Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program
Batchewana First Nation
Date: July 2010
Publication: Native Business Development Magazine
Fifteen years ago, Joe Melisek of BDO’s Sault Ste. Marie office created the Youth Entrepreneurship Program in response to a local need for practical training for small business start-ups. Since then, he has delivered five programs in Sault Ste. Marie and the surrounding area and, this year, with the assistance of Batchewana First Nation, has turned the program into an Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program. The creation of this program involved developing culturally-sensitive curriculum that helps ten participants enhance their business skills in order to introduce them to opportunities for self-employment.
The cultural portion of the program focuses on demonstrating how differences in society, law, economy and communication between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities can often create barriers to success. Discussions focus on how to identify these differences and build strategies on conducting business in either community.
Joe, his consulting staff (two of whom are of Aboriginal ancestry), information technology, financial advisory, tax and accounting professionals in the office provide skills development and business mentoring to the participants. In addition, community partners assist the individuals during the 26-week program as they proceed from the business planning phase through the business development phase to actual enterprise start-ups. Participants learn entrepreneurial skills and the organizational means to grow and make informed decisions in the business environment. The training also provides instruction in information technology and accounting software to help them create business plans and, later, use these skills in actual business operations.
This unique program aims to provide participants with access to financial and professional resources to help them enhance their prospects for success. It also encourages community partnering as an integral part of the training program and enlists various Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community businesses and agents to assist in instructing participants and helping them develop their businesses. Furthermore, these partners have contributed resources to the program in order to make it technically and financially viable. Some examples of partnering in the program are:
- Batchewana First Nation provides a stipend to offset participant living expenses while they attend the program
- Local entrepreneurs and business development agents volunteer time to discuss critical business development areas and services to business;
- Scotiabank donated $20,000 to BDO’s first program 15 years ago for a micro-loan lending circle that still exists today
- The SSM Economic Development Corporation has made its Enterprise Centre and staff available to the participants.
As Joe puts it, “In the end, the program is a win-win for all. Even if an individual is not successful in business start-up, he or she will have new skills and a greater capacity to work in a small business or with his or her own First Nation. Further, the benefit to BDO is we are not viewed just as “the auditors” any more, the seven or eight staff involved develop positive relationships with the First Nation leadership, management and community members who get to know us better as a trusted advisor, mentor and friend. We also contribute in some small way to economic development in the community.”
(This is the first in a series of three articles on this subject. The next article will focus on the cultural aspects of the Aboriginal Entrepreneurship Program.)
Joe Melisek B.Sc., B.A, CMC is a Certified Management Consultant and senior manager with BDO Canada LLP in Sault Ste. Marie. He can be reached by telephone at (705) 945-0990 or by e-mail at jmelisek@bdo.ca. The Sault Ste. Marie office is located at 747 Queen Street E.
Learn more about our services for Aboriginal Businesses
