person event, May 28, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
The Marsh
15000 Minnetonka Boulevard, Minnetonka, Minnesota, 55345
Register today
By investing in business owners, Hennepin County is building a foundation to create a more inclusive and thriving economy that strengthens communities.
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