Jun 30, 2026
Redefining retail infrastructure: a conversation with Indigenous innovator Chelsee Pettit
Past #StandWithOwners winner Chelsee Pettit shares how she built a sustainable retail infrastructure for Indigenous creators.
TELUS Business
When Chelsee Pettit set out to support Indigenous creators, she didn’t just launch a brand. She had to invent an entire ecosystem. Recognizing that Indigenous designers had incredible products but lacked access to commercial systems, Pettit took on the monumental task of reshaping how backend retail operates. By bringing independent designers together to buy materials in bulk, streamline their shipping and fix their profit margins, she rewrote the rules of retail for diverse business owners.
Today, her journey serves as a model for how independent creators can thrive by working together rather than competing alone. As a past #StandWithOwners winner, Pettit has transitioned from bootstrapping her initial storefront venture, aaniin retail Inc., to building the foundational systems that help modern Indigenous brands grow together.
In this interview, Pettit reflects on her personal entrepreneurial hurdles, the shift from storefront survival to industry-wide impact and why true success means teaching the next generation of founders how to build sustainable, lasting businesses.
What inspired you to build a journey rooted in Indigenous entrepreneurship, and what does this mission mean to you personally?
Pettit: I started down this path because I saw a systemic gap. Indigenous creators had products but no shelves. The market had plenty of demand but almost zero commercial infrastructure pointing toward it. So, I took it upon myself to build the storefront, the supply chain and the audience all in one place.
“To me, this work is about creating a ‘front door’ into a marketplace that was effectively closed to our community before. It is personal because it changes who gets to participate in the retail economy.”
Being a pioneer in this retail space comes with unique hurdles. What challenges did you face that conventional founders might not encounter?
Pettit: Funding was the very first wall since I bootstrapped this journey from absolute zero, which meant operating with no outside funding and no warm introductions to investors.
Then came the operational learning curve. Because many of the makers I partnered with were early-stage, I was not just managing inventory. I was actively teaching how to navigate sourcing, fulfillment and business sustainability from scratch. I had to build our entire operating system as I went because there simply was not a blueprint out there to copy.
You have helped launch and grow over 100 brands. How has collaboration shaped your philosophy on success?
Pettit: I have learned that individual success is fragile but collective success is resilient. We proved this when we brought together a cohort of 13 independent brands. By sharing sourcing, volume and operational lessons instead of competing in silos, they collectively sourced 63,000 units and more than doubled their business margins in just six weeks.
“Lifting other owners is not charity. It is sound economics. When they win, the entire collective market gets stronger.”
Beyond financial metrics, how do you personally measure your impact?
Pettit: Ultimately, success means that an owner who came to us needing operational guidance can walk away equipped to run a highly sustainable, self-sufficient business without me. Those are the metrics that tell me my time on this earth is being well spent.
Your entrepreneurial journey is currently entering an exciting new chapter. What is driving this next phase of your career?
Pettit: My first chapter was about proving that demand existed. This next chapter is entirely about scale, structure and legacy. I am focusing my energy on building real retail infrastructure, covering storefront logistics, fulfillment, marketing and capital, that creators can seamlessly plug into.
The biggest lesson from my early days was simple. Proving people want to buy a product is the easy part, but building a business that is sustainable and repeatable is where the real work begins. I am focusing on building that foundation.
How has the #StandWithOwners recognition impacted your trajectory as a founder?
Pettit: It put a national stamp of validation on something I had been building quietly for years. As a founder, recognition opens doors. It gives you immediate credibility with institutional partners and brings attention from major industry leaders who did not know you existed. Most importantly, it’s concrete proof to the community you support that your vision is being noticed on a grand scale.
To owners considering applying for #StandWithOwners, what is the real value of putting yourself forward?
Pettit: The award itself is just a part of the equation. The true value of #StandWithOwners lies in the network and your newfound standing in the business community. It signals you're a vetted leader and connects you to mentors you’d otherwise spend years trying to reach.
“My advice is to not chase the award. Build an impact that is genuinely worth recognizing and then let the recognition do the introductions for you.”
Looking ahead, what industry shifts are you preparing for, and what keeps you energized?
Pettit: Commerce is rapidly consolidating onto a few massive platforms, and independent brands are getting squeezed out. My focus is on building the framework that gives independent, diverse brands the necessary community scale without forcing them to lose their equity or ownership. We achieve this through shared infrastructure and shared capital.
“What energizes me every day is that I am no longer just selling products. I am building the rails so the next generation of entrepreneurs can start ten steps ahead of where I did.”
Your business, boosted.
Chelsee’s journey shows how a mix of determination, the right business support and community visibility can help break down long-standing barriers. Since 2020, the #StandWithOwners program has committed close to $7 million to champion Canadian small businesses with the funding, technology and exposure to help fuel growth. Apply for a chance to win $125,000 in funding, technology and national exposure to scale your business and legacy.
