Any questions or comments please send here!

Happy New Year and welcome back to the Native Edge! We're kicking off 2026 with a very special guest - 2025 Native Woman Business Owner of the Year, Chelsee Pettit. Chelsee came all the way from Canada to our Mesa studio to share her inspiring journey, from learning financial literacy on the fly to building an extremely successful Indigenous clothing retailer. Along the way she won what she describes as "Indigenous Shark Tank."

We met Chelsee at RES 2025, where she was honored as Native Woman Business Owner of the Year. And she's excited to be at RES 2026 is just over two months, where she'll be looking for partners in her latest endeavor. So make sure you learn more about Chelsee on this podcast and meet in in Las Vegas in March.

Speaking of RES, this episode is brought to you by another RES attendee and former podcast guest, Aambé™. Learn more about Aambé™ in a short message at the beginning of the podcast, delivered by company CEO Ron "Hawk" Spoerl.

Thanks for tuning in - and don't forget to check us out on YouTube!

Chelsee Pettit |
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsee-marie-pettit-915a22142

aaniin |
https://www.aaniin.shop

aaniin on Instagram |
https://www.instagram.com/aaniin.hello

aaniin on TikTok |
https://www.tiktok.com/@aaniin.hello?lang=en

Aambé™ |
https://www.aambe.com/

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |

Any questions or comments please send here!

As we wrap season 2 of the The Native Edge during the holiday season, The National Center team reflects on their favorite traditions - some unique, and many shared despite growing up in places as different as Washington state and South Louisiana. Regular hosts Chris and Yvette are joined by Nicole Watson, Erin Abrahamson, and Kyia Jackson (with producer Mikaela Garcia and administrative specialist Charmayne Charley in the background!).

They also look back at some of their favorite episodes of season 2, and talk a bit about the recent trip to New Zealand to foster international Indigenous trade and collaboration.

We hope you enjoy this episode and it helps get you in the holiday spirit. Be sure to check out the episode on our YouTube page, where you can see the close-knit nature of our team. We'll be back in 2026 with new episodes featuring fantastic guests - so stay tuned!

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |

Any questions or comments please send here!

We're bringing you a special episode of the Native Edge, recorded at the Native Art Market in Scottsdale, Arizona. Co-founder Heather Tracy and her mother Denise Rosales joined us during the holidays last year, and we're excited to be on-site with Heather and her sister Shea Tunney in 2025.

Learn about the latest developments at the Native Art Market, and listen to guest host E. Skye Byrd and producer Mikaela Garcia share some of their favorite Native vendors and artisans - with websites on social handles linked below. You can also vote for your favorite food vendor at the Native Art Market by visiting their Instagram page.

Still need to find gifts for your friends and loved ones? Then this is the perfect episode for you. Make sure to also check out the episode on YouTube to see the market first-hand. We'll be back next week for the final episode of 2025 before taking a break for the holidays.

Native Art Market |
https://www.thenativeartmarket.com/

Heather Tracy |
https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-tracy-82764b170/

ASEP Designs |
https://www.asepdesigns.studio/

Kokom Scrunchies |

https://kokomscrunchies.ca/

Copper Canoe Woman |
https://www.coppercanoewoman.com/

OXDX |
https://www.oxdxclothing.com/

Eighth Generation |
https://eighthgeneration.com/

Cherish Skin |
https://www.instagram.com/_cherishskin/?hl=en

Desert Candles and Goods |
https://desertcandlesandgoods.co/

Generational Trauma |
https://generationaltrauma.store/

Iconic Winyan |
https://www.iconicwinyan.com/

Red Line Beauty |
https://www.instagram.com/red_line_beauty/

The Pueblo Apparel |
https://thepueblo.myshopify.com/

Prados Beauty |

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |

Any questions or comments please send here!

For episode 38, we welcome baseball player Jordan Brewer, who will soon suit up for the inaugural season of the Loco Beach Coconuts - one of the six teams that compete in "Banana Ball." Jordan joined us virtually to discuss his career path, from high school football and baseball star, to junior college, to Big 10 Player of the Year at the University of Michigan, to minor league player and now a Banana Baller. Jordan has also recently become a Nike N7 athlete.

Jordan, who is Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, is a testament to never giving up and overcoming adversity and taking the opportunities that come your way - even the ones that you least expect.

We hope you enjoy learning more about Jordan, and make sure to check him out when the Bananas come to town. Preseason kicks off on February 26, 2026, with the regular season opening on April 16. Please download and tell your friends!

Jordan Brewer |
https://www.instagram.com/the_breeze5/

Savannah Bananas and "Banana Ball" |
https://thesavannahbananas.com/

Nike N7 |
https://www.nike.com/n7-native-american-indigenous-heritage

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |

Any questions or comments please send here!

