Niwee Newsletter (October Issue)

Well Done

Insights & Ideas

Now that the foundation is built, let’s focus on building a resilient NIWEE.

Niwee Year One in Retrospect

What’s New at NIWEE

IdeaWatch

If you’re starting a business and at first, you’re not getting clients –What should you do?

• Message from the Chair of our Board

• New & Noteworthy

• Earn $$$ with Niwee

• Events

OPPORTUNITY

If Food Processing and Beverages is for you, check it out.

Cando brings the Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development online

The White Pine tallest tree...connecting to mother earth Aki meaning everything that’s sacred seedlings represent fertility renewal spirit of the earth. where eagle nest... carrying back prayers to the Creator

Kitigan Zibi artist: Clear Water Woman, Doreen Stevens

NIWEE TO CREATE A DYNAMIC SUPPORT NETWORK WHERE MORE INDIGENOUS WOMEN CAN BE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE.

Message from the Chair of our Board of Directors

Celebrating the success of NIWEE’s foundation year is a beautiful way to acknowledge the hard work, achievements, and progress made during this crucial period.

Our team members, volunteers and partners have done much hard work since the Idea Connector Network (ICN) observed the gap in 2016 (despite their talent and strength, many Indigenous women needed more support when launching or scaling their early-stage businesses). A successful proof of concept was followed by a national consultation of some 350 women from across Canada. Niwee’s research also included assembling an inventory of Canadian start-up support programs, scanning some 25 study reports, oneon-one consultations – a collection of anecdotal evidence the production of two national panels and a public survey. The research produced a Framework report published in 2018 by the ICN. Like all of the world, we were affected by COVID-19, but by 2021 and with a contribution from e-Campus, we launched the designing and development of the NIWEE program with the help of the University of Ottawa team, an Indigenous Advisory Circle and two Indigenous women

I would be remiss if I didn’t recognize the work done by Professor Sandra Schillo in guiding us through some of the early stages in the design of the learning modules and for her openness and willingness to work with our Indigenous Advisory Circle to build a program integrating both Indigenous and Western Worldviews.

As you will read in this issue of Niwee’s Insights & Ideas, 2023/2024 looks like a promising year in the scaling of Niwee. We’ve started the year on September 13 with a full complement of learning Indigenous women, originating from the Yukon/BC to Newfoundland, a much-expanded communication reach, a new Board of Directors, new collaborative allies and partners.

In Unity

Dawn Lavell Harvard Chair of the Niwee Board of Directors Director First Peoples House Of Learning, Trent University

YEAR ONE In RETROSPECT

September 14, 2022, was our first cohort's first day of learning. It’s already been a year since. This last year felt as if we were Zooming on an intergalactic flight. Despite our substantial research and consultations produced across much of Canada, the design of Our learning modules were produced with the help of experts with years of experience as teachers and entrepreneurs, when You hit the tarmac; you soon realize there is something new to Discover

We had to delay implementing some planned activities, such as events and speakers, because of the need to acquire resources and having a minimal staff and few volunteers to meet all the administrative and logistical demands of launching a new program

However, we have remained committed to fulfilling our communities' and prospective entrepreneurs’ vision and needs. That vision remains strong and dedicated. Today, as an Indigenous not-for-profit federally chartered corporation governed by a team of 70% Indigenous leaders, our vibrant learning community comprises 100% Indigenous women interested in entrepreneurship. In September 2023, we launched our second cohort with a full complement of twenty learners joining us from the Yukon and BC, across Canada, into Newfoundland, as you will read in this issue of our Insights and ideas. We have recruited new partners and allies; we will launch a series of events in the next few weeks

We consider ourselves very fortunate to have had the support of numerous people from the University of Ottawa, starting with the Delegate for Indigenous Engagement, Brenda MacDougall, and the TLSS team led by Jeanette Caron and Gisèle Richard and Jennifer Yaya Falanga and the others who provided us with encouragement and help with facilitation. But none were more committed than Sandra Schillo, who worked tirelessly on weeknights and weekends, leading the program’s content design.

Sandra demonstrated agility and a willingness to learn the Indigenous ways of doing and learning. She showed great respect for Indigenous cultures and traditions. She empathized with many of our learners’ challenges brought about by destructive colonial policies.

Once the curriculum developed, she took on facilitating the learning modules and providing hands-on support to each cohort member who needed it.

If there were more people like Sandra, there would be less bias and racism in Canada. Thank you, Sandra

Guy Dancause

Co-Creator of NIWEE guy.dancause@niwee.ca

Sandra Schillo

New & Noteworthy

Currently, 28% or about 8.75 million Canadian adults are taking on a job in the gig economy – up from 13% in 2022, H&R Block Canada finds in a study.

A majority, 74% of these workers, say it’s a side hustle in addition to their primary income. Among gig workers, almost twothirds took on a side hustle due to the rising cost of living and inflation this year. A further 15% of Canadians say they’re thinking about taking a side hustle in the future.

Source: Canadian HR Reporter

NOTE: A side hustle is a mean to create additional income without giving up the security of a full-time job. In short, it’s a small business.

