Sask. aboriginal entrepreneur receives national award

Neechie Gear started out as a way to give back and now the founder and CEO is receiving a national entrepreneur award.

Kendal Netmaker grew up on Sweetgrass First Nation in a low-income family and couldn’t afford extra-curricular activities. In Grade 5, his friend from South Africa shared Netmaker’s story with his family and they offered to pay soccer fees and give Netmaker a lift to games and practices.

“It was my first opportunity to take part in organized sports. Fast forward to university, I had the same idea to give back the way my friend helped me but through a business model,” he said.

Last week Netmaker received the 2015 National Youth Aboriginal Entrepreneur Award from the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. The award recognizes up-and-coming aboriginal entrepreneurs under the age of 35.

After high school, Netmaker landed a college volleyball scholarship and got a teaching degree. During his time in school, he developed what is now known as Neechie Gear, which donates five per cent of its net profits to help kids play sports.

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“A lot of these kids go on to post-secondary or they’ve gotten really amazing jobs already. Actually one of our former athletes is now an employee for us,” Netmaker said.

In 2012, Neechie Gear won Saskatoon’s Finest Entrepreneur Award which afforded Netmaker rent-free pop-up shop space at Centre Mall. The lifestyle clothing store now has a permanent location in the mall.

Neechie is a slang form of “friend” in Cree, which is widely spoken on Sweetgrass First Nation.

“We use it to create this cool brand that really was just a brand selling clothes that tried to raise money for kids. Then it became really cool and popular and a full-time job,” Netmaker said.

kyeske@rawlco.com

On Twitter: @karinyeske