Tribal Economic Development

Waséyabek

Tribal Economic Development highlights best practices for creating, implementing, and sustaining plans that lead to success in Indian Country. The podcast is hosted by Waséyabek, an economic development firm dedicated to creating a sustainable path forward for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi.

Episodes

  1. 10/22/2025

    Bridging Cultures: Waséyabek and The Harvard Kennedy School Featuring Eric Henson and Justin Lowe

    Eric Henson, Citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard University, Director of the Ittapila Program for Nation Building and Outreach, and a long-time research fellow and affiliate with the Harvard Project joins the Tribal Economic Development podcast alongside Justin Lowe, Native Hawaiian, Captain and Strategist for the U.S. Army, and recent graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School. Collectively, the group discusses the ongoing collaboration between Waséyabek and Harvard that recently resulted in the generation of “Bridging Cultures,” a guide for non-Tribal businesses seeking to establish partnerships with Tribal businesses outside of the gaming space. The guide, which was created as part of Henson’s “Nation Building II: Native Americans in the Twenty-First Century” course, covers corporate governance, cultures and values, and Tribal sovereignty and law, and can be leveraged to established fruitful relationships between non-Tribal businesses and Tribal enterprises. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Army, Department of War, or the U.S. Government. Waséyabek is a 100% Tribally-owned holding company that manages the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi’s non-gaming economic development activities. Follow us on: Our Website: https://waseyabek.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/waseyabek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Waseyabek Intro and outro music by Woodland Stream: Owyn Zapata, Co-Lead Singer Chinodin Atkinson, Singer Nolan Austin, Singer Mon-eé Zapata, Back-Up Singer O’Felia Zapata, Back-Up Singer Onyleen Zapata, Back-Up Singer Tribal Economic Development, a Waséyabek podcast, is recorded and produced at River City Studios in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    44 min
  2. 09/25/2025

    The Harvard Project and Michigan's 2024 Non-Gaming Tribal Economic Impact Study Featuring Eric Henson

    Eric Henson, Citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Adjunct Lecturer at Harvard University, Director of the Ittapila Program for Nation Building and Outreach, and a long-time research fellow and affiliate with the Harvard Project, joins Tribal Economic Development to discuss Waséyabek's continued partnership with Harvard, including a series of guest lectures we've presented, projects we've collaborated on, and our continued utilization of the Harvard Project's pillars in everyday business activities. The group also discusses the recently released 2024 Michigan Non-Gaming Tribal Economic Impact Study, which revealed how Michigan’s Tribal Nations are leveraging their sovereignty to drive economic growth, sustainability, and prosperity at local, regional, and statewide levels. Waséyabek is a 100% Tribally-owned holding company that manages the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi’s non-gaming economic development activities. Follow us on: Our Website: https://waseyabek.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/waseyabek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Waseyabek Intro and outro music by Woodland Stream: Owyn Zapata, Co-Lead Singer Chinodin Atkinson, Singer Nolan Austin, Singer Mon-eé Zapata, Back-Up Singer O’Felia Zapata, Back-Up Singer Onyleen Zapata, Back-Up Singer Tribal Economic Development, a Waséyabek podcast, is recorded and produced at River City Studios in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    42 min
  3. 06/27/2024

    Strategic Planning and Tribal Foundations Featuring DWH and Small Consulting Group

    Ben Borisch, managing partner at DWH, and Bryan Small, CEO of Small Consulting Group and Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Tribal Member, join Tribal Economic Development to discuss the keys to developing and implementing a successful strategic plan in Indian Country. Topics covered include the importance of governance, the role values play in supporting your strategic plan, and the potential benefits of working with a third party throughout the process. DWH is a business consulting firm with expertise in financial advising; strategic and succession planning; mergers & acquisitions; turnaround & restructuring; and Tribal economic development. DWH is part of the Waséyabek family of companies. Learn more at https://dwhcorp.com/ Small Consulting Group is a client-focused consultancy dedicated to building organization capacity, growing strong economies, and advancing asset-based community development utilizing innovative tools and a data-driven approach to achieve measurable outcomes.​ The company specializes in economic growth in Indian Country. Learn more at http://www.smallconsulting.net/ Waséyabek is a 100% Tribally-owned holding company that manages the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi’s non-gaming economic development activities. Follow us on: Our Website: https://waseyabek.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/waseyabek Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Waseyabek Intro and outro music by Woodland Stream: Owyn Zapata, Co-Lead Singer Chinodin Atkinson, Singer Nolan Austin, Singer Mon-eé Zapata, Back-Up Singer O’Felia Zapata, Back-Up Singer Onyleen Zapata, Back-Up Singer Tribal Economic Development, a Waséyabek podcast, is recorded and produced at River City Studios in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

    1 hr
5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Tribal Economic Development highlights best practices for creating, implementing, and sustaining plans that lead to success in Indian Country. The podcast is hosted by Waséyabek, an economic development firm dedicated to creating a sustainable path forward for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi.