Take the first step toward entrepreneurial success.
Apply to the NIWee program today and join a thriving community of Indigenous women in business!
Course Format
NIWee provides two training modules of 13 weeks each.
Module 1 runs September – December, gets you started by figuring out how you serve your customers and showing you what all goes into a successful business. Module 2 runs January – April and encourages you to move ahead and put in place your financial foundation, web and social media, and start selling or increasing your sales. Modules 1 and 2 are online once a week, Wednesdays 6-9pm Eastern time.
… and no, there are no grades, quizzes or never ending memorizing. It’s all about you working on your business. Trying out new methods, seeing if they work, adjusting if they don’t. You will benefit from the program to the extent that you implement what you learn in your business.
Go and do it!
At the end of each module, you present your progress in your business to receive certificates of completion from NIWee and the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa.
After completing both Modules, you join the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem and meet Tuesdays, 6-9pm with other NIWee entrepreneurs and speakers.
Who can join?
NIWEE welcomes Indigenous women, Two-Spirit, and gender-diverse entrepreneurs, 17 years and older. We ask you to let us know which community you are from when you sign up.
You will need access to a computer and (generally) reliable internet.
How does the application process work?
Deadline to apply: July 15th!
It takes 3 steps to complete the application process:
1) Click on the ‘sign me up’ button to fill in a short form.
This will also give you a free year-long membership as ‘NIWee Friend’.
2) Prepare a short video answering a few questions.
Once you fill in the form, please give us around 24h to send you instructions on how to prepare and upload a short video (about 7 min) to answer seven easy questions. We don’t need a fancy production, we suggest you use a free tool, e.g. your phone or zoom. Please don’t let a video stop you from achieving your dream, if you would like help with this step drop us a note at info@niwee.ca.
3) Provide two letters of reference
We will also provide you instructions to send us two reference letters. These letters can be from an Elder, an employer (past or present), a teacher, or a customer/business associate if you’re already in business.
NIWee will carefully consider your application and may ask for a conversation with you. We will accept the candidates we feel we can best support into the program.
Everyone is always welcome to join NIWee as a member and attend the speaker series.
How much does it cost?
The training does not cost you money. (Yes, it’s free.).
We do expect you to put time into your business. At a very minimum you can expect to spent 6h per week at the beginning – 3h to attend courses, and 3h to implement what you learn. To be successful, you will likely want to spend more time on your business.
We also ask that you engage with NIWee and its entrepreneurs in a relational manner – support and lift each other.
NIWee is able to do this through the generous support of sponsors and volunteers. If you want to contribute, please join us.