Message from the Board of Directors

Denise Anne Boissoneau, Director, Grandmother Moon Fellows representative

Aanii Boozhoo, Kwey, Bonjour, Hello

I am an Anishinaabe citizen who honours her Ancestors on Manitoulin Island, connecting to Ketegaunseebee Garden River First Nation in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Mother of three adult children, Nokomis grandmother to four grandchildren.

If you're an Indigenous woman interested in launching a new business or scaling an early-stage startup, consider the National Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs' Ecosystem (NIWEE). As someone who has taken a leap of faith and joined NIWEE without any prior business ownership experience, I can attest to the program's effectiveness. Thanks to NIWEE, I launched my own business, "Boissoneau Indigenous Justice Advisory," which provides advisory services to law firms, justice stakeholders, and other professionals. I was also recently appointed to NIWEE's Board of Directors as the learners' representative.

NIWEE's program platform is built on a mix of Indigenous and Western worldviews, learning methods, coaching, and mentoring. Additionally, it offers Grandmother Moon Fellowships to accepted applicants, meaning the program is delivered for free to recipients (with a small reimbursable application fee - see page 12). As a NIWEE Fellow, you'll receive three hours per week of experiential training, allowing you to work independently on your business while learning. The first two modules are 13 weeks each, and for 36 months, you'll receive: information on opportunities, mentoring, coaching, and free access to resources and events. Plan your coursework around your schedule. By the end of the first two modules, you should have framed your business to meet the proven needs of your customers.

Joining NIWEE as the owner of an early-stage start-up will likely put you in a better position to improve your earnings and the economic well-being of your family, community, and nation. After two modules, you should be able to launch your marketing and sales activities and start earning or increasing your earnings. However, I'm not suggesting that joining NIWEE will automatically land you on "easy street." Instead, much hard, dedicated work will be required from you to achieve business success. But with access to knowledge and experienced business coaches for three years, NIWEE provides a valuable platform to discuss common challenges and barriers in marketing, sales, communication, funding, and more; issues business owners frequently face on their entrepreneurial path. Sometimes, it's about an experienced coach reminding us about the importance of balancing our business and family life, which is another way of helping new business owners manage stress by practicing better time management. This often results in a happier family life with more time to think about smarter ways to deal with your business issues and serve your customers.

If you want to join NIWEE, please register for one of our virtual information sessions. You'll see what NIWEE can offer you, and someone will be available to answer your questions. Please see page 9 and don't wait; any applications received after July 30 will be posted on a waiting list, but we'll review each application as soon as we receive it.

Thank you very much, Chi Miigwech

Denise Anne