Tribal Economic Development

Jessi Goldner, Vice President of Strategic Engagement at Waséyabek, joins hosts Deidra Mitchell and Erika Weiss to explore how intentional outreach, cultural integration, and relationship-building are strengthening connections within the NHBP community, across Indian Country, and throughout the broader business landscape. The conversation highlights the evolution of Waséyabek’s Strategic Engagemen...

Julio Martinez, CEO of Mno-Bmadsen, and Kip Ritchie, CEO of Potawatomi Ventures, join Waséyabek hosts Deidra Mitchell and Erika Weiss to discuss the central role of due diligence in Tribal economic development, highlighting how Tribally owned organizations identify acquisition targets, validate financial and operational assumptions, assess cultural alignment, and mitigate risk while maintaining st...

Lauren Davis, President of the West Michigan Region of Huntington Bank, joins the Tribal Economic Development podcast alongside David Kinsman, Senior Vice President and Middle Market Team Lead, to discuss the criticality of vetting and selecting high-performing partners for business ventures – both inside and outside of Indian Country. The conversation, which delves into green flags and red flags...

Eric Henson, Citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard University, Director of the Ittapila Program for Nation Building and Outreach, and a long-time research fellow and affiliate with the Harvard Project joins the Tribal Economic Development podcast alongside Justin Lowe, Native Hawaiian, Captain and Strategist for the U.S. Army, and recent graduate of the Harvard Kennedy Schoo...

Eric Henson, Citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard University, Director of the Ittapila Program for Nation Building and Outreach, and a long-time research fellow and affiliate with the Harvard Project, joins Tribal Economic Development to discuss Waséyabek's continued partnership with Harvard, including a series of guest lectures we've presented, projects we'v...

Former Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss (2016-2024) joins Tribal Economic Development to discuss how local municipalities and Tribal governments can partner to reach their economic development goals. Topics include the benefits of strategic planning, the criticality of community engagement, and the need to generate sustainable opportunities. Waséyabek is a 100% Tribally-owned holding company that...

Kurt Trevan, Managing Partner at Nclude Capital and a Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi (Gun Lake Tribe) Tribal Member, joins Tribal Economic Development to discuss strategies and tactics you can implement to locate and hire high-performing team members – including executives – at your firm. Topics include the right questions to ask, what red flag responses in interviews look and sound...

Bill Brooks, Chief Legal Officer at Waséyabek and long-time Tribal attorney for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi, joins Tribal Economic Development to discuss the foundational documents needed to launch and sustain a successful business enterprise in Indian Country. Topics covered include your organization's constitution, operating documents, policies and procedures, and the impo...

Ben Borisch, managing partner at DWH, and Bryan Small, CEO of Small Consulting Group and Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Tribal Member , join Tribal Economic Development to discuss the keys to developing and implementing a successful strategic plan in Indian Country. Topics covered include the importance of governance, the role values play in supporting your strategic plan, and the potential bene...

Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi (NHBP) Tribal Council Chair Jamie Stuck joins Tribal Economic Development to discuss an array of topics, including everything from lessons learned during the deployment of Skasgé Power in Waséyabek's early days to what the future of economic development looks like for Waséyabek, the NHBP Tribe, and other Tribal communities throughout Michigan. Waséyab...

On the inaugural episode of Tribal Economic Development, we provide insight regarding how Waséyabek, a Tribally-owned holding company that manages the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi’s non-gaming economic development activities, established a pathway that has resulted in significant revenue growth over the past 5 years. Deidra Mitchell, Waséyabek president and CEO, and Erika Weiss, assoc...