In Episode 3 of the Arctic Indigenous Investment Series, host Blair Hogan sits down with Jani Djokic and Katie Johnson for a wide-ranging conversation about Indigenous economic development in the Yukon — and what it looks like when that work is rooted not only in business and investment, but in culture, community, land, youth, and long-term wellbeing. Jani Djokic, CEO of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Development Corporation, shares how her organization has been working to move beyond a conventional top-down corporate model toward a more circular and community-centred approach to development. She reflects on the boom-and-bust realities of resource economies, the limits of profit-first thinking, and the importance of building systems that help communities not just survive, but truly thrive. At the centre of that conversation is a philosophy that sees business as a tool for care, reciprocity, and nation-building — not as an end in itself. Katie Johnson brings a complementary perspective shaped by decades of work in arts, culture, events, youth leadership, and community development. She reflects on the origins of the Adäka Cultural Festival, the power of creating visible and meaningful platforms for Yukon First Nations artists and communities, and the role that those spaces play in economic development, cultural pride, and long-term impact. Across the episode, Katie returns to a core theme in her work: creating spaces where people — especially young people — can be seen, heard, supported, and connected to who they are and where they come from. A major thread throughout the conversation is Reconnection Vision, the Indigenous youth-led framework that both guests speak about with deep respect and urgency. The episode explores how this work challenges narrow models of development by asking bigger questions: What does it mean to lead in a good way? How do we make decisions that are grounded in relationship, belonging, language, culture, and land? And how can Indigenous youth help shape the future systems they are inheriting? Blair, Jani, and Katie also discuss women’s leadership, matriarchal values, identity, and the importance of grounding economic systems in the lived realities of community. The conversation moves through entrepreneurship, startup barriers, side hustles, mentorship, Indigenous business support, and the need for more flexible and responsive structures that actually reflect how people build livelihoods in northern communities. Rather than assuming one-size-fits-all models, the episode highlights development approaches that emerge from local need, local interest, and local values. The discussion also dives into food sovereignty and community-based economic ecosystems. Jani shares how Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Development Corporation has been investing in food-related infrastructure and initiatives in Mayo, including a grocery store, farm, communal kitchen space, harvester programming, and other community-rooted systems designed to reduce barriers and create opportunity. These examples open up a larger conversation about resilience, reciprocity, and what it means to build economies that are both practical and human. At its core, this episode is about more than business. It is about how Indigenous economic development can reflect Indigenous values — and how stronger futures are built through connection: to people, to place, to language, to purpose, and to each other. About Arctic Indigenous Investment Series (AIIS)AIIS is a long-form interview series presented by the Yukon First Nation Chamber of Commerce, exploring Indigenous investment, ownership, and economic development across the North through in-depth conversations with leaders working at the intersection of business, government, and community. The series is educational and exploratory in nature and does not include confidential or transactional deal details.
