Video streaming technology and content sharing platforms coupled with greater access to high speed internet are opening new opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs in remote locations to build tech-driven businesses. The sharing of Indigenous knowledge, culture, language and identity through storytelling and other artistic expressions holds incredible value in the new the digital economy.
In the North and beyond there is a growing demand for Indigenous-owned and produced digital products and services that are culturally relevant and authentic; ranging from photography to video production to graphic design, and much more.
This cohort program will take 10 digital media entrepreneurs through a 9-month professional and personal growth journey that will enable them to grow all aspects of their business. Programming will cover leadership, marketing, operations, finance and investment-readiness through a Northern Indigenous lens. It’s an opportunity for the entrepreneurs to build thriving, sustainable businesses that have a positive social, cultural and economic impact on communities.
In the North and beyond there is a growing demand for Indigenous-owned and produced digital products and services that are culturally relevant and authentic; ranging from photography to video production to graphic design, and much more.
This cohort program will take 10 digital media entrepreneurs through a 9-month professional and personal growth journey that will enable them to grow all aspects of their business. Programming will cover leadership, marketing, operations, finance and investment-readiness through a Northern Indigenous lens. It’s an opportunity for the entrepreneurs to build thriving, sustainable businesses that have a positive social, cultural and economic impact on communities.
Nunavut
Siku Rojas
Siku Rojas is a non-binary Inuk from Iqaluit, Nunavut. Their anaana, Aluki Kotierk, is Inuk from Iglulik, Nunavut; their ataata, Mauricio Rojas, is Kichwan from Peguche, Ecuador. The fourth of five talented children, Siku admires and is inspired by their siblings. They attribute their creativity to being raised in a strong and innovative culture and surrounded by a community of visionaries.
Siku’s childhood interest in art was nurtured and refined through school art classes and watching YouTube videos. They realized being an artist was an attainable goal when they sold out of their prints and pottery work at a high school craft fair in 2018. They organized their first solo show, an outdoor exhibit beside their house, two years later. Social media has provided Siku another venue for sharing and selling their artwork. Siku works at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum, but their goal is to become a full-time artist. Siku’s vision for the future includes an art studio on the land that can be used for personal creation and as a collaborative artist space; community runways for seamstresses and upcoming designers; and a culturally safe tattoo studio where Inuit can receive their kakkiniit and tunniit. Through their business, YURAK, Siku offers a wide range of services including brightly coloured illustrations, sharp logo designs, eye-catching album covers, and one-of-a-kind paintings and jewellery pieces. |
Rico Manitok
Rico was raised in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut by his grandparents Madeline and Paul Manitok, who have helped him become the person he is today. He enjoys spending time with his common-law, Christine Tootoo, and daughter, Saima Manitok. He also loves hunting and spending time on the land, working on equipment such as snowmobiles and ATVs, and crafting Inuit tools. Rico works as an information systems officer at Kivalliq Inuit Association.
Rico’s introduction to the arts scene came in 2018. With the help of Christine, he joined the cast and crew of the theatrical show Kiviuq Returns. Rico went on to work and train with Chickweed Arts in Iqaluit, which in turn paved the way for his entry into the Nunavut film industry. Since then, he has worked on several film projects in the territory, including Pirurvik preschool: developing the heart of a child documentary and slash/back . He became a board member of the Nunavut Film Development Corporation in 2021. After moving back to Rankin in 2020, Rico created Manitok Media to provide the communities of the Kivalliq with videography services. Just through word of mouth, Rico has been contracted by various companies in the region. He looks forward to further expanding his business as part of EntrepreNorth. |
Ipeelie Ootoova
Born in Mittimattalik (Pond Inlet), Ipeelie Ootoova and his family now live in Iqaluktuuttiaq (Cambridge Bay), Nunavut. Ipeelie is an avid hunter, exploring the lands of Nunavut at every opportunity he gets. Ipeelie’s introduction to the film industry came as an actor in John Houston’s The White Archer in 2010; he played the role of Kanguq. He is most well-known for his performance as Natak in Maïna (2013), a role that earned him a Best Actor Award nomination at the American Indian Film Festival in 2013. Ipeelie has starred in other short films, including Nakimayuq (2020), and commercials.
