The National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC) is proud to welcome the Native American Business Association (NABA) as the newest member of its Military and Veteran Organization (MVO) Task Force. Founded in North Texas, NABA was created to fill a critical gap in advocacy for Native American-owned businesses.
“When I launched my own business, I quickly realized that while North Texas had over 30 minority chambers, none focused on Native American-owned businesses,” said Smith, NABA president. “Native businesses were consistently overlooked simply because there wasn’t anyone doing the outreach. We formed NABA to change that.”
NABA’s mission is built on three pillars — advocate, educate, and collaborate — with the goal of empowering Native businesses through resources, networking, and mentorship. The organization connects Native Veteran entrepreneurs directly with procurement officers and corporate buyers, provides mentoring and targeted workshops, advocates for policy change, promotes socioeconomic spend inclusion, and facilitates participation in supplier diversity programs.
“Native Americans represent the largest minority group among Veterans, yet their businesses are often underrepresented. Many of our members are Veterans or come from military families. By joining the NVBDC MVO Task Force, we can help both Native and Veteran-owned businesses thrive together,” said Smith.
What started as a local initiative has expanded to serve members throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia. Among upcoming events are the Reservation Economics Summit (Sept. 24–25) and How to Do Business with Parkland Health (virtual, Sept. 30). These events bring together corporate buyers, procurement leaders, and Indigenous entrepreneurs for workshops, panels, and direct networking, creating a powerful platform for visibility and growth.
To learn more about NABA’s resources for Native Veteran businesses and entrepreneurs, visit nativeamericanbusinessassociation.org.
