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Strong tribal economies need strong small businesses

By Lailani Upham

Attendees and speakers browse displays and network at the Indian Business Development Expo, Wednesday, December 2 a the SKC Joe McDonald Health and Athletic Center. Twenty business development exhibitors from local, state and federal resources were displayed for the Business Expo. (Lailani Upham photo)

PABLO — The motto for business strength on Indian reservations and the communities is, “You got to keep the dollars in Indian country,” said Margo Gray-Proctor, Osage member and President of Horizon Engineering Service in Oklahoma.

Proctor, who is known as the “Indian Oprah” because of her reputation in Indian Country as one of the best entrepreneurs to emerge in the last decade, was the keynote speaker last Wednesday at the Indian Business Development Expo sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

Proctor has built a profitable and an award-winning business that offers civil engineering consulting and design for gaming developments, hotels, hospitals and airports, transportation planning and infrastructure, as well as project management across the country.

Her philosophy for building a business in Indian country is to find what the needs are. The business empire she heads up is founded on that particular idea and she said she found that on all reservations building projects were always happening, therefore offering an engineering service was a perfect fit.

Proctor said the dollar that is kept in the community will bounce around eight to 10 times before it leaves, but once a check is cut to an outside company for a good or service the money leaves the reservation in 30 minutes.

From a few economic development round table discussions this summer sponsored by CSKT Economic Development, S & K Holding Company, and an ambitious tribal entrepreneur Velda Shelby, the Business Expo was launched.

The expo offered business start-up resources and development expertise for prospective and current Indian entrepreneurs, students, and tribal interests with a panel of presenters from the local, state and federal sector.

Expert panel discussions included: financing and funding your business; technical support and assistance; developing partnerships and cooperatives; and local business resources.

Maria Valandra of First Interstate Bank was the moderator for one of the three panels of speakers at the Expo. Valandra introduced the last panel: Jan Tusick, Lake County Development Corp. (pictured); Lad Barney, USDA Rural Development (pictured); Christine Johnson, Business Development Director; Tiffany Williams, Missoula Building Industry Association; Todd Morgan, UM Bureau of Business and Economic Research who spoke on partnerships, cooperatives and alliances. (Lailani Upham photo)

Approximately 20 business resource exhibitors set up booths to hand out information and answer questions for participants.

“It was an opportunity for the local business owners and prospective entrepreneurs to meet face-to-face with resources and to network,” said Janet Camel, CSKT Land Use Planner Director.

“Networking is key. Get involved in your own community and see what the needs are. Be the one that goes to tribal council meetings and see what grants that are coming up. Search and see what’s going on,” Proctor addressed.

Jerry Lamb, CSKT Economic Development Director agrees that major key components to boost a local economy are small businesses. “Any strong economy needs a strong small business sector. That is what the expo was aimed at - helping the tribal entrepreneur become successful in their business pursuits,” said Lamb.

“Margo Gray-Proctor is a great role model for Indian Country, providing great hope and inspiration for us all,” he added.

“Indian country is strong in many ways. We are not there yet, but if you look at the black community and Hispanic community they trade and barter with each other all the time,” Proctor stated.

She mentioned words from Dr. Joe McDonald, SKC President, that “Indians have been doing this for 1,000 years - barter and trading.” Proctor said any service needed for the Horizon office went to native-owned vendors. “If they didn’t have it I’d tell them to go get the product we needed,” she said. “Tribes need to believe in their own people,” Proctor added.

Eagle Bank accountant Jolene Houle, during a panel discussion, urged tribal members who are looking to start a business, to build a relationship with a financial institute lender.

Eagle Bank, a Confederated Salish and Kootenai owned bank, is the result of two decades of research and development to generate economic growth on the Flathead Reservation.

“If you need help with your credit, ask for help and tap into resources that are there,” Houle added. She stressed to keep money local and to build credit. “In building credit, we’re here to help,” she added.

Lamb states, “It is important that CSKT has a strong Indian Preference mandate and that it is followed. CSKT spends millions of dollars per year on goods and services. If more of these funds go to tribal member-owned businesses, then the CSKT dollar is stretched further, resulting in increased jobs and revenues for all. The dollars will stay in the local community longer, as opposed to leaving right away. The greater ripple effect, or multiplier effect we can generate with the funds, the better.”

According to a New York Times report on Tuesday, President Obama presented a series of initiatives aimed at turning around the nation’s besieged job market, paying particular attention to increasing the hiring of small businesses by opening lines of credit and offering tax breaks to try to lower the double-digit unemployment rate.

In addition to proposing a tax cut for small businesses to encourage hiring, President Obama called for eliminating capital gains on these businesses for one year and suggested that money left over from the financial bailout program, the Trouble Asset Relief Program, should be redirected toward small businesses.

Proctor stated, “Asking the Tribes to invest in our entrepreneurs is the power of Indian country.”

S & K Holding Company is currently working on updating their web site (www.skholdingcompany.com) to include a resource guide for individuals who are thinking of starting a business and for existing small business owners to tap into for answers and assistance. The web site is expected to have the update by early January, says to Steve Clairmont, S & K Holding President.
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