Recognizing that there are few roles available in Nunavut communities outside of the capital of Iqaluit, Ipeelie began working on stories of his own. His debut film as a writer and director, Irninnu Unikaara, was inspired by his young family, his passion for Inuit culture, and stories from his childhood. Motivated by his love of filmmaking, his commitment to preserving and strengthening Inuit language and traditional stories, and his belief in the importance of seeing Inuit on screen, Ipeelie looks forward to creating new opportunities in the northern film industry. |
Northwest Territories
Jamie Wetrade-Stevenson
Jamie Wetrade-Stevenson is a Tłı̨chǫ photographer from the Northwest Territories. Born in Yellowknife, Jamie and her three siblings were raised by their mom in their home community of Behchokǫ̀. Introduced to photography when she was 14, Jamie honed her eye and skills photographing people through creative portraiture. She was 18 when she decided to turn her hobby into a career.
In just a few short years, Jamie has established herself in the landscape of northern creatives as the premier boudoir photographer. She also works closely with Dene make-up artist Karen Murray on artistic shoots and is regularly contracted to photograph events across the territory. Jamie credits her success as an entrepreneur with being an innovative thinker and risk taker. Through owning and operating Jamie Stevenson Photography, Jamie discovered a passion for entrepreneurship. For Jamie, entrepreneurship is about more than running a successful business. It is also about giving back to her community. Over the last year, she has collaborated with other organizations to host two entrepreneurship events with the goal to create safe spaces to nurture aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs and incubate good ideas. Jamie is living proof that Indigenous youth from small northern communities can succeed in business. |
Brandon Larocque
Brandon Larocque was born and raised in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, but has deep roots in Tuktuyaaqtuuq. Brandon has long been passionate about music and sound. However, he was always chasing other dreams like comedy and writing.
In 2016, Brandon graduated from Pixel Blue College in Edmonton, where he studied digital audio engineering. While at Pixel Blue Brandon realized there is more to be done with sound than make music. His education covered creative topics like “Foley” (the art of adding everyday sounds in post-production) and score, as well as the more technical aspects of audio engineering like mixing, mastering, and music theory. Brandon has honed his skills in all of these disciplines over the years to the point where he is completely self-sufficient in his music, releasing several albums that he produced, recorded, mixed, and mastered as BrandonSonnet. Along with his own creative pursuits, Brandon has scored and created original Foley sound effects for multiple short films. The goal of Brandon’s business, Rowhouse Rec, is to provide quality sound work for any need that might arise in the North. Whether it’s a great song that could be taken to the next level or a video production that needs a boost, Rowhouse Rec can make that happen. |
Melaw Nakehk'o
Melaw Nakehk’o is Dehcho Dene and Dënesųłıné. Born and raised in Denendeh (also known as the Northwest Territories), Melaw is a visual artist who paints, sews and beads. She is also a traditional moosehide tanner. Her work reviving and teaching moosehide tanning techniques has inspired a resurgence of the practice and shaped a broader community building movement within Canada, a journey documented in Revolution Moosehide (2019).
In addition to teaching land-based Indigenous art practices, Melaw works creatively through performance art, contemporary visual art, public art, filmmaking, and graphic recording. Melaw is the inaugural artist to have an exhibit in the newly opened Yellowknife Visitor Centre’s gallery. The exhibit features a collection of figurative paintings she has been working on for several years. Melaw appeared opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in The Revenant (2015). Melaw is a founding member of Dene Nahjo, an organization that promotes leadership and social and environmental justice for Indigenous people of the northern territories. She has three sons and lives in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. |
Elaine Landry
Elaine Landry is a Dene illustrator and designer from Zhatıé Kų́ę́ (Fort Providence) in the Dehcho region of the Northwest Territories.
