Trained as an economist and econometrician, according to The Wall Street Journal, she "takes the same statistically rigorous approach to entertainment and cultural industries that sabermetricians do to baseball" in her scholarly research.

[10] On his blog, Anderson responded to the study, praising Elberse and the academic rigor with which she explores the issue but drawing a distinction between their respective interpretations of where the "head" and "tail" begin.

Variety has cited her “series of fresh, entertainment-focused cases for future execs and management students.”[13] That series includes studies on entertainment conglomerates Disney and NBCUniversal, soccer clubs FC Barcelona and Manchester United, top athletes LeBron James, Roger Federer, and Dwyane Wade, A-list entertainers Beyoncé, Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson, Jay-Z, and Lady Gaga, content platforms Hulu and Disney+, sports leagues the NBA, NFL, and MLB, and the Metropolitan Opera.

Open to executives and entertainers alike, past participants include Chris Bosh, Ciara, Chip and Joanna Gaines, Gerard Pique, LL Cool J, Kaká, Karlie Kloss, PK Subban, Lindsey Vonn, and Dwyane Wade.

[6][3] Since 2017, Elberse chairs a free mentorship program that matches active and recently retired professional athletes who want to learn about business to second-year MBA students who have volunteered to serve as mentors.