b'SUPPORT & EDUCATIONtheir businesses online. Theres been a 3 KEYSdigital divide between the Indigenous andnon-Indigenouspopulation; TO ONLINE SALES SUCCESS Google Canada is focusing its efforts on how to bridge that gap, says Ana 1. PLAN: Have a roadmap thatTomas, Google Canadas marketing lead guides your Internet activities whilefor small medium business and Grow supporting business goals. Thewith Google marketing. strategy should identify goals for webThis work has taken different forms. In presence, target audience, contentaddition to offering cash grants and strategy including key messages, and a mobile strategy to ensure contentCCAB memberships to 100 Indigenous is accessible on smart phones andbusinesses in Canada, Google Canada tablets. And have an action plan,hasbeenworkingwithCCABto including a timeline. revamp TFAB to address the chal-lenges Indigenous entrepreneurs face 2. BUILD E-COMMERCE PRESENCE:in going online.Create a website with an online store or opt for free/low-cost e-commerceGoogle Canada has also collaboratedSHOPIFYservices from providers such aswith Digital Main Street, an onlineShopify Canada has also been proactive OpenCart and Shopify. And takeservice supporting businesses as theyin supporting Indigenous e-commerce, advantage of the CDAP grant to setgo digital, to offer the Digital Main Streetworkingasacommerceplatform up your online store. ShopHERE Powered by Google program.partner with CCAB and the Canada The program offers small independentDigital Adoption Program. Its Build 3. BE READY TO FILL ORDERS: Havebusinesses a branded online store,Native program offers Indigenous the infrastructure in place to handlehands-on help in setting it up, trainingentrepreneurs and creatives a range of orders, shipping and returns, andin various phases of e-commerce, suche-commerce services, including Shopify integrate e-commerce operationsas digital marketing, shipping and inven-with other business operations. freetrialsthatenableIndigenous tory management, and access to freeentrepreneurs to get hands-on expe-Source: BDC tools to help support the launch of theirrience with the tools they need to online store. run an online business. They can also connect with other Indigenous entrepre-The program is designed specificallyneurs through the Shopify Build Native to help small businesses get online,digital community. and support, plus partners with orga- Tomas says. Its focused on giving small nizations across Canada to listen andbusinesses across Canada access toWe offer culturally inclusive workshops, learn how to better support businessan experienced e-commerce coordi- webinars and skill-shares with part-owners across the country. For instance,nator who listens to their business needsners such as Google, Meta and Jelly working with CCAB, BDC developedand then develops an online store andMarketing though the Build Native a free webinar on how to put togetherwebsite for them. To date, more thandigital community, says Kyle St-Amour-an online business strategy and grow43,000 Canadian businesses, includingBrennan, Shopifys Indigenous entre-a businesss online customer base. TheCCAB members, have taken advantagepreneurship program manager and an webinar is accessible through CCABsof the program. Algonquin-Anishinaabe from Kitigan TFAB website.Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation. We Recoding Futures is a joint initiativeactively utilize our position in the tech-BDC also offers a suite of free busi- between Google Canada and the non- nology sector to leverage relationships ness tools and training covering aprofit career training initiative ComITwith tech leaders such as Google and range of topics from strategic planningthat offers free digital skills training toMeta to get leading education, training to e-commerce sales and marketing.Indigenous students. In 2022, ComITand resources to Indigenous entre-This entrepreneurs toolkit is a one- says it provided free IT training topreneurs who are utilizing Shopifys stop shop for training for small businesssome 500 Indigenous students acrosscommerce tools.owners. You can do one of them, or allCanada. Last October, Google Canada of them. The best parttheyre all free,announced $1.3 million in grants toOther Shopify services have included says Didyk. ComIT to support the re-skilling ofIndigenous-specificentrepre-Indigenous job seekers for careersneurshipeventsandshowcases GOOGLE CANADA in technology. It also gives Googlesuch as We Thrive, a collaboration Google Canada is another companyCanada employees time off to volun- between Shopify, CCAB, Facebook, that collaborates closely with CCABteer with ComIT to teach coding and job EntrepreNorth, Pow Wow Pitch and to help Indigenous entrepreneurs getsearch skills. Raven Indigenous Capital Partners. We 24A CCAB PUBLICATION2023'