For episode 37, co-hosts Nicole Watson and Yvette Fielder welcome hip hop artist Nataanii Means (Oglala Lakota, Diné, Omaha) to the Mesa studio. Nataanii shares his journey from the Navajo Reservation to becoming a successful musician, and explains how hip hop fits squarely in the Indigenous tradition of storytelling.

In addition to his music, Nataanii has been active in helping Native youth, and stepped up when the recent government shutdown cut off SNAP benefits for those in need. Nicole and Nataanii grew up in the same town, so it's like a conversation with old friends. You can hear his new album on January 8th, 2026, but he's releasing singles regularly in the mean time. Check out where to find him at the bottom.

This is our last installment of our Native American Heritage Month series. But don't worry - we'll be back in December with new content. Please make sure to subscribe - and tell your friends!

Nataanii Means |
https://nataaniimeans.com/

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |

Any questions or comments please send here!

For the third installment of our Native American Heritage Month series, we welcomed Ron "Hawk" Spoerl, President and CEO of Aambé Corporation, to our Mesa studio. Aambé is a platinum sponsor of RES 2026, and is doing incredible work across Indian Country, particularly in health care where they are helping tribes tap into a multi-trillion-dollar industry that also provides vital services to their citizens.

Ron shares his own story, as well as Aambé's, which means "let's go" in Ojibwe. In addition to health care, Ron discusses Aambé's work in sports, including the upcoming Native American Heritage Month partnership with the NBA G-League's Wisconsin Herd. You can also learn more about Aambé and Ron in a Q&A available on The National Center's website. And of course, make sure to meet Ron and learn more at RES.

Before Ron joins the episode, hear about some of Yvette's new initiatives, including her appointment as a Board member of Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West. Thanks for tuning in - and make sure to check back next week for the last installment of our Native American Heritage Month series!

Aambé Corporation |
https://www.aambe.com/

Ron "Hawk" Spoerl |
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-s-b8856110/

Q&A with Ron on National Center's Website |
https://ncaied.org/stories-media/press-releases.html/article/2025/11/12/aamb-is-leading-a-movement-into-the-next-era-of-tribal-economic-growth

Wisconsin Herd Native American Heritage Month Partnership |
https://wisconsin.gleague.nba.com/news/wisconsin-herd-to-celebrate-native-american-heritage-month

Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West |
https://westernspirit.org/

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |

Any questions or comments please send here!

In our second episode of Native American Heritage Month, Chris and Yvette welcome Maria Dadgar, Executive Director of the Inter Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA), to The National Center's headquarters. It's a familiar location for Maria, who spent many years working for The National Center, culminating with a stint as acting President and CEO.

Maria leads an organization that represents the diverse interests of 21 tribes in Arizona. As she discusses, much of her role is that is navigating across governments - tribal, state, local, and federal - and other organizations and non-profits. ITCA operates more than 30 projects and employs a staff of 70 to provide on-going technical assistance and training to tribal governments in program planning and development, research and data collection, resource development, management and evaluation

Prior to her time at ITCA, Maria was instrumental in creating the Washington Internship for Native Students (a program Chris relied on when he was at SBA), worked in the private sector, and started her own business.

We hope you enjoy the episode - and stay tuned for new content each week during November!

Maria Dadgar |
https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-dadgar-mba-722b6354/

ITCA |
https://itcaonline.com/

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |

Any questions or comments please send here!

In episode 34, guest hosts Nicole Watson and Mikaela Garcia welcome Eunique Yazzie to the studio. Eunique (Diné) has a background in graphic arts, and is a founding member of Cahokia, LLC. Cahokia, located in downtown Phoenix, is a cultural space created for Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs to collaborate, innovate, and increase the collective wealth of underserved populations.

Eunique discusses the journey that led her to Cahokia, including a stint as a graphic designer for the Arizona Republic, as well as the challenges of simultaneously working in corporate America and representing the cultural values of her Indigenous community.

This is the first episode in our Native American Heritage Month series. We'll be releasing episodes weekly throughout the month, so check back every Tuesday morning - or simply subscribe on your favorite platform - for new content from inspiring guests!

Eunique Yazzie |
https://www.linkedin.com/in/euniqueyazzie/

Eunique's Instagram |
https://www.instagram.com/euniquellc/

Cahokia |
https://www.cahokiaphx.com/

Support the show

Support The National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development |
https://ncaied.org/get-involved/make-a-gift-today.html

Register for RES |
https://res.ncaied.org/

This podcast is brought to you in part through the generous support of the Rich Davis and Tylynn Gordon Charitable Fund.

Stay Updated 👇👇
@NCAIED 📲 Web | Monthly Newsletter | Facebook | Instagram |YouTube | LinkedIn | X | TikTok |