Kyle St-Amour Brennan Archives - Pow Wow Pitch https://www.powwowpitch.org/tag/kyle-st-amour-brennan/ Fri, 26 Jan 2024 14:07:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://www.powwowpitch.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-favicon-1-32x32.png Kyle St-Amour Brennan Archives - Pow Wow Pitch https://www.powwowpitch.org/tag/kyle-st-amour-brennan/ 32 32 Celebrate Indigenous Entrepreneurship: Applications Now Open for 2023 Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards https://www.powwowpitch.org/celebrate-indigenous-entrepreneurship-applications-now-open-for-2023-indigenous-entrepreneur-awards/ Thu, 04 May 2023 14:10:07 +0000 https://www.powwowpitch.org/?p=244929 Pow Wow Pitch has announced the opening of applications and nominations for the 3rd Annual Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards. Applications close on June 21st, 2023.

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]]> May 3, 2023 | Pow Wow Pitch, a grassroots initiative for Indigenous entrepreneurs, has announced the opening of applications and nominations for the 3rd Annual Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards. 

The awards aim to celebrate the excellence and outstanding achievement of Indigenous entrepreneurship and recognize Indigenous entrepreneurs and Indigenous-owned businesses across Canada.

The Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards are presented in partnership with RBC, Shopify and Mastercard, with the support of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada and Export Development Canada.

To be eligible for the awards, applicants must be Indigenous entrepreneurs who have been operating their businesses for at least three years and reside in Canada. 

Applications and nominations close on June 21, 2023, and winners will be announced and celebrated during a digitally broadcast awards presentation on November 3, 2023.

Pow Wow Pitch Founder Sunshine Tenasco said, “The Awards are our opportunity to honour the wisdom, love, respect, bravery, honesty, humility and truth of the entrepreneurial icons of our generation, express our gratitude and create a platform to tell their stories of resilience and reconciliation through entrepreneurship.”

“The contribution of Indigenous entrepreneurs to our economy and communities is immeasurable,” said Michael Ferencich, Senior Vice President, Business Financial Services, RBC. “Through our collaboration and support for the Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards, we aim to break down barriers and create more opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurship while inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.”

“Through our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch and support of the Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards, Shopify is proud to celebrate and amplify the exceptional talent and resilience of Indigenous entrepreneurs,” said Kyle St-Amour-Brennan, Build Native Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Shopify. “Embracing the strength of our ancestral wisdom, Indigenous entrepreneurs weave a vibrant tapestry of innovation, resilience, and sustainable prosperity for future generations.These awards showcase the power of Indigenous entrepreneurship to drive economic growth, social impact, and cultural celebration. We are honoured to be part of this movement.”

Overall, the Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards aim to celebrate Indigenous entrepreneurship, empower Indigenous entrepreneurs, and support the growth and success of Indigenous businesses. To apply or nominate, visit powwowpitch.org/awards.

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]]> Pow Wow Pitch Celebrates Sixth Anniversary of Partnership with Shopify https://www.powwowpitch.org/pow-wow-pitch-celebrates-sixth-anniversary-of-partnership-with-shopify/ Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:18:29 +0000 https://www.powwowpitch.org/?p=244861 "From the very beginning, the Build Native team at Shopify has been a trailblazer within our global scale-up, and our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch has enabled us to lend our expertise and support to rise to the opportunity of Indigenous rising,” said Kyle St-Amour Brennan, Build Native Indigenous Entrepreneur Program Manager at Shopify.

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]]> April 21, 2023 – Pow Wow Pitch, a grassroots non-profit Indigenous entrepreneurship organization, is thrilled to announce the sixth anniversary of its partnership with Shopify. Since 2018, Shopify has been an integral part of Pow Wow Pitch’s success in its dedication to supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs and providing opportunities for their growth and success.

The partnership between Pow Wow Pitch and Shopify began at the Ottawa Summer Solstice Pow Wow in 2018. When pandemic lockdowns happened, Shopify scaled its support and investment in Pow Wow Pitch and Indigenous entrepreneurs across Canada and Turtle Island with a three-year landmark agreement that took Pow Wow Pitch to the next level. Since then, the two organizations have worked together to expand the Pow Wow Pitch’s reach, increase prize funds, launch a Pow Wow Pitch Box program and alumni network, and venture to powwows across Canada and the United States.

Shopify’s Build Native team engages Shopify employees and Indigenous merchants as mentors and judges of Pow Wow Pitch, presenters of the Indigenous Entrepreneur Awards, and trainers for bootcamps. Kyle St Amour Brennan, the Shopify Build Native Indigenous Entrepreneur Program Manager, also sits on Pow Wow Pitch’s Advisory Board, providing valuable guidance to steer the organization toward a bigger impact on a global scale.

