Create an Account Sign In
Toggle Side Panel
TREES Network
TREES Network
Close search

CLASSROOM ACTIVITY

Entrepreneurship: Many Ways to Begin

By exploring real-world experiences, invite students to identify opportunities, solve problems, embrace bold ideas and turn them into action.

In this video, Indigenous entrepreneurs look back on how they got started—and the confidence and independence they gained along the way.

Your turn: What is something you already do that could grow into a business?

Entrepreneurship can start with a simple question: What could be different?

A need that is not being met. A skill that could be shared. Knowledge that could become a service or product. Entrepreneurship is about noticing these possibilities and bringing together ideas, relationships, skills, and resources to act on them.

Business Spotlight: Mother Earth Essentials is an Indigenous-owned business that creates beauty and wellness products inspired by traditional plant knowledge.

As you explore the business, have students consider:

  • What need or want does the business respond to? 
  • Why might people choose these products?
  • What knowledge, skills, or values make the business distinctive? 

Try it with Learners

Business ideas often begin with a need — something important — or a want — something people would like. A business might make or sell a product, provide a service, or work with resources from the land or water.

Now think about:

  • something you wish existed
  • something you would improve
  • something people ask you for help with
  • something you enjoy making, doing, or learning about

Choose one. Is it meeting a need or a want? Could it become a product, service, or another kind of business?

Explore More Within TREES

  • More videos related to entrepreneurship and financial literacy are housed on the Video library
  • MFI offers curriculum and learning resources focused on entrepreneurship and financial literacy.
  • Using MFI’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship course? This classroom activity pairs well with Unit 1.1.

TAKE YOUR LEARNING FURTHER

  • Learn about Pow Wow Pitch, a grassroots movement supporting early-stage Indigenous entrepreneurs across Turtle Island through mentorship, resources, funding, and opportunities to share their ideas.
  • This video invites students to explore the difference between needs and wants and consider how our choices and circumstances shape what we value.
Back to Themed Series

Related Resources

2026 © The Martin Family Initiative. All rights reserved.

The Training & Resources for Early Education & Schools (TREES) Network is a space for delivering and accessing culturally appropriate training, professional development, resources, communities of practice and mentorship opportunities for Indigenous and non-Indigenous early learning professionals working with Indigenous children and families.

By coming together across communities, organizations and cultures, we can impact the bigger picture of Indigenous early education, child assessment and policy in Canada, so that Indigenous children will grow up proud of their culture and knowing that they belong.

The vision of the TREES Network is for early learning professionals to feel supported through training, resources and connections with others. The TREES Network strives to support early learning professionals to ground Indigenous children in their culture, nurturing stronger communities.

ACCESS TRAINING

The TREES Network supports access to culturally appropriate training and professional development for early learning professionals through the Understanding the Early Years course and Early Years Toolbox workshops. View upcoming trainings and workshops for your community through the Events Calendar.

EXPLORE RESOURCES

The TREES Network supports access to the Early Years Toolbox website, as well as access to accompanying resources through the Early Learning Library. Your access to resources is determined by your organization or community affiliation. Explore the Featured Partners page to view resources created by and in collaboration with Early Years partners.

CONNECT WITH OTHERS

To promote relationship-building and relational learning, the TREES Network provides opportunities for early learning professionals to build connections across the country. You can check out the Events Calendar to find events related to the early years, view the Interactive Map of early years services in different regions, or learn more about Supportive Circles as spaces to come together with others locally or across communities to share thoughts, ideas and support.

CREATE IMPACT

The TREES Network strives to create spaces through which we can collectively impact the bigger picture of Indigenous early learning in Canada. Learn about how Early Years sites are doing this through Early Years approach innovations, and about the important work many other organizations are doing to influence policy, curriculum, access to funding supports and program evaluation.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.