Across Michigan, Indigenous-owned businesses are leaving their mark—helping build infrastructure, protect natural resources and create opportunities for their communities. Companies like Northern Lights Family Outfitters and Jeta Corporation are not just growing their businesses; they’re shaping a stronger, more connected economy.
Through partnerships rooted in mutual respect and shared goals, Indigenous businesses and industry leaders are finding ways to work together—ensuring projects are not only successful but also aligned with community values. These collaborations highlight the important role Indigenous entrepreneurs play in driving both economic progress and cultural preservation.
Equipping communities for success
For Shannon Redding, founder of Levering, MI-based Northern Lights Family Outfitters, the mission is clear: safety first. Her business provides high-quality flame-resistant protective gear to local energy and infrastructure workers. Setting up shop at job sites, Shannon and her team make it easier for workers to get the equipment they need, when they need it.
Through partnerships with companies like Enbridge, Northern Lights has expanded its reach to job sites across Michigan, offering on-the-ground solutions to keep workers protected. “Enbridge truly is trying to support Michigan, and they’re trying to support local and small business, and in my case, Indigenous-owned companies,” says Shannon.
Partnerships between Indigenous businesses, like Northern Lights and Enbridge, help strengthen connections and promote meaningful collaboration. Supporting Indigenous-owned businesses plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth and mutual respect, creating opportunities for both industries and communities to succeed.
Rooted in community and environmental stewardship
Linda Grow, founder of Jeta Corporation, has built her business on giving women a voice. As a member of the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Linda understands the deep connection Indigenous people have to the land and water, and she is an advocate for projects that are environmentally safe and promote economic development like the Great Lakes Tunnel Project.
“I support the Great Lakes Tunnel—because of their safety program, because it will protect the safety of our waterways,” says Linda, whose company performs contract work for Enbridge through its Tribal supply chain program. “We need to protect everything we can for the coming generations.”
Adds Linda: “I’ve educated myself on Enbridge. I wanted to make sure I’m aligning myself with ethical companies concerned about our nature and our wetlands. That’s what’s important to me, and I think that’s important to a lot of Native Americans.”
Through Jeta Corporation’s participation, Linda has shown how Indigenous-owned businesses can achieve both economic growth and cultural preservation. By collaborating on major infrastructure projects, she’s creating opportunities for her community while staying true to her values.
Building bridges through collaboration
For both Shannon and Linda, partnerships with businesses like Enbridge have been pivotal. Through Enbridge’s Tribal engagement program, companies can access critical resources and opportunities that not only strengthen their business but generate local jobs and career development for Indigenous communities.
A legacy of shared purpose
As the Great Lakes Tunnel Project moves closer to construction, the collaboration between Enbridge, Indigenous businesses and local communities becomes more than just a project—it’s an opportunity to build lasting, meaningful partnerships. This includes employing qualified Tribal citizens during construction, offering opportunities for Tribal businesses, and consulting to protect and preserve cultural resources.
“We all have a common goal,” says Tom Schwartz, Senior Vice President of Strategic Projects and Partnerships in the Liquids Pipelines business at Enbridge. “Let’s work together. We welcome all opportunities to connect, talk together, learn from one another and find common ground.”
For Linda, Shannon, and their teams, these partnerships are about more than just growth—they’re about creating real opportunities for their businesses and their communities. By working with companies like Enbridge, they gain access to resources, new markets and support that help them succeed in an increasingly competitive landscape.
It’s about getting the job done, together, while ensuring that the land and people they depend on are respected along the way.
Learn more about these businesses: Check out these videos to see how Northern Lights Family Outfitters and Jeta Corporation are making a difference in their communities.
Article courtesy of Enbridge, a proud member of SBAM. To learn more about them, visit enbridge.com/michigan.
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