Decolonizing Business & Entrepreneurship: A Starter Guide

Aaniin, friends.

Decolonization is a hot topic these days, and for good reason. More and more folks are waking up to the fact that this whole system we’re operating under here in the Western world…it ain’t workin’!

Extractive capitalism and the patriarchy are points of contention for so many folks on social media, and what most folks don’t realize is how intertwined these two things are within the colonial systems we operate under.

Whenever I speak to the harms of colonialism, I speak from the heart when I say that colonialism benefits only a very small segment of the population. It’s not only Indigenous folks that are harmed by colonialism—non-Indigenous folks are also negatively impacted by colonial notions rooted in hyperindividualization, scarcity, lack, and disconnection from Source, Creator, or Spirit.

Because of this, decolonization isn’t just the work of Indigenous folks. As Nikki Sanchez says in her amazing TEDx talk….decolonization is for everyone!

In 2022, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Indigenous LIFT Collective on Decolonizing Business & Entrepreneurship: A Starter Guide.

Myself and a team of Indigenous women & non-binary entrepreneurs spent months creating this guide (and fun fact: we’re now in the process of creating a mini course based on the content for the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology!).

It’s an incredibly in-depth resource that gives an overview of what decolonization is and how you can apply the principles towards your business & entrepreneurial pursuits.

We cover topics such as:

  • What is decolonization?

  • Decolonization vs Indigenization

  • The benefits of decolonizing business

  • Indigenous leadership principles

  • Unlearning the colonial mindset

  • How to decolonize business

…and a whole lot more.

Click here to access the guide. Be sure to bookmark it so you can continue to come back and reference it whenever you need.

Chii miigwetch (highest thank you) to the team at Indigenous LIFT Collective, Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub, SFU Venture Labs, and our sponsor Vancity Credit Union for making it possible to put this guide together.

Here’s to a decolonial approach to business & entrepreneurship—one that benefits everyone, both within our generation, and within the seven generations that follow.

Ariana Fotinakis