b'DIGITAL MARKETINGprocurement at CCAB. They relied onfur. [The owner Brenda Dragon] usestechnologies, and includes access to foot traffic and promoting their productse-commerce platforms for her businesse-commerce advisors who understand and services at events. After COVID hit,and has been quite savvy with it. Itsthe unique needs of Indigenous busi-they needed to be online. helped her business grow, he says.nesses, as well associal media or digital marketing strategies to ensure success. Even now, CCAB member businesses areAnother issue impacting businesses at various stages of this process. Someis cybersecurity. Just recently IndigoAs ISED notes, This grant can help of them are very tech savvy. But otherswas hacked. They had to close theirIndigenous businesses move their busi-have never even had a website, and areonline store for a couple days, saysness online, expand their existing digital far behind in getting adopted digitally,Ducharme. That brings challenges tomarketplace, increase their sales and Ducharme notes. Whatever stage theyour [member] businesses, and we willimprove the user experience for their are at, Indigenous businesses need toneed to provide education on how toonline customers.know what digital marketing tools aremake their e-commerce platforms and out there, and how to use them to growdata secure. ISEDisworkingwith14intermedi-their business. aries across Canada to execute these CDAP supports. CCAB is the only national To help Indigenous business owners inCCABs federal partnership with ISED isintermediary that focuses exclusively on these efforts, CCAB offers a number of itsan important step toward future busi- Indigenous businesses. Ducharme and own programs that support Indigenousness endeavours for Indigenous entre- his colleagues meet with ISED twice a business owners. We have a programpreneurs. The CDAP grant provides somemonth to discuss what is working, what called Tools and Financing for Aboriginalfunding for digital support to Indigenousisnt working, and where improvements Business (TFAB), which talks about digitalbusiness owners.can be implemented. marketing, why its important, and reviews different strategies, says Ducharme.AccordingtoISED:Historically,It is this close partnership that has allowed This wide diversity of digital marketingIndigenous businesses have faced chal- CCAB to advocate for program changes experience amongst Indigenous entre- lenges securing capital and resourcesthat benefit Indigenous business owners. preneurs presents exciting mentorshipto fully take advantage of digital tech- At first, the biggest barrier to entrepre-opportunities, adds Ducharme. Itsnology advancements. Through theneurs was the requirement that businesses all about working and connecting withGovernment of Canadas Canada Digitalhave at least one employee in addition to other businesses. Adoption Program (CDAP), we are tryingthe owner. Many Indigenous businesses to increase access to digital tools andare solo entrepreneurs without employees. The Indigenous world is a very inclusiveprovide capital for small businesses toThey bring on contract workers on a community; having mentors or even smallreach new customers.project basis, so theyre not on payroll, connections can go a long way. MoreDucharme explains. That alone would than half the time, our Indigenous busi- Under CDAP, Indigenous businesses canhave eliminated so many businesses. We nesses are willing to help their fellownow apply for a $2,400 grant. The grant canlobbied on behalf of our businesses to business owners. Even if they dont getassist with costs related to e-commercechange the requirement to a $30,000 business out of it, theyre willing to help someone start up, says Ducharme. They didnt always have the expertise, and they remember that there was someone there to help them.With the cancellation of pow wows and other community gatherings, the adoption of e-commerce platforms like Shopify Canada really took off during the pandemic, especially for smaller crafts-based businesses. E-commerce is very important to businesses that dont have a storefront, so they can still get out there and showcase their products, Ducharme explains. E-commerce is relatively new to Indigenous businesses, and it has defi-nitely benefited them. Ducharme mentions Aurora Heat, a company based out of the Northwest Territories that specializes in handmade cell phone warmers, mittens, gloves, mukluks and more using Arctic animal Aboriginal BUSINESS REPORT 43'