How This Native American CEO Is Helping Her Community Own Its Worth

Determining price in negotiation involves issues of cost, market value and an important definition of worth. That power in pricing is important to Bethany Yellowtail. Yellowtail is the CEO and designer of the B.Yellowtail label, a fashion line that reflects her contemporary take on her Apsaalooke (Crow) & Tsetsehestahese & So’taeo’o (Northern Cheyenne) Native American Indian heritage. She started her career with BCBG Max Azria Group, moving on to be lead pattern maker for several private labels before launching her own brand. Yellowtail also recently developed the B.Yellowtail Collective, an online brand featuring Native American makers. A chance meeting inspired her to help her community make an important change. Let's see what she has to share:

B.YELLOWTAIL is a line created by designer Bethany Yellowtail, who’s vision and brand values reflect her Native American Indian heritage. She also created the B.Yellowtail Collective, including pieces in this image. The Collective elevates authentic indigenous art and provides entrepreneurial opportunities for Native people. (Photo courtesy of Thosh Collins.)

Tanya Tarr: What do you think of when you hear the word 'negotiation'?

Bethany Yellowtail: I think the concept of negotiation has a negative connotation to it. But I know negotiation means so much more that arguing, and I am constantly negotiating and problem-solving in my own business. Our team has to do our due diligence on sourcing the best fabric and labor while still maintaining the integrity of the clothing we're creating. We're constantly negotiating on price with manufacturers and vendors, and at the same time, we're mindful of things like fair wages. It's important to me that people are compensated properly. That's actually part of why I started the B.Yellowtail Collective.

Tarr: Can you tell me more about how you developed the Collective?

Yellowtail: Yes, it's an online brand initiative I started recently. There's a story that goes with it, too. I had an important moment at a gas station on my reservation in Montana last summer. By the way, there's only one gas station on the reservation. There is no cell service or wifi at all.

I was waiting in line to pay, and a man came and asked if I wanted to buy a pair of earrings he had made. When I asked him how much, he said "oh just $15. I need gas money." At first, I was excited because the earrings were beautiful. But given the real cost of materials and labor, I realized those earrings should have been priced at around $75. He was underselling himself and undervaluing his work.

That moment had an impact on me. On that same trip, I saw my family make beautiful works of art, but they also weren't pricing things correctly. Unemployment is so high on the reservation, and a lot of people make jewelry to generate income and get by. It's important to note, too, that this jewelry isn't just crafts, it's art and tradition that have been handed down through generations. It's in our DNA to make beautiful things, and we should be valued for it.  I asked myself, how could I figure out a way to help create a sustainable living for my community?

Tarr: Is that what inspired creating the Collective?

Yellowtail: Yes. I knew that technology could bridge this gap. The Collective features 15 Native artists right now. We have artists who do incredible beadwork, and before the Collective, they were selling their art for a fourth of it's true value. I was heartbroken. Pricing reflects how we value our creativity and ourselves, particularly as people of color. And the thing is, people want this art. It is valuable, and the pricing should reflect that, even if we're unsure initially of what people might be willing to spend.

It's also important to understand market value and how it supports price. The only option for most of these artists is to sell to the local community, where people don't have much disposable income. So that's a big reason why I started the Collective. It's like a consignment store - we split the sale price with the artist in a fair way, and they get most of the proceeds.

With my artists, I had to have many negotiations with them on pricing their work. Many were afraid of raising their prices. But I showed them why I was asking them to do this by laying out the formula - cost of materials and labor, as well as profit margin. They realized why I was asking them to raise their prices. It's important to me that these artist get paid what they're worth. I have the ability to bring their art to a new market and help make that happen. I still think the pricing is a little low, but for the market I'm catering to, we're in a sweet spot.

Bethany Yellowtail (right) talks with business partner Kim Meraz. Including her community in conversations about price and how to define success is an important part of Yellowtail's negotiating style. (Photo courtesy of Thosh Collins)

Tarr: Where do you see your label and the Collective going next?

Yellowtail: My bigger goal and dream is to bring manufacturing jobs back to my community. I mostly manufacture in downtown Los Angeles right now. I actually learned how to sew on my reservation, so that inspires me to someday bring that creative work back to the reservation and create jobs. The creativity there is immense. I think the Collective was the first stepping stone in making this happen. But before I can bring that manufacturing work to the reservation, I have to have another set of negotiations with my community. I need to include them first in that conversation, and create a vision of the work we might do together, that might be truly sustainable.

Tarr: What's your negotiation advice for young designers?

Yellowtail: The most important thing is to know your worth and your value, and be firm and clear on what that is. You have to say a little flexible so that deals can happen, but you have to be firm in your truth and your commitment to quality. That might sound basic but it's helped me the most as a designer.

by Tanya Tarr