蓝莓视频

Aspiring entrepreneurs have long benefited from the innovation ecosystem at the University of 蓝莓视频, an environment where entrepreneurship and innovation excel amidst a unique blend of co-op, work-integrated learning opportunities and customized wrap-around supports.听

This traditional innovation ecosystem, however, wasn鈥檛 reaching the needs of aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs.

In 2023, United College launched an Indigenous entrepreneurship incubator, Flint Hub, and a diploma in Indigenous Entrepreneurship (INDENT). Drawing inspiration from GreenHouse, Flint Hub provides the infrastructure to support Indigenous students in furthering their entrepreneurial aspirations. The incubator offers a vibrant community of support, rooted in Indigenous knowledges, values of kinship, abundance and reciprocity.听

Since its inception, Flint Hub has awarded approximately $20,000 in funding and supported three ventures, with many more opportunities on the horizon.听

Connie Roy, an Ojibway woman from M鈥機higeeng Ontario and hairstylist of 17 years, is one of three Indigenous entrepreneurs who earned $4,000 in a recent pitch competition at United College will receive support to scale her business.

In 2018, Roy founded the first mobile hair salon in 蓝莓视频 region, Comfort Cutz,听a convenient hair service that primarily serves individuals with mobility barriers. Through her work, Roy helps to give her clients confidence, while keeping them safe in the comfort of their own homes.

She sees her clients at their most vulnerable and witnesses first-hand the impact that her services have on their self-esteem and mental health. 鈥淢y clients are so happy,鈥� she shares. 鈥淔or some, they get communication and a visitor. I treat them like they are my own friends and family, and they trust me.鈥澨� 听听

鈥淭he Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island have always been great entrepreneurs,鈥� says Rick Myers, principal of United College. 鈥淐olonialism repressed the entrepreneurial activities of Indigenous Peoples, but not their entrepreneurial spirit. Indigenous individuals and communities are making enormous strides in a host of commercial areas, including tourism, resources and energy.鈥�

To accelerate this progress, Indigenous Peoples need access to a business education that reflects their specific commercial interests and their culturally unique way of engaging in entrepreneurship and economic development. There also needs to be an opportunity to learn directly from the experiences of Indigenous entrepreneurs, with Indigenous knowledges, values and culture as its foundation.听听听听

Flint Hub and INDENT:听Supporting the entrepreneurship journey

INDENT is a six-course program that extends the resources and supports provided by United College into an academic offering and enables students to graduate with a diploma from the University of 蓝莓视频.听 听听

鈥淚ndigenous entrepreneurship programming goes beyond innovation to the very heart of economic equity and justice,鈥� says John Abraham, academic dean of United College. 鈥淎t United College, we see our role as supporting the next generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs as they write this exciting new chapter in a long history of commercial and entrepreneurial activities.鈥� 听

Jacob Crane, program manager of Flint Hub, adds: 鈥淭he goal of the Indigenous entrepreneurship program is to shed light and guide students towards fully utilizing the tools they already have. Our role is to support them on this journey.鈥�

Jacob Crane (right) during recruiting听event听in Calgary at the Tsuut'ina Nation Powwow

As an independent business owner, Roy shares that the level of support and resources offered by Flint Hub was very meaningful in helping her develop a business plan with a clear sense of direction and pushed her to follow her ambitions. 鈥淚 found comfort in talking about the business stuff without being judged by what I know. It鈥檚 a learning curve opening a business and the guidance of Flint Hub helps,鈥� she says.听听听

鈥淛ust knowing you have supportive people who are going through the same thing as you are, means everything.鈥� 听听听听听

Looking ahead, Flint Hub and INDENT will continue to create a pathway for Indigenous entrepreneurs to have a meaningful impact.听

Crane envisions Flint Hub becoming the number one incubator for Indigenous entrepreneurship in Canada. 鈥淚 really do believe that our cohorts are going to continue to grow and that we鈥檙e going to see alumni go after some large-scale funding opportunities.鈥澨�

The scope of this programming will broaden nationally as partnerships are deepened with post-secondary institutions across Canada in communities with traditionally high Indigenous populations.听听

In the short-term, Roy is pursuing dreams of opening a physical salon space using the money she was awarded at two Flint Hub pitch competitions. Roy鈥檚 new salon will be Indigenous-designed and she envisions it serving as a hub to sell artwork and other products made by local Indigenous artists and entrepreneurs. She also dreams of launching her own hair product line.听听听

Speaking to the impact of her work, Roy shares, 鈥淚t is such a rewarding job knowing you are making people feel good about themselves. And I always say to myself 鈥業鈥檓 going to make her look beautiful and feel great鈥� because if I can increase someone鈥檚 self-confidence, that is everything to me.鈥澨�听听听