She built the room she wished existed.
About Ashley
Ashley Bender knows what it feels like to build something from nothing.
In 2012, she was a single mom trying to figure out how to be present for her son without sacrificing everything else. She spent $20 on cleaning supplies and got to work.
What started as a way to make ends meet became AMK Cleaning Services, now one of Eau Claire's most trusted cleaning companies, with a team she calls family.
But even as AMK grew, Ashley kept running into the same wall. She wanted to connect with other people who were building things. without arbitrary requirements or rigid rules about what you have to sell or how long you've been in business.
So she built it herself.
The Kelektiv exists because Ashley believed Eau Claire deserved a networking community with no gatekeeping. No revenue requirements. No industry restrictions. Just people who want to grow, who are willing to do the dirty work, and who show up for each other.
If you've been looking for that room, you just found it.
What we stand for
Growth over gatekeeping.
You don't need to hit a revenue number or hold a certain title to belong here. You just need to be building something and willing to show up for it.
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Real community means bringing all of it. The wins, the hard weeks, and the stuff you haven't told anyone else yet. We don't do highlight reels here. Our meetings are a safe space.
Eau Claire deserves this.
This city is full of people doing incredible things quietly. The Kelektiv exists to amplify that and make sure nobody has to do it alone.
