Brian Porter is the principal architect at Two Row Architect and a proud member of Six Nations of the Grand River. His passion for design was sparked early through technical programs in high school, leading him to pursue a degree in architecture at the University of Toronto. After graduating, he gained hands-on experience with Indigenous Services Canada, where he learned how major community projects were planned and executed, an experience he considers a key milestone in his career.
Over the years, Brian has contributed to significant projects like the Emily C General and IL Thomas schools. But running a business from the reserve hasn’t come without challenges. He highlights the difficulty in securing sufficient lines of credit due to the inability of banks to use on-reserve assets as collateral.
His advice to others is to find strong mentors, stay curious about administrative and political systems, and be proactive in learning what it takes to succeed in both Indigenous and mainstream business environments.
“I think the whole notion around finding something that you really like still holds true. I tell people all the time that I’ve never worked a day in my life.”
