About Us

As the owner of Blue Heeler Arts, the common thread running through Erin’s career history is her passion for the launch of new business ventures. By her early 20s, she’d developed a reputation in her city for being able to launch successful small businesses, including two restaurants, a cafe, clothing stores, and even a small video store chain. This served as a phenomenal training ground for all aspects of growing a company, from sales and marketing to the fundamentals of business operations, finance, and staff management.

Erin transitioned from small business development to healthcare after grad school, starting a practice as a clinical psychologist, specializing in adolescents and their families. She’s found this latter experience very, very helpful during her business career. To make a very long story short, she moved into healthcare management and IT consulting after a brief period of clinical work, and has since spent nearly 20 years in a leadership capacity within healthcare management consulting firms, hospitals, and even was one of Epic’s early employees in the 1990s. During this time, she has continued to “indulge” in her passion for new ventures, having been a ground floor-level leader for more than a half dozen technology firms.

Her graphic design & marketing experiences also stretches back nearly two decades. She has provided both marketing & design services to the majority of the new ventures in which she’s been involved, as well as providing pro bono services to a wide range of non-profit organizations. She still mourns the demise of Aldus Freehand.

Fun Facts

• Current Home Town: Twin Cities Area, Minnesota (no, she’s not crazy for recently moving here from the San Francisco area)
• Favorite Past Job: Pastry chef
• Hidden Talent: Has a certificate in clowning, having gone to clown college in her teens
• Family Life: Niko, with occasional visits from nephews Lucio & Dominic to aid in constructing anything requiring tiny fingers (most often, Ikea flatpack items)
• Motto: “Life’s too short to sweat the small stuff.”

As Blue Heeler Art’s namesake and Chief Operating Officer (Herding Officer?), Niko takes his job very seriously. He begins each day ensuring that Erin finds her way to BHA headquarters, using his herding skills to get her into the car and on their way. Once in the office, Niko is assigned the toughest problems faced by the firm each day, such as this one. He also serves as the company’s greeter/spokesdog, alarm system (protecting the world from squirrels, geese, ), and design critic.

Fun Facts

• Favorite Toy: The big purple dude
• Favorite Activity: Anything that involves his momma, Erin
• Nicknames: Neeker Dude, Neeksters, Bubba
• Least Favorite Activity: Being forced to put up with his canine sister and brother, Izzie & Hurley