Association of Minnesota Public Educational Radio Stations

Rob Pero’s Gift for Entrepreneurship, Media, and Marketing

Native Lights

Native Lights is a weekly, half-hour radio program hosted by Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe members and siblings, Leah Lemm and Cole Premo. Native Lights is a space for people in Native communities around Mni Sota Mkoce — a.k.a. Minnesota — to tell their stories about finding their gifts and sharing them with the community.

On today’s show, we’re speaking with entrepreneur Rob Pero (Bad River Tribe), CEO and creative director of the Indigenous-led marketing firm Perodigm. He’s also the voice behind Minnesota’s statewide “Your Call MN” campaign raising awareness about sex trafficking.Rob explains the many turns his career path took: first engineering school, the Navy, working in sales, and then back to school again to study design. Now Rob leads his own media company in Wisconsin, which specializes in design, marketing, and media production, working with clients across the country. 

Rob shares how his grandmother instilled his Indigenous identity, and how as an adult, he prioritized learning about his tribe. It’s terrific to hear Rob’s enthusiasm for so many projects, including a documentary film called “Bad Indian,” about the life of his father who died when Rob was just a baby.

Rob’s passion for amplifying Indigenous voices and supporting Native economic development organizations is woven into all his entrepreneurial pursuits. 

Check out Rob Pero’s media company here: https://www.perodigm.com/

Learn more about raising awareness about sex trafficking and the “Your Call MN” campaign here: https://yourcallmn.org/resources/#toolkit

Native Lights: Where Indigenous Voices Shine is produced by Minnesota Native News and Ampers, Diverse Radio for Minnesota’s Communities with support from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Subscribe to Native Lights wherever you get your podcasts



More from Minnesota Native News

  • Celebrating Indigenous People’s Day!
    Today we talk about different ways Indigenous People’s Day is being recognized and celebrated throughout Mni Sota Mkoce.
  • Brian Joyce’s Gift for Acting and Directing in the Twin Cities Theater Scene
    Today we’re talking with Brian Joyce (White Earth Nation), who has been acting and directing in the Twin Cities Theater scene for more than 40 years. Brian first appeared on stage in St. Paul at the age of four, and later earned his BA in Theatre Arts from Bethel College. Brian has been enjoying acting onstage and working behind the scenes, ever since. He also appears in some commercials and films.
  • Rob Pero’s Gift for Entrepreneurship, Media, and Marketing
    On today’s show, we’re speaking with entrepreneur Rob Pero (Bad River Tribe), CEO and creative director of the Indigenous-led marketing firm Perodigm. He’s also the voice behind Minnesota’s statewide “Your Call MN” campaign raising awareness about sex trafficking.
  • Leah and Cole: Sharing Our Gifts and Purpose
    On today’s show, we turn the microphone on each other! No guest today… instead, we ask each other some questions about our own purpose and passions, starting with music.
  • Christina Wood’s Gift for Busting Bias Through Art
    On today’s show, we talk with Christina Woods (Bois Forte Tribal Nation) who is the first Anishinaabikwe to be the Executive Director of the Duluth Art Institute. Christina is also currently performing in the play The UnPlugging presented by New Native Theatre in Minneapolis.