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MARQUETTE -- The bad news in the economy has made its impact on Upper Michigan.  Still, some businesses are determined to make the U.P. their home.

Sue Kensington hit a plateau in her business at Hotplate in Marquette.  She wanted to work less, but make more money.  That's why she turned to Dar Shepherd, who helped her reduce her hours and increase her revenue.

"When you're a business owner, you're trying to do everything and you shouldn't be doing everything,” said Kensington.  “What I learned was that I should be doing things I'm good at and I should hire people to do the things that they're good at."

So Kensington hired an accountant to let her focus on what she does best...working with her customers.

It's helping businesses like the Hotplate that helped Dar Shepherd and Christi Pentecost decide to start their own business, called the E-Loft.

"Business owners are working alone and they need someone else sometimes to come in and help them look at the ideas they're thinking about, helping them give them feedback about the decisions they'll be making," said Shepherd.

The E-Loft, which will be located where Lovenotes and Fagan's are today in Marquette, is designed for entrepreneurs.  It will provide to its members coaching, consulting, an administrative assistant, or a place to conduct business meetings.

At Redfella Records, a company entering its third year in business, the E-Loft aims to push them to the next level of professionalism.

Even though the E-Loft won't officially open until February, they're already offering coaching, on this night, to Redfella Records.

"I think we're definitely seeing the image of the business get a lot better,” said Redfella’s Andrew Lorinser.  “She kind of enables us to communicate with each other better internally."

The E-Loft aims to help businesses just starting.  Rebecca Tervo has been working for herself as an accountant since March.  But now she plans to move into the E-Loft.

"I'd rather work at the E-Loft than at home because there will be a lot more exposure to entrepreneurs.  Entrepreneurs will be coming in the door, you know, everyday at the E-Loft," said Tervo.

You'd think that Pentecost and Shepherd might be afraid of starting an ambitious, new business in these uncertain times.  Not at all.

"We're going to see more and more small businesses start up in these tough economic times because there's no jobs,” said Pentecost.  “We think it's a perfect time for this."