By Khera Alexander
“Why am I chasing when I could just be building?”
That question changed everything for Nadine Bernard.
As a Mi’kmaq woman from the We’koqma’q First Nation, Nadine spent nearly two decades in diversity, equity, and inclusion and Indigenous relations roles. She had built a career within established organizations, following what seemed like the natural trajectory.
Then, an unexpected layoff forced her to re-evaluate everything.
Instead of looking for another role, she saw an opportunity — one that had been missing in the corporate landscape. She envisioned an entity that could bridge the gap between Indigenous communities and Canadian businesses, dismantle systemic barriers, and further Truth and Reconciliation from words into action.
So, she built it. Indigevisor was born.
“I did a name search of ‘Indigenous’ and ‘advisor’ as one word, which became Indigevisor,” Nadine recalls. “It was available. I took that as a sign.”
Launching a business is never easy, and Nadine knew she had to be strategic. She took on a full-time job to fund Indigevisor while dedicating nights and weekends to business courses. She also brought in a sales consultant to sharpen her brand positioning, ensuring that Indigevisor wasn’t just another consultancy, but a force for meaningful, lasting change.
Today, Indigevisor connects Canadian businesses with Indigenous communities through strategic partnerships and economic reconciliation initiatives. The firm helps organizations integrate Indigenous procurement, employment, and education into their business strategies, working with governments, industries, and Indigenous enterprises to build long-term, equitable relationships.
One of its key focuses? Call to Action 92. Indigevisor actively pushes corporations to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ensuring equitable access to jobs, training, and leadership roles while fostering deeper awareness of Indigenous history.
Through initiatives like cultural competency training, capacity-building programs, and the powerful blanket exercise, Indigevisor equips businesses to go beyond performative allyship—turning intention into impact.
And the results speak for themselves.
In just six years, Indigevisor has helped Indigenous businesses secure major procurement contracts and workforce opportunities — even on billion-dollar projects. It has become a go-to partner for companies looking to move from symbolic gestures to tangible, measurable progress.
“Helping Indigenous businesses qualify, bid, and succeed on large-scale projects — that’s a real KPI of economic reconciliation,” Nadine says.
Her leadership hasn’t gone unnoticed.
After being nominated in 2023 for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, Nadine didn’t move forward with the application. But when she was nominated again in 2024, she looked back at her company’s progress and realized:
“We did everything we said we were going to do. We really progressed in a way that moved us forward. I felt super confident to apply this time.”
That confidence paid off. Nadine won the Micro-Business category at the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, a recognition of her vision, resilience, and commitment to economic reconciliation.
“Everything I had worked hard for — every sacrifice, every tough decision, every challenge — culminated in that moment,” she reflects. “To share that win with people I respect and love, to speak my language, to do a land acknowledgment — it was a beautiful moment.”
With Indigevisor’s momentum and a national award under her belt, Nadine isn’t slowing down.
Her next goal? Expanding her impact by bringing more Indigenous consultants into the work — one business, one partnership, one community at a time.
This article was originally posted on Women of Influence+
