The Art of Business

Linda Ruhland '81 was always involved in the arts, so it was no surprise when she graduated from the College of Saint Benedict with a double major in fine arts and theatre. Little did she know, however, that her liberal arts education would spark a successful entrepreneurial endeavor in the world of business.

Before arriving on campus for her first year, Linda attended a summer theatre camp at CSB with other incoming students. While there, she made friends that lasted from her first-year theatre class-one of her favorite classes at CSB-all the way through graduation. "Some of my fondest memories were living in a suite on campus with five other Bennies who became lifelong friends," says Linda.Following graduation, Linda spent years working in the art world but she soon came to realize that business is its own form of art. She decided to attain a master's in information management and marketing and held various positions in the business world. After finishing grad school, Linda's education sparked an idea that combined her ability to use her creative processing skills in the visual and graphic arts to support her business.As the founder of SpiritofBusiness.com, Linda developed a platform to provide busy business owners and businesses access to an online library of resources for online training. The library contains videos of business experts discussing a variety of topics and members can join groups to access advice and share ideas.Now a successful entrepreneur, Linda attributes her success to her liberal arts education and the Benedictine values. "We are taught in a multidimensional and open way that encourages us to ask questions and challenges us with another point of view," says Rebecca. "The Benedictine values are core in my family and business life - they are a rock to build a valuable, sustainable and ethical company on."