“Working alongside an Indigenous team and leader at Shopify to create solutions for Indigenous entrepreneurs has been so special,” said Sunshine Tenasco, founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “It’s powerful to be co-creating the future of Indigenous business with other Indigenous leaders that share our values of empowerment through business and entrepreneurship. Shopify is constantly empowering us with new ideas, opportunities and solutions to make a bigger impact, and their mounting support has not only grown our confidence in ourselves but has also created the momentum needed to rally other industry partners around us. The gratitude we feel for Kyle, Shopify, and the Build Native Team is immeasurable.”

As Pow Wow Pitch ventures to new powwows this year, establishes good governance as a newly minted non-profit and hires its first full-time team members, Shopify will be right alongside. Later this year, they will be launching a special initiative to build an even larger platform together for Indigenous entrepreneurs.

“From the very beginning, the Build Native team at Shopify has been a trailblazer within our global scale-up, and our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch has enabled us to lend our expertise and support to rise to the opportunity of Indigenous rising,” said Kyle St-Amour Brennan, Build Native Indigenous Entrepreneur Program Manager at Shopify. “At Shopify, we recognize the importance of supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs, which is why our investment in Pow Wow Pitch is so critical to us. We see Pow Wow Pitch as one of the most innovative vehicles for building the confidence and community of Indigenous entrepreneurs. As we celebrate the sixth anniversary of our partnership, we are excited to continue working hand in hand with the Pow Wow Pitch team to bring even more opportunities to Indigenous entrepreneurs.”

Indigenous entrepreneurs can immediately benefit from this partnership by leveraging the 60-day Shopify free trial at shopify.com/powwowpitch to bring their ideas to life. 

To learn more about how Shopify is supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs, we invite you to visit powwowpitch.org/shopify. Here, you can explore how our partnership with Pow Wow Pitch is empowering Indigenous communities and discover the many ways in which we are working together.

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]]> Shopify Scales Support for Pow Wow Pitch https://www.powwowpitch.org/shopify-partner-announcement/ Thu, 31 Mar 2022 12:00:00 +0000 https://www.powwowpitch.org/?p=238605 Set to support more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs in 2022 with mentorship, funding, training, marketing and a safe and trusted community of support, Shopify’s investment is helping Pow Wow Pitch to scale its virtual programs, re-enter communities with on-the-ground support across Canada, and scale its programming to support Indigenous entrepreneurs in the United States and New Zealand.

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]]> 3-Year Partnership in support of Indigenous entrepreneurs

Today, Pow Wow Pitch, North America’s premier pitch competition and non-profit organization supporting emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced its expansion through a three-year partnership with Shopify, with an overall investment of $750,000, significant employee volunteerism and strategic integration.

Set to support more than 2,500 Indigenous entrepreneurs in 2022 with mentorship, funding, training, marketing and a safe and trusted community of support, Shopify’s investment is helping Pow Wow Pitch to scale its virtual programs, re-enter communities with on-the-ground support across Canada, and scale its programming to support Indigenous entrepreneurs in the United States and New Zealand.

In addition to supporting Pow Wow Pitch with three years of sponsorship support at a Co-Presenting Level, Shopify employees are involved as mentors, trusted advisors, and judges for Pow Wow Pitch virtual pitch contests and on the ground at pow wows across Canada and the United States, and Shopify is supporting Pow Wow Pitch to develop a marketplace as a go-to online destination for Indigenous-owned products and brands. 

“Shopify’s Build Native Team and employees are truly vested in the success of Pow Wow Pitch and Pow Wow Pitch entrepreneurs,” said Sunshine Tenasco, the Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “We are grateful for Shopify’s support in scaling with us for the long-term to create safe, trusted and empowering Indigenous-led programs and platforms for Indigenous entrepreneurs.”

“Shopify aims to bring more voices to entrepreneurship, and Pow Wow Pitch allows Indigenous entrepreneurs from all stages and intersections to share their dreams, beliefs, culture, and expressions of economic self-determination,” says  Kyle St-Amour-Brennan, Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Shopify. “Pow Wow Pitch has built one of the greatest Indigenous entrepreneurial showcases anywhere, and we’re privileged and excited to continue our ongoing partnership and shared mission to empower more Native entrepreneurs from communities everywhere.”  

To learn more about the partnership between Pow Wow Pitch and Shopify, visit https://www.powwowpitch.org/shopify.

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About Pow Wow Pitch 

Pow Wow Pitch is an entrepreneurship program for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, which provides a safe, supportive, collaborative, empowering and culturally supportive environment that addresses the unique challenges of Indigenous entrepreneurs and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs. Pow Wow Pitch enhances, develops and accelerates the growth for current and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs in a sustainable way through programs and resources. In addition, community leadership through volunteerism is promoted to reflect respect and reciprocity as the foundation of the Pow Wow Pitch. For more information, visit https://www.powwowpitch.org/.

