The current national unemployment rate, hovering below 4 percent as of June, gets a lot of attention in the press — and from politicians touting a “great” economy. But the picture is not rosy for all Americans. According to the December 2018 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report Broken Promises: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans, approximately 12 percent of Native Americans are unemployed.

There’s no doubt that despite challenges like chronic economic disparity and a shortage of capital (both start-up and expansion), the number of Native American–owned businesses is growing across the board.