Average total income of Indigenous and non-Indigenous population in Canada in 2012 and 2021

2012 2021

Indigenous $36,600 $44,300

Non-Indegenous $47,200 $53,300

Source: Statistics Canada

76.5% of Canadian women surveyed said they would be willing to use their influence at the cash register, to support brands that support Indigenous women interested in launching or growing their small business?

NIWEE found in a Canadian Women Consumers Survey Results, August 30, 2023.

Statistics Canada noted Indigenous businesses were on average proportionally more likely than non-Indigenous owned businesses to be held by women 23.2% versus 19.5% respectively.

Source: Library of Parliament, June 2023

Most important

Social Media Platforms for Business

Average hourly pay rate in Canada in 2022

Indigenous population $28.55

Non-Indigenous population $31.47

Average weekly pay rate in Canada in 2022

Indigenous population $1,059.81

Non-Indigenous population $1,155.71

Source: Statistics Canada

Women entrepreneurs are often underestimated, but they have a lot to offer. They are usually better at multitasking, networking, and taking risks. They are also more likely to start businesses focusing on helping others rather than making money for themselves. Source: Luisa Zhou, Entrepreneur

Whats new at Niwee

NIWEE’s goal is to support the creation by Indigenous women of 100 businesses in the next five years. But we know from our own experience that entrepreneurship is not a solo sport, it’s a team sport. A start-up may be launched because of a brilliant idea and a rock-star of a founder. But to succeed the rock-star will need to build a team, people with several skills set to collaborate. They don’t have to be employees, but you need people and allies that help you build, and others sell. Having the right mix in a collaborative team will often hold more importance than the success of the business concept. We believe that it’s with people such as those flagged in this page that we will help Indigenous women achieve their dream as entrepreneurs or business leaders. Thank you for your contribution.

Cohort # 2

On September 13, 2023, we launched Niwee’s second year of operation with a full complement of a cohort. Early-stage and prospective entrepreneurs from the far corners of the Yukon and BC and across Canada to Newfoundland have joined.

New Board of Directors

We have assembled an outstanding Board of Volunteer Board of Directors, led by our Chair, Dawn Lavell Harvard. To view the team, click here.

New Facilitator

Jessica K^nikahluyah Hill has been a successful entrepreneur for over 25 years in various industries including cultural, manufacturing, economic development, business, and public policy including all aspects of governance within a First Nation community. Her expert analysis and writing as a Consultant has empowered First Nation communities and Indigenous organizations to look at things differently and use their own traditional and academic knowledge to advance their communities. Her strengths include economic development, business practices, Third Party Neutral skills used to build consensus or BATC, facilitation and conflict resolution, Cultural Competency, Family Group Conferencing, Diversion and Policy and Program Development. She enjoys the challenge of developing innovative models to fit community-based needs. To learn more about Jessica, click Jesica

New Collaboration Allies

SSFPA has launched Venture-Capital ready: Investment Training for Women Entrepreneurs –NIWEE designated to support Indigenous Women interested.

The Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (cando)is a federally registered, non-profit society that is Indigenous controlled, community based, and membership driven. Cando is directed by a national regionally represented volunteer board of elected economic development officers representing every region of Canada.

Indigenou

Fead Development is dedicated to empowering and advancing women entrepreneurs in the dynamic food and beverage sector. NIWEE will support Indigenous women interested in starting and growing an Agri-food business.

Yukon U Innovation & Entrepreneurship supports Yukoners to test ideas and grow businesses. They provide access to funding, programming resources, expertise and incubation.

IDEAWatch

If, at first, you don't get clients, what should you do?

Starting a business or offering a service and not getting clients initially can be frustrating, but it's also an opportunity to reassess your strategy and adjust. You would be well served if you did a diagnostic.

Start by taking a critical look at your product or service. Ask yourself if it is meeting a real need or solving a problem for potential clients. You may think that yours is the best product or service ever. Many of us think that way.

But the best way to understand your customers' needs is by getting their feedback directly. There is no need for a 3D prototype on your first visit to potential customers; you only need to have a conversation. Understand your customers’ problems and see what solution would fit their needs. Learn of the problem and

How it’s affecting their efficiency and how it is costing them Examine closely your costs and the pricing of your product or service. Once you have found the answers, refine your value proposition.

Ensure that you have a clear understanding of who your ideal clients are. Create buyer personas to help you better target your marketing efforts. Then, tailor your messaging and approach to capture your audiences’ minds.

You can use survey tools like Monkey Survey to research your market and better understand your competition and the demand for your type of product or service. Identify gaps in the market that you can fill or find ways to differentiate yourself from competitors.

If you're not getting clients, it might also be because people need to learn about your business. Invest in marketing and promotion efforts. This could include building a website, running social media campaigns, creating content, attending networking events, or using paid advertising. Remember, before people buy your solution or service, you must first generate awareness about your company and its offering. You’ll need to engage within your industry and prospective clients. Only then you will be able to build relationships of trust.

Networking is essential for any business. Attend industry events, join relevant online communities, and engage with potential clients. Building relationships can lead to referrals and new opportunities. But so is persistence. Building a client base often takes time. Keep going if you see immediate results. Keep refining your approach, learning from your experiences, and staying persistent.