About Shopify

Shopify is a leading provider of essential internet infrastructure for commerce, offering trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services that are engineered for reliability, while delivering a better shopping experience for consumers everywhere. Proudly founded in Ottawa, Shopify powers millions of businesses in more than 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Manitobah Mukluks, Cheekbone Beauty, Sisters Sage, Gymshark, Netflix, and many more. For more information, visit www.shopify.com

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]]> Harlan Wade Kingfisher, Smudge the Blades, Wins 2021 Pow Wow Pitch https://www.powwowpitch.org/2021-pow-wow-pitch-results/ Thu, 21 Oct 2021 00:40:00 +0000 https://www.powwowpitch.org/?p=235728 The First Place Prize of $25,000 presented by RBC went to Harlan Wade Kingfisher, Founder & CEO of Smudge The Blades, from Sturgeon Lake First Nation, Saskatchewan. Smudge The Blades is an Indigenous brand and hockey apparel company that provides hockey scholarships to Indigenous youth. 

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Indigenous entrepreneurs from Saskachewan, BC, Nunavut and Ontario take home top prizes

Ottawa, ON – October 20, 2021 | Today, Pow Wow Pitch, Canada’s premier pitch competition for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, announced Harlan Wade Kingfisher, Founder and CEO of Smudge The Blades as the 2021 Winner of the competition and the recipient of the Grand Prize of $25,000. 

Following a qualifying Semi-Final Round this evening, Canada’s top 29 Indigenous entrepreneurs, from 1,642 applications, went head-to-head pitching their businesses to an esteemed panel of Judges as part of the 2021 Pow Wow Pitch in partnership with RBC, Shopify and Facebook.

Hosted by Sunshine Tenasco, the creator of Pow Wow Pitch, the showdown featured entrepreneurs from nations across Turtle Island like the Mi’kmaq, Mohawk and Algonquin, Cree, Inuit, Metis and Squamish. 

The entrepreneurs pitched to an esteemed panel of Judges who scored and selected the winners. The 2021 Judges included the 2020 Pow Wow Pitch Winner Lynn-Marie Angus, Co-Founder and CEO of Sister’s Sage; Pow Wow Pitch Alumni and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty, Jennifer Harper; former CBC Dragon and Chairman and CEO of Prairie Merchant, W. Brett Wilson; National Co-Chair of RBC Royal Eagles, Jessica Shute; and, Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Shopify, Kyle St-Amour Brennan. 

The First Place Prize of $25,000 presented by RBC went to Harlan Wade Kingfisher, Founder & CEO of Smudge The Blades, from Sturgeon Lake First Nation, Saskatchewan. Smudge The Blades is an Indigenous brand and hockey apparel company that provides hockey scholarships to Indigenous youth. 

“I applied to Pow Wow Pitch because I was inspired after watching last year's Finalists pitch and thought it would be the right platform and community to support us to grow,” said Harlan Kingfisher. “Through Pow Wow Pitch, I have been able to connect with so many inspiring individuals in our community, and I have gained so much knowledge from the mentors, judges and trainers. It's amazing to see how creative, giving, and hardworking Indigenous entrepreneurs are across Turtle Island. Winning $25,000 means that we can take our online business to the next level faster and in time for the holiday season. With more growth, we can donate even more to Indigenous youth and hockey programs.” 

The Second Place Prize of $10,000 presented by  Facebook went to Ecko Aleck, Founder & Artist at Sacred Matriarch Creative, from the Nlaka'pamux Nation and Pentlatch, British Columbia. Sacred Matriarch Creative provides safe spaces for sharing sacred stories and fostering creativity.

“I am honoured to be among this wave of Indigenous excellence in all fields,” said Ecko Aleck. “I applied to the Pow Wow Pitch as the next natural step in helping my business spread its wings. Winning the $10,000 Prize will help Sacred Matriarch Creative to ground our internal structures in preparation for the next stages of expansion and spread the wealth by sending gratitude honorariums to our Sacred Creators Youth Council.”

The Third Place Prize of $5,000 presented by Shopify went to Bernice Clarke, Inuit Owner and Founder of Uasau Soap Inc. from Iqaluit. Uasau Soap provides sustainably sourced Indigenous soaps made with traditional Inuit practices. 

“It was important for me to showcase my business amongst people I know were safe to openly express who I am and how Uasau operates,” said Bernice Clarke. “Far too often, Indigenous people aren't given the same opportunities and respect outside the indigenous community. So I  appreciate the love and support. Pushing your boundaries is part of growing and is necessary.”

