Indigenous Business Month: Celebrating Strength, Culture and Collaboration

October is Indigenous Business Month (IBM) shining a spotlight on the excellence, innovation, and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. IBM was founded by three First Nations women—graduates of the Melbourne Business School’s MURRA Indigenous Business Master Class Program—who believed business could be a powerful vehicle for leadership, community wellbeing, and economic independence.

Since its inception more than a decade ago, IBM has grown into a national, community-led celebration that honours the resilience, creativity, and economic contributions of First Nations entrepreneurs. The impact of Indigenous businesses is tangible: over the past decade, they’ve seen remarkable growth—estimated around a 74–75 % increase in business numbers, a 115 % rise in gross income, and the creation of over 22,000 jobs.

This Year’s Theme: "Strength through Collaboration"

In 2025, as Indigenous Business Month marks its 11th year, the theme is “Strength through Collaboration. The theme highlights the deeply rooted cultural practice of working together—across Country, culture, and even continents—to build resilient and future-facing businesses. As Dr Michelle Evans, Director of the Dilin Duwa Centre for Indigenous Business Leadership and co-founder of IBM, puts it:

“Respectful and shared decision-making is the epitome of Indigenous ways of being. ‘Strength through collaboration’ of the very genuine kind will see us through to an economically powerful Indigenous Australia.”

Togetherness—with community, corporations, government, not-for-profits, grassroots initiatives, and allies—drives innovation, opportunities, and empowerment in Indigenous business.

Indigenous Business Month isn’t just a celebratory period—it’s a movement extending beyond October. It:

• Amplifies self-determination and economic leadership in Indigenous communities.
• Showcases a vibrant and expanding entrepreneurial sector that strengthens culture, preserves Country, and boosts local economies.
• Fosters meaningful collaborations that drive sustainable growth, reconciliation, and shared prosperity under the principle of collective strength.

In the spirit of “Strength through Collaboration,” there’s so much we can all do:

• Seek out and support First Nations-owned businesses—from arts, fashion, and tech, to tourism and services.
• Choose certified Indigenous businesses, like  those listed by Supply Nation, which ensures they are at least 51 % Indigenous-owned, managed, and controlled.
• Engage with and uplift initiatives like Jawun, which connects business and government secondees with Indigenous organisations for capacity-building and impactful partnerships.

One of the easiest and most impactful ways to support Indigenous business is through the Welcome to Country Marketplace — we are not-for-profit social enterprise  that is Indigenous led and operated, we are dedicated to showcasing and selling First Nations products and experiences.

The Marketplace exists to:

• Support Indigenous entrepreneurs and artists by providing a national platform for their work.
• Create opportunities for cultural exchange through unique products, art, fashion, books, and immersive travel experiences.
• Reinvest back into community, strengthening the social and economic wellbeing of First Nations entrepreneurs.

By shopping with the Welcome to Country Marketplace, every purchase is more than a transaction — it’s a direct investment in cultural preservation, business growth, and reconciliation.

Make a meaningful impact—shop with purpose, support First Nations business, and explore the Welcome to Country Marketplace to discover incredible Indigenous products, experiences, and stories.

References

• Indigenous Business Month
• 2025 Theme Launch: Strength through Collaboration
• Celebrating 10 Years of Indigenous Business Month — Indigenous.gov.au
• Making Our Mark — BW Tribal
• Toward Economic Reconciliation — Advertising Council Australia
• Reconciliation SA — Indigenous Business Month
• National Indigenous Times — 2025 IBM Theme
• Celebrating Indigenous Business Excellence — ATSI Jobs
• Supply Nation — Wikipedia
• Jawun — Wikipedia