Bears’ Lair offers business opportunities to Indigenous entrepreneurs

By Brian Wright-McLeod

TORONTO— Enter the Bears’ Lair if you dare. Vancouver-based Sparkly Frog Clan Productions, Inc. repurposed a popular television program to generate support for Indigenous entrepreneurs with the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. The call for contestants for Season 1 of the Bears’ Lair has just recently closed.

The core judges’ panel comprises a group of diverse Indigenous business leaders from across the country. A guest judge from a Bears’ Lair sponsor organization joins “The Bears” for each episode.

For the opener of Season 1, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business, President and CEO, Tabatha Bull of Nipissing First Nation joins the panel of regulars.

Additional guest judges include Tuccaro Group of Companies President and CEO Dave Tuccaro of the Mikisew Cree Nation in Alberta, Steel River Group President and CEO, and Sparkly Frog Clan Production Inc. Bears’ Lair Executive Producer and Founder, Geena Jackson of the Sechelt (shíshálh) First Nation in British Columbia.

“I couldn’t be more excited to bring this opportunity to Indigenous entrepreneurs,” said Bears’ Lair Executive Producer and founder, Geena Jackson.

Over the course of nine episodes of the series, 18 emerging and established Indigenous entrepreneurs from across the nation compete for $180,000 in prize money to take their enterprise to the next level. All 18 contestants pitch to a panel of judges – The Bears – over six try-out episodes. The Bears select one $10,000 winner from each try-out episode and these six move to the semi-finals. The final four advance to the season finale, where one deserving Indigenous entrepreneur is awarded a $100,000 grand prize.

The Bears’ Lair creates a new path in Canadian reality television with five key Indigenous twists on typical business competitions. Judges consider the entrepreneurs’ social impact and award points for purpose as they select winners for guaranteed cash prizes (as opposed to competitors pitching to investors who would take ownership of their company). Prize funds will be awarded alongside business mentorship to help propel their business to the next level.

“This is a show by Indigenous entrepreneurs for Indigenous entrepreneurs that celebrates Indigenous values and the quadruple bottom line: balancing people, planet, profit and purpose that are woven into so many Indigenous businesses across the nation,” Jackson said.