The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe started Makwa Global in 2019 to expand its federal contracting arm, providing government agencies with IT and cybersecurity support, mission advisory, and construction services, to name a few aspects of its vast portfolio; it does business in more than 50 countries. Now under the guidance of growth strategy expert and CEO Anne Defot-Sido, who’s steered it to further profitability, she says it’s all about bringing money back to the tribe, despite the lingering upheaval from DOGE. “With this administration, and every new administration, when we have a shift, you need to understand their priorities, you need to understand what they are saying, what they are actually doing, and where the money is going.”