Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cheyenne Atkins. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cheyenne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

Elevated Access Co. lived in the back of my mind long before it ever became a business. It existed in ideas, conversations, and random sticky notes scattered around my computer desk. I knew I wanted to create something of my own, but for a long time, I didn’t know how to move from having an idea to actually building a company.

In December 2025, things started to shift. I took a workshop about taxes for interpreters, and it opened my eyes to the business side of the profession. I had spent years developing my skills as an interpreter, but no one had really taught me how to be a business owner. How do you legally establish a business? How do you create a brand? How do you market yourself? How do you price your services? Those were the questions that had always made starting feel overwhelming.

So, I started learning.

At the same time, I was beginning to think bigger about what I wanted the business to become. Through my work as an interpreter, I had spent a lot of time working at community events, conferences, festivals, and large-scale events. Being in those spaces gave me a front-row seat to how accessibility was being handled.

I started realizing that I didn’t just want to show up on the day of an event and interpret. I became increasingly interested in accessibility consulting and helping organizations think about access much earlier in the planning process. I wanted to help answer questions like: Where will Deaf and disabled attendees sit? Is the stage accessible? Where will interpreters be positioned? Is the lighting appropriate? Are captions available? Has accessibility been considered in the run of show? Does the organization even know what questions it should be asking?

That realization helped shape the vision for Elevated Access Co. I didn’t want to build just another interpreting company. I wanted to build an accessibility company that could partner with organizations from concept to execution and help make community events, conferences, festivals, and large-scale experiences more accessible by design.

But the real turning point came during Essence Festival in 2026.

I had an extremely viral moment while interpreting Cardi B, and suddenly, there were a lot more eyes on me and my work. That moment gave me the momentum I needed to stop treating the business like something I would do “one day.” I realized that one day was now.

Shortly after Essence Festival, I was given the opportunity to appear on FOX 5’s Good Day New York on July 28. At the same time, my publicist was talking to me about everything I needed to establish myself professionally—a website, a social media presence, clear branding, messaging, and a way for people to actually find and book my services.

There were so many things I suddenly had to figure out. What did I want Elevated Access Co. to look and feel like? Were my branding and materials actually accessible? What services did I want to offer? How should I structure my pricing? I had to find a bookkeeper, learn about contracts, work with a web developer, build a website, establish a social media presence, develop marketing materials, and start creating systems that would allow the company to grow beyond me as an individual interpreter. And while I was figuring all of that out, I was still working.

That was probably one of the biggest lessons of launching Elevated Access Co.: I didn’t wait until everything was perfect. I couldn’t. Opportunities were happening in real time, so I had to learn, build, ask questions, make decisions, and keep moving.

What started as sticky notes around my desk became a company with a much bigger purpose: helping organizations create accessible experiences from the beginning, with a particular commitment to increasing accessibility in Black spaces.

There are still things I’m learning every day. But I’ve realized that becoming a business owner wasn’t one giant leap. It was a series of decisions—taking the workshop, doing the research, asking for help, hiring professionals when I needed them, building the website, sending the email, taking the meeting, and deciding over and over again to take the next step.

Elevated Access Co. didn’t start because I suddenly had everything figured out. It started because I finally decided that not knowing everything wasn’t a reason to keep the idea sitting on a sticky note.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Cheyenne Atkins, and I am the founder and CEO of Elevated Access Co., an accessibility company focused on helping organizations create more accessible and inclusive events, conferences, festivals, and experiences.

My journey into this work started with American Sign Language interpreting. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Interpretation from Gallaudet University and became a nationally certified interpreter in 2022. Over the years, interpreting has taken me into so many different spaces—from government and community settings to conferences, festivals, concerts, panels, and large-scale live events.

I’ve had the opportunity to work at events such as Essence Festival, Roots Picnic, the National Black MBA Association Conference, the Council for Exceptional Children Conference, and many others. I’ve also interpreted for artists including Erykah Badu and Cardi B and worked in environments ranging from major entertainment events to programs connected to the U.S. Department of State.

The more I worked in these spaces, the more I started paying attention to what happened beyond the interpreting itself.

I would walk into an event and immediately notice things that could have been considered much earlier. Where are the interpreters supposed to stand? Can Deaf attendees actually see them? Is the lighting sufficient? Has accessible seating been considered? Are captions available? Does the production team know how to incorporate accessibility into the run of show? Who is coordinating all of these moving pieces?

Those experiences changed the way I thought about my work. I realized I didn’t only want to provide accessibility after someone recognized a need—I wanted to help organizations build accessibility into the experience from the beginning.

That is what ultimately shaped Elevated Access Co.

Today, we provide ASL interpreting, accessibility consulting and planning, interpreter coordination and team management, and accessibility support for community events, conferences, festivals, corporate gatherings, and other large-scale experiences. The goal is to become a true accessibility partner for our clients from concept to execution so they don’t have to wait until the last minute to figure out how to make their event accessible.

