The Tobique Pow Wow Pitch, organized by Pow Wow Pitch in partnership with JEDI (Joint Economic Development Initiative), aims to empower Indigenous entrepreneurs in New Brunswick by providing them with essential resources, mentorship, and opportunities for business growth. Wabanaki Maple’s sponsorship reflects its dedication to fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem within Indigenous communities.

This year, Jolene Johnson, Founder and CEO of Wabanaki Maple, will be on-site at the Tobique Pow Wow Pitch as both a Judge and presenter of the Fan Favorite Prize. Her presence highlights Wabanaki Maple’s dedication to supporting Indigenous entrepreneurship.

Jolene Johnson expressed her excitement about this partnership, stating, “As a former Pow Wow Pitch finalist and judge, and a client of JEDI, I am immensely proud to come full circle and support the next generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs. Wabanaki Maple’s journey is deeply rooted in our cultural heritage, and we are honoured to contribute to the success of fellow Indigenous businesses.”

Naomi Sarazin, Executive Director of Pow Wow Pitch, emphasized the significance of Wabanaki Maple’s support, saying, “We are deeply honoured to have the leadership and support of Wabanaki Maple. Their commitment to Indigenous entrepreneurship embodies the spirit of reciprocity and community upliftment that is at the heart of Pow Wow Pitch.”

Wabanaki Maple’s mission extends beyond business success to environmental stewardship and community empowerment. The company partners with non-profit organizations such as OneTreePlanted, Community Forests International, and Nashwaak Watershed Association to promote sustainability and protect natural resources.

For more information about Wabanaki Maple and its commitment to Indigenous entrepreneurship and environmental stewardship, visit wabanakimaple.com.

The post Wabanaki Maple Proudly Sponsors Tobique Pow Wow Pitch in Support of Indigenous Entrepreneurs appeared first on Pow Wow Pitch.

Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, presented with RBC, Shopify, and Mastercard, announced their partnership with Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) and in collaboration with Women in Business New Brunswick (WBNB) to expand the reach of opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs to New Brunswick. 

Hosted by the Natoaganeg Traditional Powwow in Eel Ground First Nation, Pow Wow Pitch is able to bring its live Indigenous Business Competitions to New Brunswick for the first time. Set to support more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs, JEDI and WBNB will also be providing mentorship and judging both in person at the Natoaganeg Traditional Powwow in July and through virtual programming in the 2023 Pow Wow Pitch Competition.

The Natoaganeg Traditional Pow Wow Pitch will be Pow Wow Pitch’s first time in New Brunswick and in Atlantic Canada. This milestone is made possible by the teams at JEDI and WBNB, through their collaboration and partnership, Pow Wow Pitch can now reach the Indigenous entrepreneurs of Eel Ground First Nation. Reaching this goal is a mark of accomplishment for Pow Wow Pitch to be able to extend its reach to more communities every year. 

JEDI and WBNB have gone above and beyond to bring Pow Wow Pitch to New Brunswick by taking part in the planning and organization of the Natoaganeg Traditional Powwow. They organized a working group that meets weekly in order to ensure that Pow Wow Pitch is working closely with the Eel Ground First Nation community to bring this opportunity to local Indigenous entrepreneurs. 

WBNB recommended two local judges to select the winners of the first Natoaganeg Pow Wow Pitch, Jolene Johnson, Founder of Wabanki Maple and Jenna White, Founder of Jenna’s Nut-Free Dessertery. Both of these entrepreneurs have growing businesses that attribute to their sense of community and support to being part of Women in Business New Brunswick, the JEDI community, and Pow Wow Pitch. They are shining examples of the ecosystem in action to support Indigenous entrepreneurs.

“The support of an ecosystem is so important for entrepreneurs looking to take action on their ideas,” said Jolene “Organizations like Women in Business New Brunswick, JEDI and Pow Wow Pitch have been so formative to my journey as an entrepreneur, and I am so happy to now be in a position to give back and support the next generation of East Coast entrepreneurs by being a judge at the Natoaganeg Pow Wow Pitch.” 

Natasha Martin-Mitchell, Development Officer for Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs at WBNB, played a key role in organizing with Laura Englehart, Economic Development Manager at JEDI, to unify the two organizations along with Cheryl Ward, Director of Natoaganeg Community Development Centre to be able to bring Pow Wow Pitch East.

“We are so excited to reach this milestone,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “Thanks to JEDI and WBNB we are able to expand our reach to more Indigenous entrepreneurs, especially to a community that has shown us so much support and love. We can’t wait to meet all of the Indigenous entrepreneurs and support them in reaching their goals!” 

The Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI) has been actively working closely with Pow Wow Pitch, WBNB, and the Natoaganeg (Eel Ground) Pow Wow Committee to be able to fully support Pow Wow Pitch’s first event in New Brunswick.

 “Working with the Pow Wow Pitch team has been such an exciting and rewarding experience,” said Laura Englehart, Economic Development Manager at JEDI. “We have been wanting to bring Pow Wow Pitch to New Brunswick for some time and are ecstatic to see our collaborative efforts become a reality through strengthening our partnerships. We cannot wait to see our New Brunswick Indigenous entrepreneurs shine at the upcoming Natoaganeg (Eel Ground) Pow Wow and where they will grow and the succeed from there!”

Women in Business NB collaborate with JEDI to bring Pow Wow Pitch to New Brunswick Indigenous Entrepreneurs. Women in Business NB is proud to collaborate with JEDI to bring Pow Wow Pitch to the 2023 Natoaganeg Powwow. 

“There are so many talented entrepreneurs here in NB and we wanted to invite Powwow Pitch to come and celebrate each one of them at this year’s gathering. I want to take this moment to acknowledge all those who are coming forward to share their ideas and hopefully take their venture to the next level with Powwow Pitch’s support,” said Natasha Martin-Mitchell, Development Officer for Indigenous Women Entrepreneurs.

To pre-register your business to pitch at the Natoaganeg Powwow, visit powwowpitch.org/natoaganeg/.

The post Pow Wow Pitch Partners with Joint Economic Development Initiative in Collaboration with Women in Business New Brunswick to bring Pow Wow Pitch to New Brunswick appeared first on Pow Wow Pitch.