Main Street Rising Pitch Competition Winner
Our founder, Ashley, almost didn’t apply for the Main Street Rising Pitch Competition.
There were limited seats at the tour’s Los Angeles stop, and there was an application process just to be selected to attend.
But she knew that was a room she wanted (and needed) to be in, so Ashley took her time filling out the application, highlighting her strengths, and sharing more about the work she and our team do at Elevate.
Not only did she get accepted to attend, but she was also chosen to pitch alongside a small group of standout small business owners. And then, she won the Main Street Rising Pitch Competition!
This post takes a look behind the scenes at what Main Street Rising is all about and the important lessons learned from the experience.
What is Main Street Rising?
The Main Street Rising Tour is all about equipping small business leaders across the US with the AI-enabled business tools, insider tips, and insights they need to increase their impact and continue leading real economic growth.
In order to be invited to attend, a business must be:
Based in the United States
For profit, with annual revenue of at least $250k
Fully operational with at least 2 employees
Using tech to scale
Main Street Rising is built around the belief that when small business owners win, we all win.
The Tour is designed to equip small business owners with the same tools, technology, and support that large businesses rely on to succeed and scale because small shouldn’t mean limited, and local shouldn’t mean left behind.
Pitching at Main Street Rising
Ashley is an experienced, capable leader. But she lives in the world of operations and strategy, enjoying the behind-the-scenes vibe.
At Elevate, Ashley and our team help founders get organized, delegate, and build plans that actually get executed.
So pitching on a big stage isn’t exactly in Ashley’s comfort zone.
Like all great leaders, she knew that being willing to learn a new skill and put herself out there was the only way to grow.
A lot of research and preparation went into Ashley’s pitch. When it was her turn to share about Elevate and the impact we’re making, here’s what she said:
“We're on a mission to help entrepreneurs stop feeling buried in the day-to-day through better systems, smarter delegation, and strong financial organization. As a third-generation entrepreneur, supporting founders is personal. Since 2021, we've created flexible professional careers for more than 20 women while supporting 100+ small businesses nationwide. When our clients grow, they hire, expand, and reinvest in their communities."
She closed with a powerful statement: “When we elevate operations, small businesses grow stronger... and strong businesses are how communities rise."
This is the why behind everything we do and the reason Ashley started Elevate back in 2021.
And it deeply resonated with the entire Main Street Rising Pitch Competition judging panel as they named Ashley the winner!
The power of clarity
Ashley won the Pitch Competition because she took the time to get crystal clear on what Elevate is and why it matters before crafting her pitch.
She built this company with a defined mission and consistent core values that drive every decision, every new hire, and every project.
Our clients experience the same level of clarity when they partner with us.
When you finally have the right support and systems working for you, it’s possible to clearly see your goals and the path to accomplishing them.
At the end of the day, that’s what we do best. Give our clients the clarity they need to see what really matters and the systems to support the way forward.
If that’s what you’re looking for, we’d love to connect and see how we can help your small business build the foundation for long-term success.
