Elevate Business Solutions was honored to be named one of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Top 100 Small Businesses in America in 2025.
We received the CO-100 recognition in the category of Culture Champions, a designation that is especially meaningful because of the time, care, and intention we put into building a culture where women can build a sustainable, important career.
Today, we’re sharing some behind-the-scenes from our trip to Washington, D.C., to celebrate with other honorees and pulling back the curtain on how we earned this monumental honor.
What is the CO-100 list?
Each year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce recognizes the top 100 small businesses in America.
According to the U.S. Chamber website:
“This exclusive list recognizes 100 of the best and brightest small and mid-sized businesses across America, celebrated for their remarkable contributions in driving innovation, growth, and ingenuity both locally and globally. These businesses shine through their inspiring ideas and the ways they overcome challenges, enrich community impact, foster vibrant company cultures, and engage customers.”
Elevate was specifically honored as a Culture Champion, a category reserved for small businesses that intentionally create a culture where people thrive, and success is achieved because of a shared commitment to goals and purpose.
We are so proud to be recognized and honored as one of the best and brightest small businesses in the U.S. in 2025.
Celebrating our small business success
Our team sets big goals, maps out the specific action steps we need to take, and celebrates when we reach our goals.
When we were invited to Washington, D.C., to celebrate with the other CO-100 list honorees, it was an immediate yes!
Our CEO and founder, Ashley Carlson, attended the Small Business Forum alongside Amanda Godwin, one of Elevate’s first team members, who has been an integral part of our success every step of the way.
We toured our nation’s Capitol, met some incredible business owners, and heard powerful stories from founders who’ve built businesses rooted in purpose, resilience, and service.
This experience reinforced the why behind everything we do at Elevate.
Ashley started this business to:
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Help entrepreneurs achieve their vision without burnout.
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Create a place where women could find meaningful, flexible careers.
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Build a culture that wasn’t just a buzzword, but the foundation of everything we do.
Being named to the CO-100 affirms and celebrates our commitment to our vision.
How to achieve small business success
Here at Elevate, we support small business owners with executive assistant services, full-service bookkeeping, and strategic consulting designed to simplify operations and free up time.
We have a highly successful internal team, and we help our clients strengthen their operations and improve their own systems and processes, so we know what makes a small business successful and what keeps small businesses from scaling.
If you want to grow your own small business, here are the three things we have done ourselves and continue to help our clients do:
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Focus on culture.
Success is always a team effort. When you intentionally create an environment where people feel seen, appreciated, and supported, you will get better results. Culture isn’t an afterthought. It should be the foundation of every choice you make and every action you take within your business.
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Delegate like a pro.
Too many small business leaders think delegating is just giving other people their work to do. In reality, delegation is a complex skill that directly impacts the level of your success and growth.
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Take time to reflect.
If you’re always looking forward, you’re missing out on serious opportunities for improvement and growth. We have built reflection and feedback into our internal and client-facing systems because they are powerful drivers of success.
Building a successful small business doesn’t happen overnight. Long-term success comes from showing up consistently and putting in the work when no one is watching.
Years of working hard to build a positive culture, learning to delegate, and always making time to reflect on your wins and opportunities for growth can all add up to being named one of the best 100 small businesses in the U.S.!
Want help achieving your own small business success?
Elevate is here to support you every step of the way!
Click to learn more about how we can specifically help you in one of these key areas:
