Two Lethbridge region entrepreneurs will be trying to take their businesses country wide with Pow Wow Pitch.
Cherise Bruno and Billi-J Heavy Shields are two of 2,000 Indigenous entrepreneurs that applied for the Pow Wow Pitch and are among 150 who made it to the semi-final round.
Both Bruno and Heavy Shields believe starting up a new business venture created opportunities to help overcome traumatic experiences in their lives and start their healing journeys.
Bruno, from Lethbridge, discovered the Pow Wow Pitch ad while on social media, and while she didn’t think anything of it, she is surprised and humbled for the opportunity.
“I just saw the ad and didn’t think anything would come of it, I’ll just put in a little video and I was surprised to be chosen out of 2,000 people, the top 150 people to be a semi-finalist,” says Bruno. “I was very excited and I’m so humbled and grateful for the opportunity”
Bruno started Beloved Beadwork in 2021 as a COVID hobby and part of a healing journey.
Heavy Shields, from the Blood Tribe, had recently registered her business and was looking for ways to expand when she thought Pow Wow Pitch would be the perfect opportunity to grow.
Ikkinaa’pssi Soul Healing, Heavy Shields business, is a modernized take on traditional healing by making accessible to all First Nations by using online teachings and spiritual traditions.
“My goal is to empower First Nations across Turtle Island with tools to find their own spiritual routes, that’s my main goal,” she says. “Out comes gifts so healing and letting go of all that trauma will, in-turn, ultimately be able to provide you with gifts that you did not know that you had.”
The Pow Wow Pitch is a community of Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island and was started by Sunshine Tenasco, who was a former contestant on Dragon’s Den. It was created to provide platforms, programs, and resources so that entrepreneurs can start and grow their businesses. The winner will receive $25,000 to go towards their business.