Arrowhead Business Group INC

We seek to empower the White Mountain Apache community to take ownership of their future, by fostering autonomy and resilience. Aiming to rejuvenate the entrepreneurial heritage of the tribe and instilling those values and skills in the next generation, we are determined to help reduce the unemployment rate on the reservation.

The Arrowhead Café and Marketplace is a branch of the Arrowhead Business Group (ABG). ABG is a collaboration between the Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health and Barclays Bank that works with the White Mountain Apache Tribe to empower the community through business leadership programs. ABG strives to reduce the unemployment rate, rejuvenate the Tribe's entrepreneurial heritage, and instill life skills in youth while also fostering autonomy and resiliency in the community.
ABG runs a business incubator to start youth and community businesses on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona.

The Arrowhead Café is located within the business incubator and provides a physical space for inter-generational communication and learning, creating new income streams for the community, and teaching life skills while building business acumen. The Arrowhead Café employs Native American high school students to help them realize their entrepreneurial potential while learning and developing critical business skills. The Arrowhead Café keeps youth at the heart of all our decisions and strives to maintain a welcoming atmosphere for community members and passing visitors.

The Arrowhead Café is a bustling center full of delicious foods and vibrant community gatherings. We look forward to seeing you here!

Testimonials

Testimonials from the students who are working at Arrowhead Café and went through the Arrowhead Business Group camp.
Hello,
Being able to participate and be a part of the Arrowhead Business Group has been very beneficial for me, and I'm sure many others. I've met new people, learned new things, and have found myself with many opportunities that wouldn't have happened without the program. Besides making new friends and having new experiences, I've gained a bit more knowledge on what a great entrepreneur is, and how an entrepreneur has the capacity and willingness to develop, organize, and manage a business venture along with any of its risks in order to make profit. The program has sparked new ideas and plans within the youth to impact the community and has built and will continue to build stepping stones toward our future.
Leitisha Leonard

Hello,
My name is Kirstian Cosen-Mansfield. I'm 16-years-old and a junior at Alchesay High School. I've been a member of the Arrowhead Business Group for about 3 years and they've really made an impact on my life. They taught me so much about business (of course), money, and how to be professional. A couple other students and myself went through a series of different courses that taught us about how to start up a business if we wanted to. These past few years I worked with a couple of my friends to start a "popcorn ball" business, which, if I do say so myself, was pretty successful. Then we started a baking business but it wasn't as successful as the popcorn ball business. Now I have a job working at the café which I am so thankful for. Since I've worked, I've had so many new experiences, good and bad. This is my first job and I really enjoy it. Arrowhead is such a good program and I am beyond thankful for them.

Hello!
My name is Ferminia Armstrong. I'm 17-years-old and a senior at Alchesay High School. I've been with the Arrowhead Business Group since 2016, where I went to the Business Camp during the fall of that year. Since then I have come after school to work on ways of how to make income. I started off with making paracord bracelets. Which surprisingly opened a lot of doors for me. I got the chance to teach how to make paracord bracelets to kids and preteens over the summer with Johns Hopkins Basketball camp. I also got the chance to learn how to sell a product to customers during the annual "Santa at the Fort."
Today, I work at the Arrowhead Café. It is so much fun. The staff is really nice, and they are pretty good teachers. I'm so happy I have the chance to work with them. So far I have learned what a shift change is, how to make a caramel macchiato, how it feels during rush hours. It really feels like we are a team. Helping each other out and learning from one another. This is really such a great experience and I can't wait for more to come.

I am Rhiannon Altaha, I am 18 years old. This program helped me in many ways. It helped me to become who I am today. I enjoy working here because it helps me with people skills. I enjoy preparing sandwiches, mixing drinks, and also eating. They helped me come out of my shell. I was very shy at first, but Bex helped me to not be shy. I love baking and making new things. I participate in the basketball camp and now to be an entrepreneur. I made new friends who are my co-workers...