See it. Be it. A Showcase of Indigenous Entrepreneurs

Indigenous entrepreneurship is an important contributor to the Canadian economy. There
are about 75,000 Indigenous businesses in Canada, with almost one-quarter being owned by Indigenous women, which is higher than the 19.5% of businesses owned non-Indigenous women.

Supporting Indigenous women-owned businesses is an important step in the process to achieve Truth and Reconciliation. For many Indigenous women, entrepreneurship offers financial autonomy and stability, a means to support and engage with their community, and a path toward redemption of ancestral lands, self governance and preservation of cultural knowledge and practices. Entrepreneurship can be an alternative pathway to traditional employment or a corporate job. Nonetheless, Indigenous women entrepreneurs continue to experience serious systemic barriers when starting and scaling their businesses.

Indigenous Peoples in Canada are not a homogenous group; the barriers they face may be exacerbated by intersecting identities. Moreover, it is important for future generations to have role models that guide them and show them what is possible, as many young Indigenous women do not know where to start because they feel they are not represented in business.

This report adds to previous research undertaken by the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (WEKH) on Indigenous women entrepreneurs by analyzing 257 profiles of award-winning Indigenous women entrepreneurs from across Turtle Island in WEKH’s See It. Be It. database. The aims were to understand their diversity in terms of geography, industry, and Indigenous and intersectional identities; identify commonalities in their businesses; and highlight success stories to counter assumptions and stereotypes.

In addition, the report features the profiles of nine diverse Indigenous women entrepreneurs from across Turtle Island to showcase their innovations and contributions. Finally, the report offers recommendations at the societal, organizational and individual levels to support a more inclusive and equitable entrepreneurial ecosystem for Indigenous women entrepreneurs.

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