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By Nancy Rogers
Published by Progressive Choices
Western Women in Business, Spring 2006
When you think of someone who is being recognized for their
lifetime achievements and accomplishments you create a picture in your mind of woman in her mid-forties, fifties or older.
However, this is not the case of Buffy Handel, president of Indian
Pearl Productions, at the ripe old age of 24 this enterprising young
woman has in fact received three entrepreneur awards since November
2005, for her accomplishments as a businesswoman and commitment to the
education of others.
Growing
up on a reservation in St. Theresa Point, Manitoba, Handel says she has
been blessed with the gift of teaching and communicating. She has used
this gift over the years to educate people across North America and
parts of Europe about the ways and traditions of the Aboriginal people.
At the age of 15, Handel left
St. Theresa Point and headed for Winnipeg to continue her education, experiencing culture shock along
the way. Growing up she had no television, electricity, or even bubble
gum. The only sources of transportation were dog sled, snowshoes or
canoe. She remembers her first pair of shoes at age 11. Prior to that
she wore only moccasins.
Adjusting
to all of this, she completed her education and obtained a job at the
Circle of Life Thunderbird House as a youth outreach worker. While
there, she developed a power program using native dance, which was a
great success. “I love to dance and I love instructing dance,” she
says, so it all came naturally.
While
working at Thunderbird House she was complimented on her ability to
teach people her native culture and was asked to do presentations in
schools. She loved this experience, saying the young kids showed her
there was value in what she was showing them. Her gift to speak and
reach people when no others could was evident.
Indian
Pearl Productions started up in 2001 as a very small company with
Handel being the sole owner and performer. As the popularity of her
performances grew, to teach Aboriginal history so did her business, as
she now has to outsource other businesses to help her business.
Handel
contributes her business smarts and independence, to having been a part
of the family business, but is quick to add, “You definitely have to
eat popcorn for more than a week.”
In 1999, Handel discovered she was pregnant. Starting a
business is hectic enough, doing it while you are pregnant is even more
daunting. When asked why she would even consider starting a business at
that time in her life, she says she had a little voice saying, “This is
what you have to do.” In February 2000, a few days after her nineteenth
birthday, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.
Handel
managed being a new mother and a businessperson through support from
her family, and she incorporated her daughter into her shows. She
bundled her on a traditional board and bound her to her back while
performing. She says that having her daughter with her worked two-fold.
It seemed to authenticate her performances even more and it exposed her
daughter to her own culture. Handel also credits her daughter for
teaching her more patience and developing her skills to better her
stories.
Now, five years later, Handel is proud to be
classified as a professional dancer. She now incorporates multicultural
dancing along with her traditional dancing in the first Professional
Aboriginal school of Dance. Handel applied for provincial funding to
open the school a number of years ago, but being independent - she
decided to move ahead and open it on her own.
On
top of being a mother, businesswoman, professional performer and a
teacher of dance, Handel also works at CBC in Winnipeg, is a student at
University of Winnipeg and just recently contracted a weekly column
with Grassroots Newspaper. She also stays in shape by working out and
playing volleyball on three different teams.
Making
a business a success involves a lot of work, but you must enjoy it. And
she insists you have to set your fees based on what you are worth. She
is a professional and charges professional rates. Handel states that
her success also comes from knowing who she is, “I know exactly who I am and what I will be doing for the rest of my
life,” Handel states firmly.
Through the easy times and the hard, she would not change a thing. “I have traveled 200 years in 24
years,” she says. She has come a long way and fully intends to continue to Dance her Life.
Buffy Handel
Indian Pearl
Productions
Industry: Education and Entertainment
Winnipeg, MN
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Awards: 2005
1. Investment Group
Entrepreneur Year Award
2. City of Winnipeg for Spirituality on a Multicultural Level.
3. Frontier School Division 48 Nomination for Achievement
Community Work:
Committed to enhancing the community and development through education on aboriginal history and
traditions at multi-level education institutes.
Boards Serving:
Artist round Table, Manitoba Provincial Government
Advice for Young Entrepreneurs
1. Know yourself, know your journey and walk. If you do not know
yourself, how do you know your journey?
2. Understand the balance of yourself; be able to turn negative into
positive energy.
3. Understand you're four entities: emotional and physical state, knowledge and spirituality
Is Age a Barrier?
Again, it is a mind-frame. I see it as an advantage, as is being aboriginal and being a single parent. All
of these things bring clarity to where I am and where I am going.
What Young Entrepreneurs Need
You need to be independent -
this enables you to handle things better.
A direction to go in
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ps/ecd/js/journ_e.html
· Journey to Success, an Aboriginal Women's Business
Planning Guide.
Today, Aboriginal women are using their resourceful, multi-tasking
skills in the business world. Aboriginal women are coming forward as
business leaders with integrity. Visit:
·
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ps/ecd/js/journ_e.html
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nr/ecd/wen_e.html
· Aboriginal women entrepreneurs make vital contributions
to their communities' economies and are inspiring role models for young people.
Aboriginal Economic Development Success Stories for Aboriginal Women
Entrepreneurs
http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/wmn/index_e.html
Opening Doors for Future Generations
This
web-page profiles some dynamic Aboriginal women in Canada today who are
exceptional achievers in their particular fields. These women are
breaking new ground and opening doors for future generations of
Aboriginal women.
www.pauktuutit.ca
Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada is the independent, national organization
that represents all Canadian Inuit women.
Pauktuutit leads and supports Inuit women in policy development and
community projects in all areas of interest to them, for the social,
cultural, political and economic betterment of the women, their
families and communities. Fostering a greater awareness of the needs of
Inuit women, advocates for equity and social improvements, and
encourages their participation in the community, regional and national
life of Canada. 1 800 667 0749.
www.ainc-inac.gc.ca
Indian
and Northern Affairs Canada's (INAC) economic development initiatives
focus on creating employment opportunities, facilitating skills
transfer and stimulating investment in the community to improve the
quality of life for First Nations and Inuit.
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