about Indigenous culture and the 
importance of land conservation. 
Our goal is to minimize environmental 
impact while leaving a meaningful 
and lasting positive impression on all 
who visit.
CYNTHIA WALKER 
Partner, Marketing Strategy 
Unfussy - Brand First Marketing 
O
ver the past few years, I’ve had 
the privilege of witnessing 
Indigenous businesses not 
just survive but truly flourish. 
As descendants of residential school 
survivors, many of us have chosen to 
step into the systems that once worked 
to erase us, with the deep intention to 
change how business is done — not just 
for us as today’s business leaders, but 
for the generations to come.
When I look ahead to the next 10 years, 
I see Indigenous businesses leaning 
into collaboration, resource-sharing 
and building sovereignty together. I see 
more youth-led leadership grounded in 
culture yet unafraid of innovation and 
change. I see leaders who understand 
the importance of building educational, 
emotionally impactful brand-first 
experiences that unapologetically 
challenge colonial societal norms. I see 
more Indigenous leaders proud to be 
Indigenous leaders.
At Unfussy, we build brand communities. 
For that, relationships have always been 
at the heart of not just our work, but 
also how we work. We believe business 
should be built on trust, reciprocity and 
long-term emotional connection, not 
faceless, impersonal transactions. We 
take the time to listen, to learn and to 
grow together… knowing that strong 
relationships rooted in decency and 
respect are what will carry successful 
Indigenous businesses forward.
STAN WESLEY 
Owner, CEO 
Shape Shifter Events
M
y vision for Indigenous 
entrepreneurship over 
the next 10 years is clear: 
Indigenous businesses will 
become the first and natural choice for 
Indigenous organizations and commu-
nities, and a trusted, respected option 
for non-Indigenous companies seeking 
meaningful, values-based partnerships.
Indigenous entrepreneurship is not 
new — it’s ancestral. It has existed 
since 
time 
immemorial 
through 
sharing, trading, bartering, relationship-
building and reciprocity. What we’re 
doing today is not creating something 
new but carrying ancestral knowledge 
and energy forward into modern 
economic systems.
This work is driven by spirit — and 
that spirit strengthens over time. 
Businesses like Shape Shifter Events, 
and other Indigenous companies with 
vision, are intentionally stepping into 
competitive markets. 
We’re 
not 
doing 
business 
as 
usual. We bring spirit, intent and 
purpose into our work. People no 
longer want to simply see results 
— they want to feel them. That’s 
our commitment.
As Indigenous entrepreneurs reclaim 
space, build capacity, and support 
one another, the collective power of 
Indigenous business continues to 
rise. The days when there were no 
Indigenous options across sectors are 
coming to an end. 
I 
humbly 
challenge 
Indigenous 
entrepreneurs to amplify the voices of 
our ancestors. As singers lift their songs, 
as the drum echoes, as a hunter’s call 
carries across the land, let us always 
sing the praises of Indigenous business 
— supporting one another with energy, 
spirit and passion. 
The impact will be transformative. 
Indigenous 
entrepreneurship 
will 
reshape procurement, redefine 
partnerships, 
and 
influence 
economic leadership across Canada 
and beyond.  
56 A CCIB PUBLICATION  Winter 2026
VOX POP

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