For Immediate Release

July 1, 2008

A new form of business consultancy and web site has started out of the Northern woods on the Leech Lake Indian Reservation.   The web site www.tribalbusinessbuilder.com was the brain child of veteran attorney/businessman and Leech Lake tribal member John Herrera who also holds an MBA degree.  The web site describes the key services provided by the firm based on past experiences in growing businesses that are tribally owned, individual Indian owned or owned by non-Indians.

There are a few key differences in this site that tribes and those interested in doing business with tribes will appreciate.  First, the business consultant describes a unique methodology for economic growth that only exists on reservations.  Each tribal community is treated differently from state to state regarding the collection of state taxes based on formal agreements. 

The consultant has spent a great deal of time researching and advising tribal communities on how to use these agreements in order to create business development strategies.  The methodology took the name as two bites at the apple because of its focus on dual revenue production.  Tribal groups being both market participants and parties to tax agreements with states have been able to cause two forms of revenues based on each activity.

According to Herrera there are many ways tribes can create winning revenue strategies that are most often overlooked.  Next, in addition to the above strategy there are strategies that include some overlooked ways to increase revenues from gaming operations.  Although there is a point of diminishing return even to gaming there are proven strategies that tribes have used that create revenues internally servicing gaming.

Lastly, tribal communities have become an attractive place for outside money to make investments.   The obvious outside money came as a result of gaming but this firm has advised many non-Indians regarding some unique advantages that even a non-Indian business can utilize in order to help make a sound decision to invest within a reservation.  All in all the website and its author have put new hope into business development by simply showing how best to leverage the many existing advantages within tribal communities.