Starting any entrepreneurial development project means juggling uncertainty, challenges, excitement and a whole lot of moving parts. As most who work in this field will comment, no one can predict how a project will go. One thing is for certain, a project is made and sustained by the people that believe in it. For the Piġuqtuq Entrepreneurial Inspiration Project, one such person who believed, putting that belief into action on the Project Management Team, is Chad.
Chad believes that promoting economic development and entrepreneurship to the people in his community is important. Hearing what the Piġuqtuq project was trying to do and how it was going to operate, he assessed that it would be a good step in that direction. He sensed a correlation between the entrepreneurial support of the Piġuqtuq Entrepreneurial Inspiration Project, to inspire people, and come alongside them as they learned the tools of business, that could lead to an all-round positive effect on the community as a whole.
As the Piġuqtuq Project started up, Chad was able to listen and learn from the stakeholders involved, particularly the community itself. At the core of the project was and is the goal to facilitate the launch and growth of local small businesses, even at a small scale, with sustained success. Chad supported this goal and scope, explaining that he believes ultimately, successful small businesses lead to an increasingly healthy and involved community. The strength of the project is underpinned by the community, and so too then, the positive outcomes benefit the entirety of the community.
By being involved as a volunteer in the Piġuqtuq Project, Chad explains he has enjoyed the opportunity to discuss people’s business ideas with them. What struck him was how invigorating and encouraging it was to see people imagine possibilities. Through being on the ground, by being on the Project Management Team, Chad was able to see how the project thrived because of the entrepreneurs that responded to its offer of guidance and support. Better yet, as a community member, Chad was able to have meaningful conversations and show his support. Community for community.
Seeing positive developments from the functioning of Piġuqtuq Project has been another highlight that sticks out to Chad. A new Saturday market was supported by the Project, entrepreneurs attending and many community members attending. Able to show off their businesses and have their community interact in real time with their products and services, was a distinct moment of pride and success for the Piġuqtuq Project and its entrepreneurs.
It is such successes and experiences from both entrepreneurs, and the Project Management Team members, that makes the Piġuqtuq Project the exciting, developing and community centered means of community success it is and will continue to be.
Working in the renewable energy sector for Kotzebue, Chad has been working to further clean energy projects in the region, which he sees as a powerful way to bring positive effects on the local economy. Delving into Chad’s background it is encouraging to see a correlation of skills in formal work translated to being a significant resource for the Project Management Team of the Piġuqtuq Project. Chad has enjoyed pragmatic, logical thinking to solve issues, a few years ago conducting an exercise to ask himself what problem he would like to solve in the future. From this exercise he landed on a trajectory that excited him, learning and adopting new technology, so as to make a positive impact hit home for him.
Chad understands the difficulties facing entrepreneurs. A significant challenge is working with different people and organizations, some of them far out of comfort zones and familiar culture, in order to reach project and business milestones. To work with technology, organizations and functions that are unfamiliar is a hurdle but a hurdle that can be overcome with a team. Leveraging other people’s skills, passions and experience can mean the difference between being stuck in front of a mountain, to having another set of eyes to spot a path around the mountain. This is the privilege and passion for those on the Piġuqtuq Project Management Team and Resource Team.
Chad believes a way forward for many in the Borough economically is working alongside people with different backgrounds and experiences to them, to learn and grow from people and cultures outside their region. With heritage within the family of the Inupiaq people, he encourages assessing a person on the content of their character first and foremost, regardless of their background. Respecting the Inupiaq ways, and Western ways, and bringing them together will help foster economic and social growth in the Northwest Arctic Borough (NWAB).
Chad says from his experiences with the Piġuqtuq Project he sees there are opportunities for the NWAB region and businesses in these villages. He believes it will take a sustained effort by the community for the community to achieve long term success.
Through the Piġuqtuq Project, the Project Management team, the Resource team and SEF is thrilled to do just that. To keep doing the work, to support the community in finding and creating its own sustainable economic and social success.