What’s the Buzz behind #BeTheDrum?
NWAC (Native Women’s Association of Canada) launched a program for aboriginal women entrepreneurs labeled as #BeTheDrum in the late fall of 2019. #BeTheDrum is an entrepreneurship and exploration program launched by the Native Women’s Association of Canada to develop the skills of Aboriginal women entering the domain of entrepreneurship, management, and business. From online business directory to peer-to-peer mentoring, the #BetheDrum Entrepreneurial Navigation Program offers aboriginal women the management and entrepreneurial skills to explore the business world.
What’s the Reason Behind Such a Name?
For most Aboriginal people, the sound of drums inspires a sense of belonging, and it gives them great pleasure to know that they are all connected in ways that give them hope and make them stronger. Drum means asking existing and potential entrepreneurs to come to life with determination, enhanced peer support, and mentoring. Together they can create solutions that help advance their country, lift their communities, and pave new avenues for prosperity.
The impact of this support will increase the likelihood that a startup will turn into a full-blown enterprise, giving it a greater presence in the aboriginal and Canadian economic environment.
A Little About #BeTheDrum 4 Keystones of Support
At the heart of this program are the four keystones of support, and it suggests several ways #BeTheDrum can work to engage and equip established and ambitious indigenous entrepreneurs for lasting success. Those participating in this program will be welcomed by a dedicated team of navigators and mentor entrepreneurs, having access to networking events, relevant workshops, peer groups, and interactive social media Q&A sessions.
- Entrepreneur Navigation and Mentorship
Entrepreneurship is a very uncertain and lonely road. COVID-19 has drastically changed the landscape and made even less stable employment possible. Many people who dreamt of starting a business before this pandemic, discovered it to be too difficult. Now with the onset of the pandemic, many have come to the conclusion that there’s a little guarantee in this world, making some zones of entrepreneurship less risky.
First of all, you need to register yourself for the #BeTheDrum program. They can help you in the following areas after becoming a member of the program:
- Brainstorming business ideas
- Business plan
- Explore funding opportunities
- Branding: Tips for Social Media Profiles
- Help with marketing materials
- Add your business to the federal buying and selling site
- Be by your side as a mentor to answer questions or talk to someone.
- Peer Support Circle
#BeTheDrum Peer Support Circle is a regular monthly network of group meetings for aboriginal women and entrepreneurs across Canada. The goal of this #BeTheDrum Entrepreneur Outreach program is to foster true camaraderie and overcome the loneliness, discouragement, and exhaustion that are often faced by entrepreneurs. To join this network, entrepreneurs need to apply for the free #BeTheDrum Entrepreneur Outreach program.
Membership includes:
- Active participation in their peer-to-peer network
- One-one-one mentoring
- Access and acquaintance with members of their extensive network (including industry experts, networking events, and seminars)
- Free listing of the new Indigenous Women’s Business Directory (easily updated to reflect current progress)
- Participation in networking events, Q&A sessions, social media groups, etc.
- Workshops and Net ‘Working’ Events
Through this, you’ll get to learn and implement knowledge by establishing relationships through different workshops ann several networking events. Interested members can learn more about the #BeTheDrum Entrepreneur Navigation Program by visiting https://www.nwac.ca/BeTheDrum/. The Indigenous Women’s Association of Canada is based on the common goal of strengthening, promoting and developing the social, cultural, economic, and political well-being of Indigenous, Metis, and Inuit women.
- Live Social Sessions and Hangouts
Today, social media is an ever-growing tool that many people use to connect with others around the world. #BetheDrum has created a range of social media channels to provide a secure environment for indigenous women entrepreneurs to connect with their teams. Their channel gives their team the ability to interact directly with the community. These channels allow them to provide support, exchange ideas, provide support, answer questions, share tips and tricks, receive feedback, discuss indigenous entrepreneurship, and communicate through live broadcasts and stories.
Another amazing feature worth noting is that you can interact with entrepreneurs to create fun promotions like Entrepreneur of the Month. They hope to create a strong and diverse social media space where all their subscribers can feel connected and supported by their community.
For more information regarding the #BeTheDrum initiative, you can scroll through their site https://www.nwac.ca/bethedrum/ and explore more.
