The Way Forward
The rising tide of Aboriginal business and entrepreneurship in B.C.
Apowerful shift is happening in the Aboriginal business community in British Columbia. In our province, the historical narrative of how Aboriginal communities work with non-aboriginal businesses is changing. Individuals within First Nations are moving in the direction of entrepreneurship, creating growth and business success that directly influences their communities.
Many Nations are discovering new ways to create their own economic development, collect taxes, and become self-governing.
“There isn't a location in the province that is not within the traditional territory of one of the 203 Nations in B.C. So, as those Nations evolve and grow businesses that meet their values and traditions, and respect the history and the land of First Nations communities, those are the businesses that are going to survive,” says
Colin Doylend, the Director of Indigenous Relations at Britco Construction.
As entrepreneurship becomes a force for the new generation of Indigenous people, non-aboriginal businesses are stepping up to support Aboriginal communities with business development, education options and partnership opportunities to stimulate economic growth in the province.
Educating a New Generation of Aboriginal Entrepreneurs
By empowering Aboriginal people with new opportunities, the overall business success in Aboriginal communities rises. Mark Selman, Program Director for the EMBA in Aboriginal Business and Leadership at Simon Fraser University, places an emphasis on encouraging young Aboriginal people to get the background they need in finance and general business. That way, they are able to build sustainable businesses and stay in their own communities. Education allows Nations to be entrepreneurial in smaller communities, increasing the services available in remote areas.
“Entrepreneurship functions to round out community life and provide services Aboriginal communities like and need, keeping money in the economy, as they can spend it in their own community.” In this way, Aboriginal entrepreneurs are able to build sustainable businesses and stay in their own communities.
Bringing Key Decision Makers Together
With many First Nations located in rural areas, it's vital to have a space where business and entrepreneurial leaders can meet face-to-face and form relationships. Aboriginal Business Match facilitates discussions between communities looking to create economic development and businesses trying to tap into a new market of Aboriginal business.
At Aboriginal Business Match, one in five attendees signs deals on the event floor. These relationships and connections work to drive business development in Aboriginal communities and support the B.C. economy.
Doylend has been a part of Aboriginal Business Match from the beginning and points to his business partnership with the Gwa'sala-'nakwaxda'xw First Nation. “We want to integrate ourselves with Aboriginal communities and assist in any way we can. They were talking about building an Aboriginal business around the sale of wood siding, which communities appreciate. I said, `If you create that partnership, Britco will buy from you.'
“Every little bit counts. Even if it's not a huge transaction, it all makes a difference and supports small businesses, which is the largest makeup of businesses in B.C.,” says Doylend.
Doylend's partner in the deal was Conrad Browne, CEO of k'awat'si Economic Development Corporation, the business development arm of the Gwa'sala'Nakwaxda'xw Nation.
Even though it was announced this year, it wasn't business that was done overnight. Browne first attended Match years ago, where he met Doylend, and the two chatted about possible initiatives. These 20-minute meetings— Browne refers to them as “speed dating for businesses”—became an annual tradition. The two would meet, spend some time brainstorming and then part ways with new seeds planted in their minds.
Finally, an idea clicked and the two agreed to use red cedar from Browne's territory as siding on Britco buildings. It's a deal that was technically years in the making.
“It happened over a coffee and a croissant and we were able to announce it at ABM 2017. People look at that and think, `Well, you just sat down and did it,' but what they're missing is all the backstory, the previous years of always being willing to sit down and talk about potentials until something comes up,” Browne says.
It's relationships like this—built over years of conversation—that have been crucial, says Browne, and it's paid dividends. In 2015, Browne says the community had nothing in terms of business, just an idle forest licence and a small boat that moved periodically.
“In two and a half years of operations, through all the different relationships we've garnered through ABM and others, we now have all these different business lines in place. Last summer we were 130 employees. Seventy per cent were First Nations, and of that over 50 per cent were from our own community,” he says.
Evolving the Economy Through Aboriginal Entrepreneurship
Aboriginal communities are looking ahead to self-determination through entrepreneurship, and this is shown through partnership opportunities with non-aboriginal businesses in new and exciting industries. As this trend continues, Aboriginal business and entrepreneurship will have a clear impact on the B.C. economy.
“We've been an economic driver in the neighbourhood of about $25 million in two years into the whole north [of Vancouver Island] economy through all our initiatives,” he states. “We're very proud to say there have been zero government dollars involved in our businesses, just businesses doing business,” he adds.
And it's a trend that doesn't seem likely to stop.
“I think it will surprise most people when Aboriginal business becomes more Aboriginal in nature. Over the next 10 years we'll see many Aboriginal entrepreneurs operating with distinct values and identity related to their traditional understandings of how to live in the world,” says Selman.
It's a way of thinking that places an importance on longevity rather than quick fixes. And as a new generation of Aboriginal people pursue and develop budding entrepreneurial partnerships, a new way of doing business is rising—one with a focus on communities first.