Be prepared to adapt and iterate on your strategies as you learn more about your target market and the dynamics of your industry. Feel free to seek help and advice from others who have faced similar challenges.

BE PART OF THE CHALLENGE

Contribute your expertise to help Indigenous Women launched, or scale up, 100 Businesses in the next 5 years.

You, too, can make a difference in their lives: all that is needed is for you to dedicate an hour or a few hours per month of your valuable time for as long as you wish

How do you qualify

• You’ve run, or are you running a successful business? Or

• You have expertise in food processing, manufacturing, and distribution. Or

• You’ve experienced driving products and services, generating brand awareness, bringing various types of products to market, and funding small businesses. You get the idea of what we need!

Join us, whether as a speaker, a subject coach or as a mentor.

What’s in it for you

• Have fun working with women committed to succeed.

• Personal satisfaction, more sun in your every life, something often hard to find in today’s world

$$$ Earn a Few Dollars with NIWEE

If you have an Entrepreneurship story you would like to share, please send it along with a clear photo of yourself and your name, address and phone number by e-mail to NIWEE.ca/info.

This story could be about your personal experience as a business owner. Or it could be a short interview of a woman entrepreneur that you appreciate. By submitting your story, you are granting NIWEE.ca permission to use it and your photo in NIWEE’s Newsletter, on our website and/or in future special issue publications. Submission may be edited for style. If your article is published, you will be paid an amount of One Hundred and Fifty dollars ($150.00). No articles submitted will be returned because of potential submission volume.

Following the recent announcement of funding by the Government of Canada, the Small-Scale Food Processor Association launched the Venture Capital Ready Investment Training National Program for Women Entrepreneurs. The program is aimed at food industry women entrepreneurs looking to launch or scale up their businesses to meet market demand.

We are grateful that NIWEE has been designated a training partner for Indigenous women.

To complete the Circle, NIWEE has also entered into a collaborative agreement with FEAD, the Female Entrepreneurs in Agri-Food Development, which is dedicated to empowering and advancing women entrepreneurs in the dynamic food and beverage sector.

Through these collaborative resources, Niwee will provide its allies training and support to Indigenous women interested in launching or scaling a food processing or beverage business. In short, NIWEE will offer Indigenous women interested a three-pronged program made up of:

1. NIWEE’s basic business training with one-on-one coaching and mentorship for up to three years.

2. We will then recommend selected prospective entrepreneurs for specialized training in the food and beverage industry, including skill development, opportunity identification, manufacturing support, and marketing initiatives.

3. And bring you back to Niwee for your training on accessing venture capital for funding your business needs. If interested, contact guy.dancause@niwee.ca

Do you have an Act of Kindness of your Own to Share? EARN more $$$

Please e-mail it, along with your name, address, phone number, and a clear photo of yourself to NIWEE.ca/info. By submitting your Act of Kindness, you are granting NIWEE.ca permission to use it and your photo in NIWEE’s Newsletter, on our website and/or in future special issue publications. Submission may be edited for style. If your article is published, you will be paid an amount of Fifty dollars ($50.00). No articles submitted will be returned because of potential submission volume.

Photo by Aesthetes ID on Unsplash

The next cohort will be recruited in 2024

In the interim, you may join Niwee as a member and register (It’s Free) if you tell us of your interest in our entrepreneurship training program your name will be added to our training and coaching mailing list. Please, fill the form and tell us what you want. Join as a member

Meanwhile, you will have FREE access to Niwee’s bi-monthly newsletter “Insights and Ideas” and events with speakers, panel discussions and webinars on business issues.

For more info contact: Info@niwee.ca

We can all make a difference if we put our minds to it and are willing to take action.

1. Invite your friends to join Niwee;

2. Enable Indigenous Women, prospective entrepreneurs to benefit from your experience or expertise;

3. Bring your talent to the table as a volunteer;

4. Donate; nothing is too small – each dollar helps;

5. Visit niwee.ca or send us an e-mail and tell us how you are willing to participate in the advancement of Indigenous women entrepreneurs. guy.dancause@niwee.ca

There is something powerful about group participation when people feel like they are contributing to the greater good or experience.

Greetings!

Cando is proud to announce that the Journal of Aboriginal Economic Development is now available on-line at jaed.ca and will now offer two issues per year.

Please see the attached call for papers for Volume14 Issue1 and Volume 14 Issue 2. If you’re interested in submitting a paper by October 30th, 2023 then please review some changes to the requirements.

We look forward to continue to showcase the Indigenous economy in Canada with your help. Look for updates to the webpage as we intend to migrate our past issues over the next year.

If you have any questions regarding submissions, please contact Svitlane at Cando skonoval@edo.ca

Best Ray Warnuch

Cando Executive Director

Wanda Wuttunee Editor-in-Chief, JAED

Plant life represent growth. We blossom with the season s ..we live like plants in the four seasons and we celebrate our four stages of life .Infancy adolescent adult, and elder.

Kitigan Zibi artist: Clear Water Woman, Doreen Stevens