The winner of the Alumni Prize of $5,000, a prize pooled together by Pow Wow Pitch Alumni who have benefited from the program and community, went to Kendall White, Founder and CEO of Baamaapii Boxes from the Temagami First Nation. Baamaapii Boxes is a social enterprise subscription box service featuring Indigenous-made products. Funds raised support providing youth with mental health kits and donations to the Canadian Mental Health Association for suicide prevention efforts.

“I applied for Pow Wow Pitch at the last minute because was worried the idea I had wouldn't come across as developed enough, but I knew I had the passion and a need to make a change,” said Kendall White. “I've been told ‘no’ a million times before, and I believe ‘strength of character’ is built from those moments. I am excited to use the prize funds to expand the selection and access to Baamaapii Boxes and am equally as excited to be part of the Pow Wow Wow Pitch Alumni Community.” 

“This year, Pow Wow Pitch scaled across Turtle Island, and I have been blown away by the passion, resilience, impact and comradery of all of the semi-finalists, finalists and winners,” said Sunshine Tenasco, Founder of Pow Wow Pitch. “Congratulations to Harlan, Ecko, Bernice and Kendall! Each of you displays the promise, vision and impact of Canada’s Indigenous entrepreneurs, and I know that you all have bright futures ahead.”

"Congratulations to all of the Pow Wow Pitch winners!" says Dale Sturges, National Director for Indigenous Financial Services at RBC. "Indigenous entrepreneurs are at the forefront of innovation with creativity and ideas ready to change the world. It's an honour for us at RBC to be part of Pow Wow Pitch each year, and we are so proud of all the participants."

“Congratulations to all of the entrepreneurs and the winners of the Pow Wow Pitch competition!” said Garrick Tiplady, Vice President and Country Director, Facebook & Instagram Canada. “We’re honoured to be a part of the Pow Wow Pitch competition and play a role in supporting these incredibly innovative entrepreneurs as they start and scale their businesses.”

“Indigenous entrepreneurship is a movement,” said Kyle St-Amour-Brennan, Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program Manager at Shopify and Finale Judge. “A paradigm-shifting wave that is poised to establish Indigenous entrepreneurs and their communities from coast to coast to coast in collective empowerment that centers social, environmental, and cultural well-being with commerce being a fundamental catalyst. Pow Wow Pitch is truly one of the most incredible exhibitions of the richness of innovation in the global Indigenous entrepreneurial landscape.”

Digital services, platform fees, and creative assets can be some of the most significant expenditures for any business. Because of that, Shopify has leaned in to contribute an increase to the Pow Wow Pitch finale prize. Through Shopify, All 29 finalists will have access to a one-year free subscription to the Shopify platform to power their online, in-person, and digital eCommerce needs with additional and ongoing support to help onboard them through their Shopify Indigenous Team. As well as, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place finalists will have access to $10,000, $5,000, and $2,000 respectively in an additional capital fund to help fund their entrepreneurial endeavours.

To watch the Grand Finale, click here.

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To book an interview with Pow Wow Pitch Founder Sunshine Tenaco, Harlan Wade Kingfisher, Ecko Aleck, Bernice Clarke, or Kendall White, please contact hello@powwowpitch.org.

About Pow Wow Pitch 

Pow Wow Pitch is an entrepreneurship program for emerging Indigenous entrepreneurs, which provides a safe, supportive, collaborative, empowering and culturally supportive environment that addresses the unique challenges of Indigenous entrepreneurs and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs. Pow Wow Pitch enhances, develops and accelerates the growth for current and aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs in a sustainable way through programs and resources. Community leadership through volunteerism is promoted with respect and reciprocity as the foundation of the Pow Wow Pitch. For more information, visit https://www.powwowpitch.org/.

About RBC Indigenous Financial Services Group

For more than 100 years, RBC has been building strong relationships with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada. We are committed to serving Indigenous governments, communities, organizations, businesses and individuals by creating opportunities for sustainable economic development through access to banking and capital, community and social development, employment, education and training and procurement. RBC also provides donations and grants that support Indigenous interests. More information is available at rbcroyalbank.com/indigenous.

 About Shopify

Shopify is a leading global commerce company, providing trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size. Shopify makes commerce better for everyone with a platform and services engineered for reliability while delivering a better shopping experience for consumers everywhere. Proudly founded in Ottawa, Shopify powers over 1.7 million businesses in more than 175 countries and is trusted by brands such as Manitobah Mukluks, Cheekbone Beauty, Sisters Sage, Herbraids, Tania Larsson, and many more. For more information, visit www.shopify.com. 

About Facebook 

Founded in 2004, Facebook's mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. More than 24 million Canadians use Facebook to stay connected with friends and family, to discover what's going on in the world, and to share and express what matters to them. Facebook® is a registered trademark of Facebook Inc. 

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