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Tag: Elena Cousino

Elena Cousino on top of a mountain.

Letter To My Younger Self: Elena

July 9, 2025

Hi there little ‘Lena, how are you holding up? I know you have a short attention span, so I’ll try to keep this short and

We're Kind of a Big Deal

2025 Michigan Celebrates Small Business Woman-Owned Small Business Award Recipient

Michigan Celebrates Small Business 50 Companies to Watch Award Recipient

8THIRTYFOUR Integrated Communications

8THIRTYFOUR Integrated Communications

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Journalism has always relied on context. Now it’s competing with instant answers.

On our most recent Happy Hour Hustle episode, Maddie talks with Charlsie Dewey, Digital Director at @woodtv, about how AI summaries are reshaping visibility and traffic, and what it takes to keep local reporting accurate when the full story isn’t always what people see first.

Listen to the full episode. Link in bio.

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We appreciate @wzzm13 for featuring a Detroit-based social enterprise that’s recently expanded into Grand Rapids.

@rebelnell founder Amy Peterson shared how their model supports women transitioning out of shelter living through meaningful employment, why Grand Rapids was the right next step, and a few practical ways the community can get involved.

Check out the full interview at the link in bio.

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Showing up isn’t just a nice idea. It’s the whole point.

Thank you to the business owners who continuously show up for the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan - which is advocating for us on every level.

If we want things to change, we can’t stay on the sidelines.

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When a woman CEO needs growth capital, it can look like years of paperwork just to get in the door, while her male competitor gets a handshake first.

That gap has a name: the invisible tax.

It's one of the many reasons the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan's Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowhship was created.

Read the blog at the link in bio.

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Happy birthday, Ro!

Rowan makes our work sharper, our days easier, and our team better—plain and simple. We appreciate you more than you know. Hope today is all good things (and zero emails).

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Everyone wants the secret to marketing success. There isn’t one.

The brands winning right now are the ones doing the work: showing up, creating real content, solving real problems, and building real relationships.

That’s how we’ve operated for 19 years. It’s why we host hard conversations, like the Uncomfortable Community Conversation at @rebelnell, and why we support programs like @smallbusinessassocofmichigan's Women’s Entrepreneurial Fellowship.

There are no shortcuts. Just consistency, clarity, and impact.

Read @bode834's full blog at the link in bio.

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The holidays are a good time to be intentional.

Choosing small and local makes a bigger impact than we think.

@farmgirlflea_market is one way to do that, and it's happening today and tomorrow.

Thanks to @fox17online @woodtv and @wzzm13 for the spotlights.

Check out details at the link in bio.

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The recent NYT article lit a fire, and your reactions proved the conversation isn’t slowing down.

@bode834 breaks it all down - the feedback, the frustrations, and what’s really happening in today’s workplace - in our latest Happy Hour Hustle episode.

Listen to the full episode at the link in bio.

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Strong was never a men-only standard.

Women have always shown up, served, led, and outperformed. History simply chose not to notice.

Facts matter, and the record is clear: women have been meeting the mark all along. It is long past time to acknowledge it.

Read our blog at the link in bio.

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We’re still in awe of the group that showed up last week for our first Uncomfortable Community Conversation at @rebelnell. The room was honest and exactly what happens when we choose to get uncomfortable.

Women make up 51 percent of the population. There is strength in that. There is influence in that. When we have conversations like this, we educate each other. We highlight the institutions doing great work and we call out the ones we need to avoid.

Change happens when we talk about what is actually going on.

If you are ready to get uncomfortable again, we want to hear from you. Tell us what the next conversation should be at the link in bio.

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Personal branding, storytelling, and a whole lot of energy from the next generation.

Safe to say, Gen Z’s got this.

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Getting ready for tonight’s panel on access to capital for women-owned businesses.

Here’s why @rebelnell is the perfect place for a discussion about badass women.

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Women business owners deserve more, and we’re done waiting for the system to catch up.

@bode834's latest blog pulls back the curtain on the barriers, bias, and straight-up BS women still face when trying to access fair capital. If her story hits close to home, trust us… you’re not alone.

We’re tired of being talked down to, second-guessed, or forced to jump through hoops no one else seems to face. It’s past time to demand better.

Read the full blog at the link in bio.

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This month’s session for the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan's Women’s Entrepreneurial Fellowship reminded us why we show up: the connections.

We shared wins, talked honestly about what’s been stressing us out, and @karen.scarpino shared lessons from 35 years of running her business, @green_giftz.

Then, Mari Martin from Performance Strategies Group, Inc. walked us through how our natural instincts shape the way we communicate and connect with each other.

Can't wait to see where this year goes.

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We are days away from an important conversation about women-owned small businesses and the bias they face in accessing capital.

Join us on November 19 from 5-7 p.m. at @rebelnell's new Grand Rapids store for a Captial Conversation.

You'll hear from @bode834, @wanglerjennifer, and experts from @growbusinessgr, @independent.bank, and the Michigan Certified Development Corporation (MCDC).

Reserve your spot at the link in bio.

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This is why 8THIRTYFOUR is expanding what we do and how we make an impact. The @smallbusinessassocofmichigan's Women's Entrepreneurial Fellowship hasn't just changed the lives of those in the program, it's had a huge impact on us as a company and team.

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Supporting Veterans shouldn't just be something we think about on Veterans Day, which is why we love being able to promote organizations like @fisherhousemich that do an incredible job at it year-round.

Their comfort homes in Ann Arbor and Detroit allow military and Veteran families to stay close while their loved ones are receiving treatment, saving them thousands on food and a place to stay.

Maddie recently talked to their executive director, Kate Melcher (a veteran herself), about their mission and why one of the best ways to support them is by simply spreading the word.

Listen to their full convo at the link in bio.

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Endings aren’t failures. They’re opportunities.

We’re not changing direction, just refining the way we move forward to create more space for what matters most.

@bode834 says it best.

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Hunger shouldn't be a partisan issue.

When SNAP benefits were paused on November 1st due to the federal shutdown, it put 300,000 families at risk in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula.

In response, @feedingwestmich launched its 'Bridge the SNAP Gap' campaign - an emergency food drive across 40 counties to make sure nobody goes without a meal.

Tomorrow, the food bank will collect donations from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at their warehouses in Kentwood, Benton Harbor, and Cadillac.

Learn how you can help at the link in bio.

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It takes a lot to be compliant as a small business.

Don't take our word for it, just take a look at these posters from the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan.

Thank you for the lovely walkthrough, Ro.

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