Breaking barriers: how Sunshine Tenasco is reimagining entrepreneurship for Indigenous women
Published September 23, 2024 • 6 Min Read
As traditional workplace structures evolve, entrepreneurship offers a chance to break away from outdated models and build something more flexible, inclusive, and supportive. Sunshine Tenasco, founder and chair of Pow Wow Pitch and Her Braids, is doing exactly that. Through her work, she not only empowers fellow Indigenous entrepreneurs but also fosters a workplace culture that champions women.
Balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship
Tenasco’s entrepreneurial journey began out of necessity. She had been fired [WCP1] from her job because she needed to take her son to a doctor’s appointment.
“I worked hard and thought I shouldn’t feel guilty for having and wanting to take care of my children,” she recalls. This experience inspired her to take the leap into entrepreneurship, creating Her Braids, a project that brings awareness to Indigenous clean water issues, and Quemeez, a baby moccasin company.
After pitching Quemeez on CBC’s Dragon’s Den and securing a $20,000 loan, she created Pow Wow Pitch, an annual competition modelled after the hit TV show, dedicated to empowering Indigenous entrepreneurs.
While she admits that the path of entrepreneurship has had its challenges, Tenasco appreciates that it’s given her the ability to craft a work-life balance that works for her.
“Entrepreneurship allowed me the flexibility to show up for work energized, and to work around my children’s schedule,” she says. “If an appointment or event is happening, I don’t have to ask anybody for permission, or feel guilty about taking time off to be there.”
She hopes other women will also pursue entrepreneurship, even though it can be daunting. “I wish more women had that safety net to jump and try it.”
Reimagining the work environment
For Tenasco, reimagining the traditional work environment means putting flexibility at the forefront, similar to how contractors operate. Pow Wow Pitch transitioned from a sole proprietorship to a nonprofit with four employees just a year and a half ago, so she’s still experimenting to figure out what works best for her team.
“We can do whatever we want, as long as it’s holistic and manageable for us all,” she says. “As long as you get the job done, how you do it is irrelevant to me.”
When recruiting for an executive role, Tenasco received advice suggesting caution in hiring a new mother, with concerns about how her parenting responsibilities might affect her performance. This perspective didn’t sit right with Tenasco.
“I thought, if we can’t hire her, then we’re approaching this all wrong,” she reflects. Instead of dismissing the candidate, Tenasco embraced the challenge, deciding that if hiring her meant adapting and slowing down to follow her lead, that’s what they would do. “That’s how you build an organization with a woman’s perspective,” she says.
Tenasco has since embraced conversations about how to support women in the workplace, even exploring the idea of a four-day work week. “The woman we hired is more than capable and has shown up time and time again,” she says. “And moms do show up—they just have to do it in a different way.”
Empowering women and Indigenous entrepreneurs
Tenasco surrounds herself with women leaders and employees, which she says creates a safe and open culture within her businesses. “There’s space for everybody to speak and share their ideas,” she says, noting this type of inclusive environment reflects the leadership she admires in her own community.
Supporting women in business is central to Tenasco’s ethos. She finds the gender pay gap unacceptable and is dedicated to creating more opportunities for women, seeing it as a crucial step toward bridging that divide. “By providing more opportunities and representation, we give hope—and that hope translates into the courage to step into entrepreneurship,” she says. “If we can help even one Indigenous woman at each event we do, then we’ve done our job. Some people look at numbers only, but how can you put a price on a changed life? The ripple effect of that one little seed being planted is invaluable.”
Pow Wow Pitch was born out of Tenasco’s desire to give Indigenous entrepreneurs the support she wished she had when she was younger. After her life-changing experience on Dragon’s Den, she was inspired to create a similar support system for others.
“I was so empowered by [my investor] Brett Wilson’s belief in me,” she says, recalling how Wilson would message and call to check on her progress and offer advice. Her mission with Pow Wow Pitch is to recreate that experience for aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs. “Yes, we want to give you money, but we also want to be your support system and cheerleader,” she says, emphasizing the importance of providing this kind of guidance to Indigenous entrepreneurs, many of whom face challenges with self-confidence and self-worth.
RBC has been a trusted partner in bringing the idea to fruition, with Tenasco expressing gratitude for the Bank’s continued mentorship and backing. “RBC was the first and only bank to jump on board early in the Pow Wow Pitch journey,” she says. “They show up both in-person and online, and there has been a lot of support through volunteerism.”
Paving the way for future women entrepreneurs
Tenasco’s team operates in a hybrid model, with members living across different communities in Canada, and she believes this approach will become more common as businesses adapt. “None of this 9-5 baloney anymore,” she says, confident that flexible structures are crucial to the future of work, especially for women entrepreneurs balancing multiple roles.
Beyond her current ventures, Tenasco is focused on expanding her impact with new initiatives to support the Indigenous community. She plans to write more children’s books and hopes to develop projects that promote well-being and empowerment within the community.
To women considering entering the world of entrepreneurship, she advises starting small, at your own pace, and embracing the journey without the pressure to have everything figured out from the start.
“Just do it for fun and see how far you can take it,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”
This article is intended as general information only and is not to be relied upon as constituting legal, financial or other professional advice. A professional advisor should be consulted regarding your specific situation. Information presented is believed to be factual and up-to-date but we do not guarantee its accuracy and it should not be regarded as a complete analysis of the subjects discussed. All expressions of opinion reflect the judgment of the authors as of the date of publication and are subject to change. No endorsement of any third parties or their advice, opinions, information, products or services is expressly given or implied by Royal Bank of Canada or any of its affiliates.
Share This Article
