Aboriginal Business – Roundtable on Business Opportunities

Connecting the Rings, Going For Business Gold - July 21, 2003

First Nations and the Olympics

Presentation by Tim Regan

Vision Pacific, PO Box 1305, Whistler, BC V0N 1B0 Canada

Phone: 604.932.5275   Fax: 604.932.3653  http://www.vispacific.com

Introduction

It is a great honor to be asked to speak here today!

As owner of several businesses in the Sea to Sky corridor I was greatly excited and relieved that we won the Olympic bid.

My primary business has been residential construction for the last 13 years.

I named my company Vision Pacific.  Vision Pacific is leading the Whistler market in high-end single-family construction.  We are a First Nations employer.

I am also 33% owner of the Hazelwood Gravel pit.  Which is located immediately adjacent to the Mount Currie reserve.  The pit is currently employing approximately 15 Mount Currie band members.  They are working as drivers, excavators, loaders, blaster, and tampers, pipe crews.

In addition to the gravel pit I am in an amalgamation process with a group that owns 20 acres of commercial land adjacent to the highway. The plan is to sell 50% of these lands to the business community and to develop the remainder. Each of these new businesses has the ability to employ or go into joint ventures with the First Nations.

The last remaining business interest I am contemplating in the area is with Albeth Concrete. Albeth Concrete is owned by Allan Le Blanc. It is his wish to expand the business by taking on additional equity partners. Vision Pacific is currently in the process of doing a business plan. Albeth Concrete currently employees approximately 10 Mount Currie band members.   First Nations investment into this new company would be desirable.

Opportunity

I have been asked to speak today about my perceptions of the long-term benefits and opportunities the 2010 Winter Olympics will bring to the First Nations people.

First and for most, the games will bring a level of funding that the region has never seen.

To create the Olympic dream a great deal of money will need to be spent on infrastructure.

There will be a need and an opportunity to expand secondary and service industries.

A few examples of the jobs that will be required are as follows:

Excavators, loaders, compacters, foundation workers, Steal workers, concrete worker pouring and finishing, labors, framers, roofers, electricians, plumbers, insulators, dry wallers, painters, finishers, mechanics and welders.

By the way the average age of the construction industry is 53.  There will be a great need and shortage of trades’ people in the very near future.

New businesses

Your going to need cleaners, laundry service, window washer, gardeners, plant nurseries, waste management, daycare, graphic designers, secretaries, book keepers, office managers and because it will be such a mad pace maybe a few more spas and perhaps a treatment center or two would be in order.

The opportunities are staggering.

Strength of First Nations

• Investment capital.  Cash is king an idea with out any money is not going to happen.
• Political positioning
• Demographics Young population
• Housing

Weaknesses of First Nations

• Lack of business culture
• Shortfalls Training and education
• Substance Abuse

Threats

Sand through fingers.  Western world was agrarian based economy for 8 thousand years.  It entered the industrial age 200 years ago. For the First Nations to exploit these Olympic opportunities it has about 200 weeks.

Competitive forces.  It is a great opportunity for everyone.

Favoritism - First Nations will be shown preferential treatment.  They must exploit this reality but ensure that the businesses they create are competitive so they will be sustainable in the long term.

Solutions

First Nations to exploit the opportunities provided by the Olympics must hit the ground running.

Your goal should be to leaver the capital recourses you have and the opportunities brought forward by the Olympics to create the greatest number of well run businesses that will be long-term employers of First Nations people. 

It is imperative that realistic businesses are targeted that will have long-term growth opportunities.

I believe that joint ventures are the future for this long-term economic success. Quite frankly, First Nations need to ally themselves with businesses that currently posses these entrepreneurial skills.

Association with these businesses will develop First Nations human capital.

The businesses that embrace joint venture relationships with the First Nations, will do so for a number of reasons. I will speak to two of them.

1. Multi-cultural harmony - From a geo-political viewpoint it is becoming abundantly clear globally that is a not a good idea to have people impoverished.  The violence that ensues from this situation is dangerous.

2. Economically - The businesses that enter these joint venture relationships and do a good job nurturing them will do much better economically.

Going Forward For the Gold

First thing I would do is brainstorm.

Research.  Gather information

Networking:  When I went to University of Western Ontario, the Richard Ivy School of Business based its curriculum on the case study methodology.   Many of the Canadian Business schools have adapted this format.

The case study methodology teaches students in these business schools how to formulate good business plans. These are the lifeblood of business success.

 The students in these programs are the leading minds of tomorrow.  They are itching to prove how clever they are today.  

Imagine how validated these young minds would feel, if they new that their work was being used not in purely an academic manner but in a tangible manner.  They are increasing their odds of getting jobs.  They are potentially net working with businesses that will be needing their skills in the future.

I think it is critical that First Nations are given the tools to succeed. 

I think state of the art economic development offices should be set up in the corridor.

All new First Nation business should strive to be better then their competitors.

Approach Ford or GM with a Vision of the future that has a thriving First Nation’s middle class business owners buying their vehicles. This vision could inspire a new add campaign and a new market.  

Adorn these vehicles with great logos.  Have the workers that drive them dressed in smart uniforms.

Have customers service companies follow up on each First Nations business client and do a performance review.

Make everyone in the corridor know that the First Nation are deadly serious about being the best at any business venture they are going into

Use video training to combat short falls in education.

Use the existing elder structure to encourage and discipline the work force.

Break the reserves into teams and have these teams engaged in friendly competition that promotes and reward the teams that are best fulfilling the stated goals.

Conclusion

The goal should be to have a thriving First Nations middle class.  These energized citizens will carry the torch for a bright future.

In short before the games even start everyone on the planet can see that the First Nations people of the Sea to Sky corridor are gold medal Olympians.

O'Neil Marketing & Consulting and Numa Communications Ltd.

#409-100 South Park Royal, West Vancouver, BC  V7T 1A2     Tel (604) 913-1905     Fax (604) 913-1906    Email:  info@designingnations.com

Last revised: September 7, 2008