Success Stories

From start-up to growth, every business is unique

When one Indigenous entrepreneur wins, that is a win for their family, community, nation and Vancouver Island as a whole.

Celebrating our Clients’ successes

Behind every successful business is a great story and no two entrepreneurial journeys are the same. What’s it take to turn your dream into a reality? Read these success stories to find out.

Lone Cone Hostel & Campground/Lone Cone Trail, Tofino Wilderness Resort & Ahous Adventures – Maaqtusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS)

Accommodations, First Nation, Tourism | Tofino, BC

Maaqtusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS) is a ‘hereditary’ run entity that is in control of Economic Development for Ahousaht First …

Pearson Tire – Justine & Curtis Schmidt

Automotive and Mechanical, First Nation | Port Alberni, BC

Curtis and Justine Schmidt proudly own and operate their family business which has been passed on from 2 generations.  Curtis has worked in the shop since …

Naas Foods – Stephen Dennis

First Nation, Fishing, Food & Drink | Tofino, BC

Stevie Dennis from Ahousaht, BC. Is a naturally grown entrepreneur. He watched his parents build and succeed in their businesses. He got the business …

Bare Bones Fish House and Smokery – Lance Dodding & Vishal Dewli

First Nation, Food & Drink | Port Alberni, BC

Business partners Lance and Vishal, offer ‘upscale casual dining,’ a different genre of the restaurant business. Discover a culinary haven at Bare Bones, a …

R Barker Contracting – Ryan Barker

Construction, First Nation | Port Alberni, BC

Ryan Barker Ryan started as a first-year apprentice at Camosun College then moved his way up to complete his 4th year and obtain his Red Seal at Vancouver …

Primal Sisters – Tamara Wensley

Food & Drink, Retail | Errington, BC

Tamara Wensley, Metis, grew up with her family in Errington, BC. She started the business, Primal Sisters, with her sister back in 2015. The business was …

Gulf Island Seaplanes – Alison and Sean Evans

Tourism | Gabriola, British Columbia

Sean spent many years as a pilot on the West Coast as a pilot for Tofino Air.  They started their business in 2014 after buying Tofino Air’s …

SignAge Canada – Roger McKinnon

Professional Services, Retail

Roger says he got his business sense from his father and 3 uncles who owned McKinnon’s Dairy in Port Alberni. Roger went to Malaspina College and the brand …

BC Cannabis Inc – Dr. Michelle Corfield

Health & Wellness, Indigenous Woman Entrepreneur, Retail | Nanaimo, British Columbia

They are ‘growers.’ Michelle has been on this journey since about 2019. And then the pandemic hit!  And that sunk everything for a couple of years which …

Chims Motel – Naomi & Edmond Nicholson

Accommodations, Indigenous Woman Entrepreneur, Tourism | Port Alberni, British Columbia

“Čims” means ‘Bear’ in the Nuu-chah-nulth Barkley dialect. To help guests pronounce and spell the word, they added “h” to spell “Chims.” Naomi …

West Coast Wildflowers by Alissa Assu

Fashion, Health & Wellness, Indigenous Woman Entrepreneur | Campbell River, BC

Alissa Assu was born in Prince Rupert, BC and raised by her grandmother Emma Derrick from Wet’suwet’en First Nation and her grampa Robert Derrick from the …

The Cottage and Castle – Christina Kemp

Accommodations, Indigenous Woman Entrepreneur, Tourism | Chemainus, British Columbia

Christina Kemp from Witset, BC (formerly Moricetown a Wet’suwet’en Village) started her business, The Cottage and Castle in 2020 in Chemainus, BC. She …

HFN Group of Businesses

First Nation

The HFN Group of Businesses is building economic self-determination for the Huu-ay-aht First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island with robust …

Jaiden George Photography

Professional Services

Jaiden George is a photographer, writer and future Hereditary Chief from the Ahousaht First Nation. With support from NEDC, he has taken his freelance …

Care Dental Hygiene

Professional Services | Campbell River

It’s unclear how many of the 31,000 dental hygienists in Canada are Indigenous. The figures are not readily available. But becoming a dental hygienist was …

Bigfoot Donuts

Food & Drink, Tourism | Courtenay

We wanted to create a more fulfilling future for ourselves, with a fun, community-oriented gathering place built around a childhood favourite, the humble donut.

Liquid Gold Hot Sauce

Food & Drink | Tofino

Matt Grapko, a member of the KENHTEKE KANYEN’KEHÁ:KA (Mohawks Bay of Quinte) established 1Man2Pans Meditati Inc (Meditati is latin for imagine) operating …

Billybeauty

Retail | Port Alberni

Natasha started Billybeauty MKTG with the help of her husband, Bill Dennis, in August of 2020.  The couple is from Tseshaht & Ahousaht First Nations, …

Action Packed Charters

Tourism | Port Alberni

Introducing Action Packed Charters, established in 2016, owned by Carla Halvorsen (First Nation Name: Hoolth upii – which means “the calm before the storm” …