Build the Business Before the Website | Y. Elaine Rasmussen of ConnectUP!

Are you building your business in the right order—or skipping the steps that create a strong foundation? At the 2026 Green Equity Summit, Molly Taylor, RN, sits down with Y. Elaine Rasmussen, founder and CEO of ConnectUP! Institute. ConnectUP! helps Minnesota entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses through accelerators, summits, technical assistance, financial education and one-on-one coaching. Elaine explains why many new founders move too quickly into websites, marketing and products without first identifying their customers, understanding the problem they solve or creating a focused business plan. Their conversation explores: • Identifying your ideal customer • Creating a one-page business plan • Building clear messaging before launching a website • Understanding revenue and return on investment • Access-to-capital and real-estate barriers • Developing financial confidence • Recognizing your strengths and skill gaps • Knowing when to delegate or find a co-founder • Preparing a business for investors • Why focused energy creates better results Elaine also shares an important reminder for entrepreneurs: you do not need to know everything. You need enough knowledge to protect your business, choose the right partners and recognize when something is wrong. Sometimes you have to go small to go big. Focus on one clear problem, create measurable progress and use what you learn to make the next stage faster and stronger. Learn more about ConnectUP! Institute: https://connectupmn.org Visit https://convoswithkush.com for more interviews, education and conversations with the people shaping the industry. Subscribe to Conversations with Kush on YouTube and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. This conversation is intended for educational purposes and does not provide legal, financial or investment advice. #ConversationsWithKush #ElaineRasmussen #ConnectUPInstitute #GreenEquitySummit #SmallBusiness