b'PRODUCTIONPhotos courtesy of Marissa Baecker/shootthebreeze.caSoon, the idea took root. The pair began envisioning their own version of a reality show, a more uplifting and supportive pitch show that would respect Indigenous contestants and honour the value they bring to the business community. Jackson put the idea to paper, made her own pitch to APTN, and returned with the green light. Thats when things got busy, says Kozuback. After APTN gave their approval, Spiritlink came on board asa Bears Lair sponsor and started working [with Jackson] to move this thing forward.That early work included establishing the Bears Lair brand, securing sponsors and marketing, and launching a website for contestants to register, among other in-kind services. When it came time to search out Indigenous producers for this unique series, we found Mosaic Entertainment. After our very first call, we knew they understood the Indigenous twists we wanted for the show and had the TV experience we were looking for, says Kozuback.Mosaic Entertainment co-owners Camille Beaudoin and Erik Ribalkin are no strangers to bringing bold ideas to life. Before their call with Kozuback and Jackson, the husband-and-wife team had spent 16 years producing feature films, mobile games and TV shows, including the popular APTN comedy sketch May Contain Nuts and its spinoff Delmer and Marta. While the pair had no initial interest in entering the reality TV space, they were drawn to Jacksons heartfelt spin on the competition genre.The opportunity to support Indigenous people across Canada and help decolonize the Canadian economy is huge, and we knew this show was going to be the antithesis of other business pitch shows that are more cutthroat and money-focused. Were entrepreneurs ourselves so the chance to support Indigenous entrepreneurs was a huge draw for us, says Beaudoin, Mosaics CEO. SETTING THE SCENEFrom the start, the Bears Lair team was committed to crafting a show that put Indigenous talent, style and businessSkilled Indigenous TV professionals worked on the production of Bears Lair to helpacumen in the spotlight. For Beaudoin,make the show a successAboriginal BUSINESS REPORT45'