Amid pandemic, business consultant starts new business that taps into desire for virtual connection

Ellie Finehout's concept? Help organizations host at-home cocktail crafting experiences.

By Grier Ferguson
| 6:00 a.m. January 15, 2021
| 0 Free Articles Remaining!

Courtesy. During the pandemic, business growth consulting firm CEO Ellie Finehout started Dun at Hom, a St. Petersburg-based firm that helps companies and nonprofits host at-home experiences centered around crafting cocktails.

Entrepreneurs

The pandemic changed things for Ellie Finehout, like it did for many business owners.

As the pandemic gained traction in Florida, St. Petersburg-based Finehout found herself dealing with a decrease in demand at her business consulting practice Ascendalyst, where she's CEO and managing partner. She started the firm after about 20 years working for a professional employer organization. “I was starting to get some success and traction and then COVID happened,” she says. “Business consulting a lot of times is considered a luxury. In March, I found myself with a lot of time on my hands. I’m not one who likes to stay idle for long.”