Aboriginal business owners feted for achievements.

In the digital age business owners now live in, it can be quite a challenge to stay abreast of new technology. Not only does Darlene Naponse accept the challenge, she relishes it.

"I enjoy expanding and changing with the technology," Naponse says. "I am constantly reading trade magazines about the field, learning about any new technology. I want to go wherever the technology takes me, but only to a certain point. You have to be able to balance the new technology with the traditions of our people. That is a very important balance."

Naponse, who is the winner of this year's Waubetek Business Development Corp. Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Award, owns and operates Pine Needle Blankets Productions in Whitefish Lake. The business is a "one-stop source for multimedia, Web publishing, computer graphics and digital video/film production services."

Naponse joins a forester, a chiropractor and operators of a trading post, all of whom were feted for their achievements during the 2001 Waubetek Business Awards event on Nov. 8 on Whitefish Lake First Nation.

Among this year's winners were: Josh Eshkawkogan, owner of Eshkawkogan Timber Co. (Business Merit Award); Lisa Cadotte, owner and operator of the Lockerby Chiropractic Clinic in Sudbury (New Entrepreneur of the Year Award); and the Serpent River Trading Post off Highway 17, midway between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie (Business Achievement Award).

After doing freelance work for seven years, Naponse says she thought it was time to start her own multimedia company.

"I was getting a little tired of working for other people," Naponse says. "I wanted to go out on my own. Plus the opportunities were there in the multimedia area."

She also had education as a solid foundation, having graduated from Humber College's multimedia course in 1994. Pine Needle Blankets Productions has now been operating for over a year.

Reflecting on the beginnings of her business, Naponse says "it certainly was a struggle, especially coming up with the capital to get the business off the ground."

By investing her savings, acquiring funding from the Waubetek Business Development Corp. through its Youth Entrepreneurship Program and securing a bank loan, she was able to build the financial support she needed to get the business started.

When Naponse refers to her business as "multimedia," an emphasis should be placed on the term "multi." Her services include video and film production, Web site design, CD Rom and DVD production, writing, and graphic design.

Recent projects include the development of a tourism video for Waubetek, designing several posters and business cards for local businesses and producing a documentary on the Robinson-Huron Treaty, the latter being a project she has always been interested in undertaking.

She believes her strongest marketing tool is "good, creative work." For her, that means ensuring that although she is using creative, high technology, the finished product is still clean, crisp and technically competent. She does not spend a lot of time or money on advertising, and says word of mouth is effective.

Naponse was born and raised in Whitefish Lake.

"Ever since I started in this line of work, I have incorporated the work into jobs in my community. Three years ago I produced a documentary on the youth of Whitefish Lake."

She has also completed a few short films that have been seen by international audiences at well-known film festivals. One of her films, Abandoned Houses on the Reservation, made it to the Sundance Film Festival. Naponse recently finished work on Retrace, her latest film.

For potential Aboriginal entrepreneurs to succeed, Naponse says one must enjoy their line of work.

"You have to love what you do. Through that, you develop the hard work and dedication you need to be successful..."