Big earrings,

big laughs.

Four women founders from First Nations and Métis backgrounds share their roadmap to entrepreneurship — a vulnerable, real, and endless journey of lessons learned.

‘Settle down’ is something we’ve heard from our matriarchs through a loving tease since we were children. It’s a reflection of who we are: women with integrity who love to laugh. We take ourselves seriously, but not too seriously.


These words aren’t just about familiarity in our own communities; it’s also about the discomfort our presence has brought to colonial spaces. Maybe we were told our idea was too big, that we were too angry, too loud or just not that smart. We’ve heard ‘settle down’ in many forms and tones throughout our lives.

The Settle Down podcast is about bringing people together from an abundance mindset to share knowledge, stories, and lots of big laughs.

The podcast is produced by Omar Mouallem at Ninth & Peace Studios in amiskwacîwâskahikan.

The kokum

Elder Theresa Strawberry. An elderly woman smiling, wearing glasses, a floral bandana, a gray cardigan, and a white turtleneck, against a blue background with floral patterns.

Theresa Strawberry

Elder

  • Elder Theresa Strawberry is from the O’Chiese First Nation in Alberta and is a kokum, mother, Anishinaabe woman and community leader. Her notable efforts in the Ward Renaming project with the City of Edmonton showcase her dedication and visionary spirit.

    Elder Strawberry lives up to the essence of her name, with a nurturing and guiding heart as generous as the strawberry is to many Indigenous cultures. Her commitment to her people through sharing sacred knowledge and preserving her language is an inspiration to us all.

The Aunties

Vanessa Marshall

Founder, Jack59

  • An Indigenous entrepreneur, mentor, and environmental activist, Vanessa is passionate about sustainability, clean ingredients and empowering the next generation of women in business.

    In 2015, Vanessa founded Jack59 — an impact-driven haircare brand. Jack59 is for the dreamers, the change makers, and the honest skeptics who want to see (and feel) real results-without the compromise. A certified B Corp, its roots run deep in integrity and sustainability. Jack59 is plant-powered, science-backed hair care. No greenwashing. No gimmicks.

    Beyond Jack59, Vanessia is committed to mentoring Indigenous women entrepreneurs, sharing the lessons she’s learned about overcoming obstacles, building ethical businesses and driving change through purpose-driven leadership. Whether it’s speaking at industry events, hosting workshops, or guiding aspiring entrepreneurs, Vanessa’s goal is to empower others to turn their ideas into sustainable, impactful ventures.

    For more information, visit: Jack59

Mallory Yawnghwe. Indigenous Box Foudner. Close-up portrait of a smiling person wearing glasses with a blue frame, a nose ring, and colorful earrings, against a teal background with a floral pattern.

Mallory Yawnghwe

Founder, Indigenous Box

  • Mallory launched Indigenous Box in March of 2021 with good intentions, strong teaching and a good heart. Earning her Bachelor of Commerce in Supply Chain Management, Mallory honed her skills by building schools and hospitals for the Government of Alberta. She has also shared her Knowledge as a consultant for projects such as the Royal Alberta Museum’s Human History Exhibit and Fort Edmonton Park’s Indigenous People’s Experience. 

    Guided by great purpose, Mallory has accomplished things she never believed were possible: Competing at the Young Entrepreneurs Symposium, attending the Coady Institutes Indigenous Women in Community leadership program and helping raise over a million dollars for the Circle of Abundance in collaboration with a group of her mentors and peers. 


    For more information, visit: Indigenous Box

Shani Gwin. Founder, pipikwan pêhtâkwan & wâsikan kisewâtisiwin. A woman with long dark hair, smiling, wearing colorful earrings and a white fleece jacket, with a floral patterned blue background.

  • Shani is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of pipikwan pêhtâkwan and wâsikan kisewâtisiwin. Shani is a sixth-generation Métis and a member of the Cunningham Clan on her mother’s side and a descendant of the Michel Band and Ferguson Clan on her father’s side. 

    Shani is a proud Métis woman with a passion for elevating Indigenous voices, projects and successes. In her role as Founder and CEO, she upholds the vision for the company, ensures our projects are accountable to the community, and ensures agency initiatives align with our values. 

    Today, she has built one of Turtle Island’s leading Indigenous-owned, -led and majority-staffed communications and engagement agencies and is now creating an AI company led and informed by Indigenous Peoples. She helps guide clients and organizations with strategic guidance on decolonization, reconciliation, artificial intelligence, issues management and public relations. She is committed to uplifting underrepresented peoples, including Indigenous women, youth, and the LGBTQ2S+ community, so that they hold equal spots in society. 

    For more information, visit: pipikwan pêhtâkwan or wâsikan kisewâtisiwin

Founder, pipikwan pêhtâkwan & wâsikan kisewâtisiwin

Shani Gwin

Felicia Dewar. Founder, miskamâsowin. Portrait of a woman with dark hair, glasses, and earrings, smiling, wearing a pink sweater, with a teal background decorated with floral patterns.

Felicia Dewar

Founder, miskamâsowin Foods

  • Felicia Dewar is a dynamic Indigenous entrepreneur, leader, and community builder driven by a passion for creating opportunity and amplifying Indigenous voices. She was born and raised in Northern Alberta, Treaty No. 8 territory, and is a member of Sucker Creek First Nation.

    A serial entrepreneur, she is the founder of miskamâsowin Foods inc., where she weaves culture, entrepreneurship and storytelling through food. She is actively involved with pîkiskwêwin, an Indigenous-led podcasting platform focused on creating space for dialogue, learning and community connection in Indigenous languages.

    With a background in marketing and communications, Felicia has led impactful initiatives across media, economic development and entrepreneurship — always grounded in collaboration, community and cultural resurgence. Guided by a relationship-first approach, Felicia is committed to building ventures that nourish people, strengthen communities and create pathways for the next generation.

    For more information, visit: miskamâsowin Foods inc.

The Producer

Omar Mouallem. Podcast Producer. A smiling man with dark curly hair and glasses, wearing a gray turtleneck and black blazer, in front of a light blue background with floral patterns.

Omar Mouallem

Producer

  • Omar Mouallem is a story consultant and multimedia producer working across film, podcasts, books and magazines. With two decades of experience in media, he has created award-winning documentaries for CBC, authored books published by Simon & Schuster, served as editor-in-chief of Edify magazine and written for such publications as The New Yorker and Rolling Stone. He’s also the founder of PanU (formerly Pandemic University), a production studio and school for nonfiction.