44 Competitors

Competing with other event planners is not something that causes Julie concerns. She states that her uniqueness is established by being an Indigenous owner and operator, and her connections to the Indigenous community and to the Nation solidify this distinction. Especially when the customers are non-Indigenous organizations, they value her insights, her experience, and her connections to her community.

It has happened that Indigenous community members offered event planning services on an individual level, especially when “expressions of interest” were published by larger organizations, but these individuals typically do not carry insurance and are not registered, and that is something the organizations require due to their policies and rules.

Because of her unique experience and skills, and her professional business setup, there are no direct competitors in her local area. A secondary level of competition might be organizations that have the funds and human resources to put on their own events; they are typically well-executed. Sometimes Julie notices details of these well-planned events that she would have liked to provide and organize, but she also sees this as a learning opportunity. It gives her ideas for new items or speakers to bring to her local area.