Indigenous Peoples
Set Up Shop
Ready to start or expand your business?
Looking to be your own boss? Set Up Shop is here to help!
Our Indigenous Peoples Set Up Shop program provides business training and assistance, product design, and lending services for Alaska Native and American Indian entrepreneurs. These services are FREE, and Indigenous-led in partnership with Cook Inlet Tribal Council and Cook Inlet Lending Center.
Whether you have just an idea, a new business, or an established business, Set Up Shop can provide the tools needed to grow, and ongoing resources to help your continued self-employment journey.
Program Outline
1
FREE Business Training:
Participants will join trainings on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings, with our next cohort beginning in November 2023.
Each week, class will feature topics to help you grow your business, including business planning, operations, marketing, financials, and more, all taught by experienced staff and industry professionals from Indigenous communities. Specialized topics include a class from Cook Inlet Tribal Council’s Super Fab Lab on product development & design thinking, and a class by Cook Inlet Lending Center on accessing capital for your business.
The training will be shared with a cohort of Indigenous entrepreneurs who are all working towards launching and growing. At the end of the 8-session training, you and your peers will receive continued one-on-one support and resources to help you achieve your business goals.
Interested, but these dates don't work for you? We hold two cohorts each year in the spring and fall- stay tuned for the final dates coming soon!
2
FREE Product Development and Testing:
During and after the training, participants will have access to the Cook Inlet Tribal Council’s Super Fab Lab, offering space, equipment, and resources to help you design and build your product. Participants can manufacture prototypes of their products, screen-print merchandise and logo wear, design and build booth displays, use software to solve business problems, and much more, with educators at the Super Fab Lab available to help. FREE available equipment includes:
- laser-powered cutter and etcher that works with wood
- acrylic and other materials
- a vinyl cutter used for graphics and masking applications
- a mini desktop milling machine that plots copper and other materials to make antennae, circuit boards and more
- a large robotic router system
- an industrial embroidery machine
- 3D printers capable of producing fully assembled objects with moving parts
3
Access to Lending Services:
Each participating entrepreneur will have access to education and one-on-one support from small business loan officers at Cook Inlet Lending Center to discuss the customized small business loan options available to help finance your business now or in the future.
Interested in joining?
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but must be received by November 14th for consideration in our November cohort. If the November cohort dates don't work for you, don't worry- we will also be holding a cohort beginning January 30th, 2024, and can consider you for that cohort instead. Fill out our quick and easy application at the link below, and our team will follow up with you to discuss your goals. Participants must be available for the training dates, and must identify as Alaska Native or American Indian to be eligible.
Our next cohort will run from November 28th-December 13th, 2023, on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Have questions? Reach out to Program Coordinator Zach Lane at zlane@anchoragelandtrust.org!