In an exclusive interview with Indigenous-SME Magazine, Keenan Beavis, founder of Longhouse Branding & Marketing, shares his journey of building one of the largest Indigenous-owned marketing agencies globally. With a deep passion for empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs, Keenan discusses the challenges and opportunities in business, how his BJJ philosophy shapes his leadership style, and the importance of blending traditional storytelling with modern marketing strategies. Recognized as one of Canada’s top young Indigenous entrepreneurs, Keenan’s insights are invaluable for those looking to make a lasting impact in the business world.
Keenan Beavis is the founder of Longhouse Branding & Marketing, one of the largest Indigenous-owned marketing agencies in the world. A proud Métis entrepreneur, Keenan has helped over 850 businesses generate more than $335 million in revenue by combining timeless business principles with modern marketing innovations. Recognized as a 30 Under 30 honoree, and the National CCIB Young Indigenous Entrepreneur of the Year, he is passionate about helping businesses grow, empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs, and mentoring the next generation of leaders. Outside of business, Keenan is a dedicated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete and advocate for economic development through entrepreneurship.
As the founder of one of the world’s largest Indigenous-owned marketing agencies, what do you believe are the most critical challenges facing business leaders today, and how does Longhouse address these?
There’s a lot of challenges, but the one I see most is business & community leaders getting stuck wearing too many hats. Often, they end up exhausted instead of focusing on the parts of their job that they’re best at.
Getting stuck with a neverending to-do list is a trap. It’s keeping highly competent leaders from making the impact they know they could if only they had more time.
These leaders are so successful but often won’t be able to relax and enjoy it because they’re simply too busy.
I love the principle of job specialization. When someone tries to do everything, nothing gets done well. Imagine if Gordon Ramsey was doing his own web design… or doing the bookkeeping for each restaurant…
At Longhouse Branding & Marketing, we help business leaders get out of the to-do list trap. Our Growth Consultants will ask, “What are the tasks on your to-do list that only you can do?” Then we help delegate the rest.
By taking marketing and branding off their minds, we free them to focus on what they do best, whether that’s leading their team, refining their product, or having more time with family.
Growing a business isn’t about working harder; it’s about focusing on what you do best.
Longhouse has helped over 850 business leaders generate more than $335 million in revenue. What’s your secret to consistently delivering such impressive results across diverse industries?
Growing a business takes both timeless principles and modern innovations. It’s like yin and yang. On one side, you have the fundamentals that never change. On the other, you have new strategies that keep businesses ahead. The real power comes from walking the middle, ‘serpentine’ path where both are in balance. No matter the industry, having a balance between these concepts is what will get results.
At Longhouse, we stay on top of marketing trends and use the latest tools, like offering retargeting advertising. You know when you visit a site, like Lululemon, and don’t buy anything, but then those sweatpants follow you everywhere? That’s retargeting. All over platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Google you’ll see reviews, people wearing them, and content explaining how the sweatpants will benefit you. That’s powerful. But we mix that with storytelling and it becomes even stronger.
Marketing works best when it’s clear, not just clever. That’s where Indigenous businesses have an edge. Storytelling is already a core part of our culture, and it’s the most effective way to be remembered. The key is pairing that strength with innovative strategies.
I was lucky to grow up with access to computers, data, and Wi-Fi. Many Indigenous youth don’t have that same access. That’s why it’s critical we actively invest in digital skills and knowledge-sharing. When Indigenous entrepreneurs combine traditional principles like storytelling with modern marketing methods, they don’t just stand out. They win.
As a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu athlete, how do you apply the principles of martial arts to your business strategy and leadership style?
I’ve been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) for over 15 years. It’s taught me a lot about business.
To grow in BJJ, you need strong training partners. That means sharing your best moves and investing in the people around you. The better they get, the better you get. By giving back, you grow more. As a leader you need to share what you know with your team. Even if they end up going to work somewhere else, by being giving, you strengthen your trust with your team and that culture will weave its way throughout your entire business.
BJJ has also reinforced the importance of consistency. There are days you don’t want to train, but showing up and improving even one thing compounds over time. That’s how you break through plateaus, whether in Jiu-Jitsu or business.
Plateaus are common in both business & jiu-jitsu. When I was a blue belt, I hit a 2-year long wall. I kept relying on the same techniques, and even though I trained three times a week, I wasn’t improving. The breakthrough came when I started putting myself in bad positions on purpose, letting my partner start in an advantageous spot or forcing myself to avoid my favorite moves like the guillotine or triangle choke.
In business, breaking through a plateau often means doing something uncomfortable, like delegating. For a long time, I held onto project management, and it severely limited our growth. Once I let go and built a team of five project managers, we were able to help 10 times more organizations than I ever could alone. Sometimes, the key to leveling up is trusting others and stepping into discomfort. Notably, you’ll see the math of 5 managers increasing our capacity by 10. Due to job specialization, there’s less stress, allowing each team member to focus on their key function in Longhouse.
As we conclude, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those from Indigenous backgrounds, looking to make their mark in business?
Take a chance on yourself and always keep your promises. Whether the promise is to someone else or to yourself, when you do what you say, good things will happen.
Every wall that we’ve grown past at Longhouse has been a result of my self-promise to everyday doing at least one thing that makes the business 1% better.
