"JEFF YASTINE, NIGHTLY BUSINESS REPORT CORRESPONDENT: The rolling hills of Nebraska's northeastern plains, since the 1860s, the home of the Winnebago tribe of Nebraska. The main community here, the village of Winnebago is small, but tribal elders have big ambitions. Big because over the past 15 years, the Winnebagos have built a conglomerate of more than a dozen businesses. First came gaming. The WinnaVegas casino opened near the Missouri River in 1993. But its isolated location and nearby competition meant gaming here would never be the huge moneymaker it is for other Native American tribes. So, two years later, tribal elders took $8 million from the casino and created a new venture, HCI (Ho-Chunk Inc.). From that came a string of businesses, a construction division, a chain of convenience stores and motels, a modular home maker, a Native American products retailer and companies distributing everything from cigarettes to telecommunications gear. HCI's Chief Operating Officer Annette Hamilton says those businesses play practical and spiritual, roles for the tribe.

ANNETTE HAMILTON, COO, HO-CHUNK: I think it's important to create entrepreneurship, to continue the spirit of self sufficiency and taking care of yourself and taking care of your own future and creating your own destiny. And I think every tribe really feels that need.

YASTINE: To date, the businesses have generated more than 600 jobs, many filled by tribe members.

JOHN BLACKHAWK, CHAIRMAN, WINNEBAGO TRIBE OF NEBRASKA: We're part of something that's different, that's something that's going to change our community. I think that's kind of the feel that our community has in terms of this, of our area here."

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Transcript: The Work of The Winnebago Tribe (PBS Nightly Business Report 4/20)

Commentary:
Entrepreneurial Spirit in Winnebago, Nebraska (PBS Blog 4/21)