Native Entrepreneurship

Native American Entrepreneurial Empowerment Workshops provide Native Americans the training and inspiration to successfully launch their small businesses and grow established enterprises.These workshops offer comprehensive information on topics such as business planning, access to capital, basic bookkeeping, human resources, problem-solving, and marketing.

The approach taken by workshop instructors is geared toward the real world. The “hands-on” exercises and group activities offer more than textbook learning to create a lasting impact for Native people. One participant said, “The things I thought I knew about before, I didn’t really know.”

An SBA Deputy District Director summered up his experience of the workshop by saying, “The two-day workshop was one of the most useful and comprehensive I have ever experienced.”

Once the workshop is complete, participants can find ways to share their products and services on a community Facebook site, “Small Native Business.” They can connect with other native entrepreneurs, talk about their experiences, and find articles about small business.

Participants of the workshops gain more than just learning the fundamental principles of starting and growing a business; they shift their world view and broaden their perspectives to embrace success.