Indigenous entrepreneurs thrive on TikTok, connect with community

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In 2013, Ashley Michel had her daughter and wanted to ensure she grew up knowing her culture and language — which to Michel meant bringing her to powwows.

“I wasn’t able to, as a single mom, purchase regalia from other artists,” she said. “So then I decided to teach myself. That was kind of my journey into getting into the sewing, getting into the ribbon skirts, getting into the regalia.”

Then the pandemic hit and Michel wondered how she was going to support herself and her daughter; she learned digital art, made stickers and then a viral video on TikTok that helped grow 4 Generations Creations.

“I sold out of my first Indigenous sticker collection, invested back into my business and started doing apparel, totes, cups and more,” said Michel.

What started out as a passion project to ensure her daughter had access to culture became a business and Michel isn’t alone; in Canada, there are more than 60,000 Indigenous businesses and some of them, like Michel, have turned to TikTok to help with their growth.

In Canada, Indigenous women are more likely to be self-employed than non-Indigenous women — 40 per cent and 36 per cent respectively. The Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business said “Indigenous women business owners are a competitive part of the Indigenous economy and an asset to their communities.”

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Mallory Yawnghwe, the creative behind Indigenous Box — which produces ready-made, custom and build-your-own gift boxes — is one of those community assets.

“Indigenous Box just evolved from a love for our people and a passion to champion Indigenous business,” said Yawnghwe.

Before she started Indigenous Box, she was helping community members launch websites and supporting their businesses’ growth. Eventually, one of her mentors said she should find a way to help as many people as she could without doing everything.

With the help of her mom, this eventually lead to the creation of Indigenous Box.

“She sent me a bag and it had like bear grease for my hair and it had a new ribbon skirt and some smudge and some tea … it was like a care package from back home,” said Yawnghwe. “And so we kind of created the business plan based on these little things.”

1:52 Indigenous Box is about getting people involved in economic reconciliation

Yawnghwe and Michel both turned to TikTok at the insistence of their daughters. This year, the pair were selected to be part of #IndigenousTikTok’s inaugural Visionary Voices meant to recognize creators and small businesses making a positive impact both on and off the app.

“We’re the first generation out of residential school and we have an opportunity to really show Canada, show the rest of non-Indigenous Canadians what economic reconciliation looks like,” said Yawnghwe. “And so now our people are taking up those spaces, reclaiming those spaces.“

Indigenous Box’s model was created with the intention to allow Indigenous people to feel like they own the business just as much as the team behind it.

“We always say it’s not about stuff in boxes, it’s about a movement of thousands of Indigenous and non-Indigenous coming together to create a future where all of our children can thrive,” said Yawnghwe. “I really, truly believe that … people, in general, get behind our mission because it’s easy.”

“They’re like, ‘I can do something to affect change.’ I’m responsible to put my money back into the pockets of Indigenous businesses.”

And economic reconciliation is a big motivator for Yawnghwe. When the company reached its 20-month mark, they looked into the backend and figured they’d been able to put $2 million back into the pockets of Indigenous makers.

Michel learned to grow her business on TikTok from established entrepreneurs. During the pandemic she learned from “side hustle” creators which helped her take up digital drawing and adapt her business when powwows were off the table. Now she’s giving back and teaching others.

“I try to educate about Indigenous issues and resiliency … appropriation versus appreciation and then authenticity – being the authentic Indigenous artist because there’s so many fakes out there,” said Michel. “And it’s so unfortunate because we have so many great Indigenous artists and businesses that people can support.”