Opening Ceremonies

Join Emcee Sunshine Tenasco, Kitigan Zibi Annishnebeg entrepreneur, author and activist, as she kicks off the inaugural SOAR Digital Gathering of Indigenous Entrepreneurs presented by Square.

Bernice Clarke, Inuk Founder of Uasau Soap, opens the SOAR gathering with a qulliq (seal-oil, blubber or soapstone lamp, ᖁᓪᓕᖅ) burning ceremony.

Bree Island, also known as Auntie Bree, is a nehiyaw iskwew / Cree woman from Sturgeon Lake Cree Nation, Treaty 8 territory. Auntie Bree is a visual artist and owner of Mixed Creatives, a GFX VFX studio. And she is here today to share the story and meaning of the SOAR logo she co-created with the SOAR team.

SacRED is a modern-day digital shape-shifter, storyteller through movement and medicine woman of the heart, on a mission to support all people and the planet to recognize truths of the past and present while returning to a natural rhythm of well-being for the future generations. SacRED performs a spoken word and song that speaks to the rising of Indigenous leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators.

Courtney Robinson

Ecko Aleck

Brianne Island

Bernice Clarke

Sunshine Tenasco

Opening Keynote

As a Calgary-based Cree-Métis woman committed to inclusivity and championing LGBTQ+ and Indigenous tech and business, Bobbie Racette is an unstoppable force as the Founder and CEO of Virtual Gurus. Bobbie shares her entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned, and vision for the future for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

Bobbie Jo Racette

Opening Circle: Breaking through the Struggle

Indigenous entrepreneurs discuss healing intergenerational trauma, reconnecting with ceremony, culture and community, reclaiming traditional ways of trade that reframe money as medicine, and how Indigenous people can support one another to soar.

Lynn-Marie Angus

Amber Asp-Chief

Ecko Aleck

Tenille K Campbell

Dakota Bear

Sunshine Tenasco

Make and Meaning Mini-Workshop: How to Write Poetry

Join award-winning poet and photographer and the author #IndianLove: Poems and Nedí Nezu from English River First Nation, Tenille K Campbell, as she teaches a mini-lesson on how to write poetry. Write a poem with Tenille and post it online, tagging @soarcircles @sweetmoonphoto #SOARIndigenous for your chance to win a copy of #IndianLove: Poem.

Tenille K Campbell

Our Way Circle: Money as Medicine presented by Futurpreneur

In many Indigenous communities and cultures, we learn never to take more than we need. This value of taking only what we need means we often consider accumulating money and wealth to be greedy and wrong. In this circle, Indigenous entrepreneurs reframe money as medicine for families, communities and reclamation. Learn how to use money as medicine to benefit your community, the land and our collective wellbeing.

Nicole McLaren

Lynn-Marie Angus

Holly Atjecoutay

Jenn Harper

Our Way Circle: Decolonizing Entrepreneurship presented by LIFT Collective

Building a business aligned with Indigenous values is an ongoing process of addressing power imbalances, and knowledge hierarchies require self-reflection. In this circle, learn what ‘decolonizing entrepreneurship’ is and what you can do to embed the process of decolonization into how you start and grow your business.

Monday May

Vanessa Lesperance

Vicky auf de Mauer

Jace Meyer

Ashley Richard

Make and Meaning Mini-Workshop: How to Powwow Dance

Join educator, speaker, powwow dance teacher and regalia maker Deanne Hupfield as she teaches a mini-dance lesson. Get up, get moving and record and post your moves tagging @soarcircles @deannehupfield #SOARIndigenous for your chance to win a free place in Deanne's Saturday powwow dance class online.

Deanne Hupfield

Story Circles: Inuit Entrepreneur Stories

Join Leena Evic, President of the Piruvik Centre and Bernice Clark, Founder and CEO of Uasau Soaps Inc., as they share their entrepreneurial journey and how they use entrepreneurship to honour, celebrate and promote Inuit culture and strengthen their communities.

Leena Evic

Bernice Clarke

Story Circles: On the Rez Entrepreneur Stories

Join Mallory Yawnghew, Founder and CEO of Indigenous Box, Brandi Woodhouse, Founder and CEO of RezGal Lashes, and Jacques Watso, Founder & CEO of Sagamité Watso, as they share their entrepreneurial journey starting up 'on the Rez' and navigating the challenges and opportunities to grow.

Mallory Yawnghwe

Jacques Watso

Brandi Woodhouse

Make and Meaning Mini-Workshop: How to Paint a Feather

Join Patrick Hunter, a two-spirit artist, graphic designer and entrepreneur from Red Lake, as he teaches a mini-lesson on how to create a feather. Follow along to create your own and share it with @soarcircles, and tag #SOARIndigenous for your chance to win an original Patrick Hunter art piece.

Patrick Hunter

SOAR Circle: Food Entrepreneurs

Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the food sector ranging from 'on the rez' catering, maple syrup production and operating a café as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a food-based business.

Elijah Mack

Jolene Johnson

Jacques Watso

SOAR Circle: Consumer Goods Entrepreneurs

Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the consumer products sector, ranging from cosmetics, bath and body, apparel to pets, as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a consumer product-based businesses.

Braden Haley

Harlan Kingfisher

Michaelee Lazore

Jenn Harper

SOAR Circle: Services Entrepreneurs

Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the services sector ranging from strategic advisory services and digital marketing to hair and beauty, as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a service-based business.

Kaeden Merasty

Jennifer Dubois

Matthew Nahdee

Darian Kovacs

SOAR Circle: Creative Entrepreneurs

Join leading Indigenous creative entrepreneurs in the media, film, animation, graphic design, fashion, digital media and performing arts industries as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a business in the creative industry.

Angel Aubichon

Brianne Island

Erica Daniels

Tara Audibert

Deanne Hupfield

SOAR Circle: Tech Entrepreneurs

Join leading Indigenous entrepreneurs in the digital tech sector building interesting solutions including an Indigenous music and video streaming platform, an online Indigenous expert booking service, and an equitable and unbiased AI solution. Meet the entrepreneur behind these emerging technologies and businesses as they share their entrepreneurial journeys, reflections and lessons in building a tech-enabled business.

George Parker

Killa Atencio

Brian Ritchie

Closing Keynote: Patrick Hunter

Patrick Hunter is a two-spirit artist, graphic designer and entrepreneur from Red Lake whose goal is to make people feel good and bring more Indigenous artwork into public places. Through his business, Patrick creates commissioned pieces and large murals and teaches virtual painting classes to support Indigenous artists in expressing their culture through public art. In this closing keynote, Patrick shares his entrepreneurial journey, lessons learned, and vision for the future for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

Patrick Hunter

Closing Reflections

Emcee Sunshine Tenasco shares her final reflections and invites all attendees to share their social handles and follow one another to support each other's businesses and growth.

Sunshine Tenasco