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Jolene Johnson is the CEO and president of Wabanaki Maple, a 100 per cent Indigenous female-owned maple syrup firm based mostly in Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation close to Perth Andover, N.B.
For hundreds of years, lengthy earlier than sugar got here with the fur commerce, the Indigenous Peoples of the First Nations harvested the sap from the maple bushes of Canada. But it surely wasn’t till I began my firm, Wabanaki Maple, in 2018 that the East Coast of Canada had ever had a woman-founded Indigenous enterprise within the maple syrup business.
Me, I discovered my method to this Canadian treasure by working many seasons at my sister’s interest sugar bush earlier than ever contemplating my very own path. I simply preferred being on the land, particularly close to Neqotkuk (Tobique) First Nation, the place I presently dwell.
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Sharing tradition
Later in life, when my culinary profession left me feeling caught and uninspired, Wabanaki Maple was a manner for me to mix my love for meals and flavours with my private journey to rediscover my Indigenous roots. Right this moment, I can share a chunk of my tradition with others.
We’ve gone from promoting our merchandise at native farmers’ markets to now delivery them nationwide, however beginning this enterprise had its challenges.
To start with, I used to be lucky sufficient to have the ability to fund a portion of the enterprise myself. I closely invested in Wabanaki Maple to create the merchandise, begin our stock and safe our facility. As a result of with out the product in hand, how might I persuade others to assist me?
Limitations to girls
However the actuality for a lot of girls, particularly in rural areas, is that they don’t have the flexibility to fund their companies alone. In Canada, girls entrepreneurs proceed to face a wide range of boundaries when in search of capital to begin and develop their companies. Actually, women-owned companies solely obtain an estimated 4 per cent of enterprise capital funding.
As not solely a girl, however an Indigenous girl beginning a enterprise on a reserve, there have been many challenges and complexities I needed to overcome. I started to hunt out each program and alternative that would assist me.
The primary program I utilized to was the Joint Financial Improvement Initiative’s enterprise incubator program, the place I met a beautiful girl who would turn out to be my mentor for years to come back. She was an unimaginable useful resource for me as a brand new entrepreneur, and I introduced her on board as a enterprise marketing consultant.
It was working together with her that taught me how essential mentors are for ladies beginning out within the enterprise world.
Even to at the present time, I nonetheless apply for applications like this that may supply me the group and mentorship that I lack as the one girl founder on this business.
Stacy’s Rise
As of this 12 months, I’ve been chosen to be a part of the primary Canadian class of the Stacy’s Rise Mission, a nationwide grant and mentorship program that goals to empower girls entrepreneurs.
As one of many recipients, I’ll be receiving a $15,000 grant and getting access to a mentorship program that will likely be an vital step within the technique of increasing our merchandise internationally. I’m a agency believer within the energy of applications like these, the significance of information sharing and constructing a group of ladies who can assist you in your development.
After all, with these sorts of alternatives comes a way of accountability to cross on the information and worth to others. I’ve been so lucky to have nice mentors since I began Wabanaki Maple, and I wish to make extra space for underrepresented teams.
I’m a agency believer in … the significance of information sharing and constructing a group of ladies who can assist you in your development.
Private causes
Giving again to our group is a big a part of our mission.
We just lately launched a program, the Bareroots Initiative, that may assist us assist reforestation efforts all through the Wabanaki woodlands. We’ve began promoting distinctive present bins that function merchandise from different Indigenous-owned small companies throughout Canada, and the proceeds are used to buy and safe tree saplings for future planting.
Our aim is to assist replenish, revitalize and strengthen our forests.
We’re working in partnership with non-profit organizations in OneTreePlanted, Group Forests Worldwide and Nashwaak Watershed Affiliation to make it occur. This initiative has allowed me to provide again to 2 causes I really feel so keen about — uplifting fellow Indigenous founders and supporting a wholesome and sustainable setting.
Inspiring others
On the finish of the day, I hope my entrepreneurial journey will assist and encourage different Indigenous girls founders to maneuver ahead and create new house in an underrepresented business resembling maple syrup.
I began my enterprise as a result of I wished to do one thing significant and share this candy custom that has been handed from era to era. Now, I’m wanting ahead, and my aim is to guarantee that these round me can develop and thrive — and so can Mom Earth.
