b'WOMEN IN BUSINESSENTERING THE LAIRIn 2022 Jesse and Dakota Brant, owners of Sapling & Flint, were contestants on APTNs Bears Lair, an Indigenous reality show based loosely on shows like Shark Tank and Dragons Den. Although they didnt win Season 1, the extraordinary experience enriched them in other important ways. To have somebody whos Indigenous and successful look at us and care as much about our products as we do? Ive never experienced that before! exclaims Dakota. Hearing about the experiences of these successful businesspeople validates the concerns that you have and the trials that you face.Onscreen, viewers learn about Indigenous businesses and their pitch. But the real engagement, says Dakota, happened backstage while networking with judges like Geena Jackson, executive producer of Bears Lair; David Tuccaro, founder, pres-ident and CEO of Tuccaro Group; Tabatha Bull, president and CEO of CCAB; and Robert Louie, owner of the Indigenous World Winery and Distillery. Dave had been to Six Nations, and he knew our previous elected leaders. These were my relatives, and he knew who they were, Dakota recalls. It was great to hear that what Im feeling is not new. Having anxieties about your business is called growing pains. I learned that from these guys.The support didnt end when the sisters exited the show. Bears Lair was constantly reaching out with services, says Dakota, and show sponsors reached out to teach us about their products and learn how they could be more inclusive of Indigenous entrepreneurs. 64A CCAB PUBLICATION2023'