Introducing the Startup Women Advocacy Network 2023
Two years ago, we created the Startup Women Advocacy Network (SWAN), a network of 11 early stage, woman-identifying founders from each province and territory to champion the needs of women entrepreneurs across the country.
SWAN members have the opportunity to amplify their business across our platforms, are given a seat at important government roundtables aimed at policy creation and decision-making, and are invited to be speakers and panelists at key entrepreneurial events such as Startup Canada Tour to showcase their stories.
This is just the beginning. The hope behind SWAN is to create an ever-growing network of champions in each Canadian province and territory to ultimately increase the visibility and voices of early-stage, woman-identifying entrepreneurs.
In the spirit of amplifying women entrepreneurs, we sat down with each of our SWAN members to learn more about their founder journeys. Our sixth interview is with Natasha Peter, Founder of Kaska Dena Designs, from the Yukon.
Meet Natasha Peter, our SWAN Member from the Yukon
Natasha Peter is a proud member of the Kaska First Nation in Ross River, Yukon, Canada. With a deep connection to her family’s Wolf Clan and a heritage tied to the land, Natasha’s creations are a heartfelt homage to the healing, nurturing, and inspiring qualities of the land she calls home. Natasha is the founder of Kaska Dena Designs, a First Nations inspired apparel and jewelry brand for people who want to celebrate Indigenous culture.
We’d love to learn a little bit about your entrepreneurial journey toward founding Kaska Dena Designs.
I founded Kaska Dena Designs during a healing journey of mine. I was going through a dark spot in my life with addiction, and I felt that I couldn’t find a way out. Growing up, my elders and grandparents taught me how to sew, so one day, I chose to start sewing as a hobby. Little did I know that my Dena traditional skills were beginning to heal me. Once I realized this, I continued to sew and challenge myself. I was able to turn a hobby and something that was healing me into a growing business.
What has been the most challenging obstacle for you in starting your business? And how did you overcome it?
There were numerous challenges when starting my business. Firstly, I was concerned about successfully delivering orders all across Canada. I was also worried about public speaking and the public’s perception of me, as I am a natural introvert who dislikes public speaking and putting myself out there. Thirdly, I knew I could sew, but there was a big learning curve for mastering the business side of Kaska Dena Designs. I overcame these challenges by persevering and working hard to build the business.
What brings you the most joy or excitement in working in your business?
Designing, creating, and building new pieces motivates me. I also love hearing customer’s positive reviews of the products and how they are using them in their everyday lives.
What do the next few years look like for Kaska Dena Designs?
We are striving to grow our team to help produce new and exciting products as well as build a global distribution strategy to expand beyond our current markets.
What does being a part of the Startup Women Advocacy Network mean to you?
I am most excited to be part of the Startup Women Advocacy Network to learn from other motivated and successful women entrepreneurs and to build a community of like-minded women entrepreneurs across Canada.
When founders talk about their journey and their business, they often talk about their “why” – why they do what they do. So, we’re interested to know – what is your “why”?
My company is rooted in my Indigenous heritage, and as a result, my “why” is to keep the Kaska Dena ways alive for the next generations to come. I also enjoy sewing and creating products. It’s very relaxing and healing for me.
Thank you for joining us! If someone wants to connect with you, where is the best place for them to go?
You connect with us by email at kaskadenadesigns@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram @Kaskadenadesigns. You can also shop our products on our website at www.kaskadenadesigns.com.
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You can learn more about our 2023 Startup Women Advocacy Network at https://www.startupcan.ca/startup-women-advocacy-network-2023/