One thing that is especially important to me is increasing accessibility within Black spaces. As a Black interpreter working in festivals, conferences, cultural events, and other predominantly Black spaces, I saw firsthand how important cultural competency and representation are to creating meaningful access. Elevated Access Co. is intentional about building teams of highly skilled Black interpreters who understand both the language and the cultural environments we are entering.

I think what sets us apart is that we understand accessibility from multiple perspectives. I’ve been the interpreter standing beside the stage trying to make access work in real time. I’ve been the coordinator managing interpreter teams. I’ve worked alongside event organizers and production teams. And now, as a consultant and business owner, I can step back and look at the entire experience and ask, “How can we design this better from the beginning?”

I’m incredibly proud of how quickly Elevated Access Co. has grown from an idea into something tangible. I’m proud of the major events I’ve had the opportunity to work on, and I’m proud that my work has reached audiences beyond the interpreting profession. Being featured on FOX 5’s Good Day New York to discuss the importance of accessibility, particularly within Black spaces, was a special moment because it allowed me to bring a conversation I’ve been having within my profession to a much larger audience.

But what I’m most proud of is the purpose behind the company.

I want potential clients to understand that accessibility isn’t simply checking a box or hiring an interpreter a few days before an event. It is something that should be considered in the planning, budgeting, production, communication, and overall attendee experience.

My vision for Elevated Access Co. is to help shift accessibility from an afterthought to an expectation.

We aren’t here just to provide a service. We want to build relationships with organizations, become part of their planning process, identify barriers before they become obstacles, and help create experiences where people can fully participate.

That’s what “Taking Access to New Heights” means to me. We’re not just asking how we can accommodate someone once they arrive. We’re asking how we can design the experience so they were considered from the very beginning.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think what has helped me build my reputation within my market is that my connection to the community is genuine. I don’t just provide a service to the community I show up, I listen, and I do the work. I am invested in seeing the communities I serve thrive, and I want that commitment to be reflected in how I build Elevated Access Co.

A lot of my approach comes from listening. When people tell me what they need, I pay attention. I’ve also listened to the frustrations people have shared about accessibility what hasn’t worked, where they’ve felt overlooked, and the ways access can sometimes feel like an afterthought. As I build my business, I don’t want to recreate those same problems. I want to be part of the solution.

That also means intentionally integrating community voices into the way I do business. I believe the people who are directly impacted by accessibility decisions should have a voice in how those decisions are made. I don’t want to assume I know everything simply because I’m an accessibility professional. There is always more to learn.

Ultimately, I think reputation is built through trust and consistency. People have seen me show up before Elevated Access Co. existed. They’ve seen my work, my commitment, and my willingness to listen. Now I’m taking those same values and building them into the foundation of my company. I want people to know that when Elevated Access Co. enters a space, we aren’t there just to check an accessibility box we’re there because we genuinely care about creating an experience where the community feels considered, respected, and included.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has really been a combination of relationships, reputation, and visibility.

A lot of my early growth has come from people I’ve worked with in the past. Client reviews, referrals, and word of mouth have been incredibly valuable because people aren’t just hearing me say that I can do the work they’re hearing it from people who have actually experienced working with me. That trust carries a lot of weight.

I’ve also been very intentional about networking and putting myself and Elevated Access Co. out there. And surprisingly, that has been one of the scarier parts of becoming a business owner. People might not expect me to say that because I’ve interpreted on some pretty big stages, but that’s a different kind of scary. When I’m interpreting, I’m there to do a job and facilitate communication. Promoting my own company means showing up as myself, talking about what I’ve built, asking people to believe in my vision, and sometimes hearing no. That requires a completely different kind of confidence.

I’ve learned that I can’t build the business I envision if no one knows it exists, so I keep putting myself in rooms, introducing myself, reaching out to organizations, and building relationships.

Media opportunities have helped tremendously as well. Appearing on the news, participating in podcasts and panels, and having conversations about accessibility have increased my visibility and allowed potential clients to discover both me and the company.

Having a professional online presence has been another important piece. My website and social media give people somewhere to go after they meet me, hear me speak, or receive my name through a referral. They can see what Elevated Access Co. does, understand our values, and get a sense of the work before ever contacting me.

I’m learning that growing my clientele isn’t necessarily about constantly “selling.” It’s about doing good work, building genuine relationships, being visible, and making it easy for people to understand what you offer. The more I show up and allow people to see the vision behind Elevated Access Co., the more opportunities seem to follow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.elevatedaccessco.com
• Instagram: elevatedaccessco
• Facebook: Elevated Access Co.
• Linkedin: Elevated Access Co.

Image Credits

The one in the Blue Hat: @denzelrphotography (Instagram)
The one with the blue background and denim dress: @niy.vmi (Instagram)