12 Indigevisor Case (Part 3)

Nadine Bernard is a Mi’kmaw entrepreneur who experienced Indigenous underrepresentation in workplaces. These experiences inspired her to advocate for increased cultural awareness and representation for Indigenous peoples. This led to the creation of Indigevisor – a company that Nadine created to address the problems of
Indigenous underrepresentation. She offers a range of offerings to companies in need of Indigenous consultation and related services. Nadine has run Indigevisor as a part-time business for some time. Now, she needs to decide whether to expand her business and give up her job.

BACKGROUND

Nadine started Indigevisor in 2019 to provide Indigenous consulting services to organizations in need of it. In 2021, the government introduced the indigenous procurement policy. This policy made it mandatory for companies to consult with an indigenous liaison as part of their business plan. As a result, companies in the construction sector needed an indigenous liaison who was knowledgeable in the industry.

Following the announcement of the policy, the demand for her indigenous consultancy services was on the rise. Nadine started to receive a lot of calls from firms in the construction industry. She decided to take advantage of the opportunity to build her consulting company. After getting requests from several companies in the industry, Nadine realised that Indigevisor was becoming less of a part-time gig and more of a full-time business.

NETWORKING AND EXPERIENCE

Over the years, Nadine volunteered in several organizations. Some of the places she volunteered in Sydney, Nova Scotia included the Police Commission, United Way, Restorative Justice, Pan Cape Breton Food Hub, Transition House Foundation, and Every Woman’s Centre. Nadine gained recognition and a reputation as someone who was easy to work with by participating on these boards.

Nadine next joined the Community Sector Council as an Indigenous Liaison. She worked with them for three months on indigenous inclusion strategies that involved educating key stakeholders in response to Call to Action 92 from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Next Nadine worked with the local chapter of LiUNA (Laborers International Union of North America) on indigenous recruitment strategies and training programs for upcoming construction projects. She helped create engagement strategies and information sessions for about 5 months.

Her experience working for LiUNA showed her the demand for advising was high throughout the construction industry. She decided to create a company for all unions in the construction sector. Nadine’s first-hand experiences in the corporate world and volunteering gave her deep insight into the needs of both Indigenous people and the companies looking to hire them. They all needed support for training, recruitment retention, procurement, cultural competency, cultural awareness, policy review and recommendation, strategic planning, decolonizing, and Indigenizing the businesses.

She knew that she could bridge the gap between them and use her knowledge to create a successful business. However, Nadine was not free from risks and challenges. She knew that if she decided to launch a consulting business, its success was not guaranteed.

EXPANDING THE BUSINESS: CHALLENGES AHEAD

As a result of her extensive networking, Nadine was awarded new projects as a business consultant advising companies about Indigenous cultural awareness and engagement. Her first clients included New Dawn Enterprises and Cape Breton Redevelopment Health Projects. However, Nadine realized there was a lot she needed to learn about running a large business.

Especially in the consulting industry, she needed more knowledge on how to build a successful service-oriented business. Barriers to entry into this business were related to:
– knowledge or experience running a business on her own.
– her identity as an indigenous woman, entering the traditionally male-dominated construction community
– balancing priorities of her full-time employment and part-time consulting work

Navigating this landscape required not only expertise but also courage and determination.
At this point, Nadine was a single mother, working a full-time job, as well as running both Indigevisor and Slow Cooked Dreams, another business that she owned. The expansion of Indigevisor would demand her undivided attention. The dual roles demanded a balance that seemed difficult, if not impossible, considering her already packed schedule. While Nadine had always been determined, she understood that these challenges could potentially pose significant hurdles to the expansion of Indigevisor.

THE PROCUREMENT POLICY

In 2021, the Indigenous Procurement Policy was introduced by the Federal Government. It mandated the hiring of an Indigenous Liaison and an inclusion of Indigenous procurement strategies into organizations’ business plans. Due to Nadine’s specialization in construction consulting, she began getting a lot of requests to partner with businesses as they bid on construction projects. This was a unique chance for Nadine to further expand into the corporate space and reach out to organizations in need of her services. Also, while her engagement with multiple organizations and initiatives expanded her network, it opened possibilities for a conflict of interest with her day job.

The introduction of the Indigenous Procurement Policy brought along prospects, not only for Nadine, but for other organizations that could move into the consulting space. If a flurry of other consulting services entered the market, Nadine was aware that competition would be on the rise. She had to think of strategies to stand out from the crowd.

MAKING A DECISION

Nadine is now faced with a difficult decision of either focusing on her government job or expanding her business. What are the benefits and risks that she needs to think about as she decides on the best future direction for Indigevisor?