Elaine has been making art for more than 15 years and digital art for a decade. She studied fine arts at the Alberta University of the Arts in Calgary. Today, she works full-time as an artist. She is best known for her work as an illustrator. She’s inspired by her Dene culture and all things cute. Having the skills to do what she loves makes her want to do more! She also loves designing clothing and accessories. Since 2017, Elaine has been selling her creations at various venues, from Indigenous craft shows in the North to comic conventions in Alberta. Elaine comes from a family of business people. She welcomes the opportunity presented by EntrepreNorth to make her family proud and connect with and share knowledge and advice with other entrepreneurs. |
Cody Fennell
Born and raised in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Cody Fennell grew up with a love for drawing, writing, and performing music. These interests led him to a career in the arts. After studying animation and electronic media design at VanArts and Langara college in Vancouver, Cody began his life’s work of designing and illustrating for the music and film industries. His goal in creating album artwork, posters, shirt designs, and personal art projects is to provide fresh ideas meant to inspire.
Working under his own name, Cody Fennell Design, Cody has created original movie posters and DVD cover art for the likes of Spike Lee; directed award-nominated music videos; and designed gig posters, shirt designs, and album covers for talented musicians like Kendrick Lamar and Michael Jackson. Most recently, Cody created an educational campaign for NWT children about the COVID-19 vaccine called “The Arctic Vaccinator: Covid Destroyer,” and designed the cover art and branding for the CBC North podcast Giant – Murder Underground. Moving forward, Cody wants to collaborate with new clients and continue to innovate, creating products for the North and beyond, and inspiring the next generation of northern creatives just as he was inspired as a child. |
Yukon
Nick Johnson
Nick Johnson is a member of the Kluane First Nation and a hip hop artist from Whitehorse, Yukon. After completing film school in Vancouver in 2010, Nick and Yudii Mercredi (Vuntut Gwitchin) formed a hip hop duo called Vision Quest.
Vision Quest’s first public performance was at a battle of the bands competition in Whitehorse, which they won. Since then, they have toured eastern Canada from Thunder Bay to Halifax with stops in Kahnawake and Elsipogtog, and played at multiple events and festivals, including the annual Adäka Cultural Festival and the Atlin Music Festival. Vision Quest’s music reflects their experiences as Indigenous youth living in northern Canada. Their lyrics weave together Indigenous languages and social, political and economic issues facing Indigenous people across Canada and the world. You can watch the music video for their song Northern Lights here. Vision Quest has been recognized with multiple awards and nominations. Nick and Yudii are now sharing their inspirations and process with youth through hip hop workshops. The EntrepreNorth program will allow Nick to expand his understanding of the business of music and take Vision Question to the next level. |
Brian Ladue
Brian Ladue is a member of the Ross River Dena Council, the northernmost member of the Kaska Nation. Born in Faro and raised in Ross River, Brian later moved to Whitehorse and Vancouver to pursue education and certification in renewable resource management. For more than a decade, he worked with Kaska Nation governments gathering traditional knowledge, mapping, and documenting stories and language.
Through these experiences Brian discovered a passion for the medium of digital video storytelling, which led him to start a video production company, now known as Northern Wild Productions. Northern Wild Productions has successfully completed many film projects, mostly in the documentary, educational, event, and promotional genres. In 2012, Brian stepped away from the business to serve his First Nation as chief councillor and to work as a managing director in a corporate setting. In 2019, he decided to resurrect Northern Wild Productions with the hope of seeing it become a successful and thriving First Nation-owned northern media production company. His plans were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as things begin to open up and with the opportunities presented by EntrepreNorth, Brian is eager to start down a new path and see Northern Wild Productions grow to its potential. |