#BeTheDrum: THE Program for Existing and Budding Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs

NWAC believes that Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse people have the right to improve their economic conditions through employment, entrepreneurship, education, and training. In the late fall of 2019, we created a program for Indigenous women entrepreneurs called #BeTheDrum.

Why that name? For most Indigenous Peoples, the sound of the drum stirs up a sense of belonging, a feeling of great joy in knowing we are all connected in a way that gives us hope and keeps us strong. The drum signifies a calling to existing and prospective entrepreneurs to come alive with determination, strengthened through the support of peer mentorship and navigation.

#BeTheDrum is built on four keystones of support to engage and prepare existing and budding Indigenous women entrepreneurs for continued success. Those who join our program will be greeted by one of our dedicated Entrepreneur Navigators. Our program also provides access to relevant workshops, networking events, peer-to-peer groups, and live social media Q&A sessions.

Our workshops have gained a lot of attention since #BeTheDrum started. Only this past month #BeTheDrum hosted a highly anticipated and in-depth workshop on “Accessing Business Financing.” Participants learned about the different types of financing available to support their businesses, how to approach banks and funders, and the steps needed to create a business plan. They also received an electronic package containing useful finance tools.

For more information, visit our #BeTheDrum webpage. You can also email us at bethedrum@nwac.ca or phone us at 1-833-652-1392.