Kimberly Cardinal
A Deadly Auntie Turning Experience into Enterprise
Kimberly Cardinal is a proud member of the Bigstone Cree Nation from Calling Lake, Alberta, Treaty 8. At 44, she is a mom, a grandma, and a “Deadly Auntie,” carrying cultural knowledge alongside a strong sense of humour. “I am a rez kid at heart who spent a lot of my childhood on traplines with my parents. I know how to make bannock, drymeat, and can track a moose better than most men!” Kimberly has a diverse background in healthcare, safety, construction, and community health. While education has taken her far, she says her greatest strengths come from lived experience grounded in respect, humility, love, kindness, strength, courage, and honesty.
Kimberly had just registered a sole proprietorship and was exploring turning her experience and passion into a business when she came across a Facebook post about ATC’s Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program. She reached out to Lena, ATC’s Employment & Training Coordinator, who made signing up easy. From the beginning, Kimberly felt encouraged and supported in making her dream a reality.
Having a dedicated workspace and guidance from instructor Cindy Lazarenko helped keep Kimberly motivated. “Sometimes it’s hard to focus at home, so this space became a catalyst for my growth as an entrepreneur.”
Participants were at different stages of their journeys, learning from the course, each other, and guest entrepreneurs. Kimberly found the instructor’s experience, kindness, and approachability especially impactful. During the program, she completed brochures, developed an elevator pitch, refined her bio, and began shaping her business plan. The time was purposeful and productive.
A major takeaway for Kimberly was the confidence she gained. “I learned I was more capable than I thought.” She also valued a hands-on cultural experience, making snowshoes with a local artist, which showed how culture and business can work together.
By the end of the program, Kimberly had a clear plan for her business, refined her branding, created marketing materials, and began sharing key stories from her journey.
ATC’s Employment and Training Team is proud to support entrepreneurs like Kimberly through the Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program, encouraging Indigenous
people to find their voice, build confidence, and believe
in their potential.
The Indigenous Entrepreneurship Program is made possible through the support of the Government of Alberta’s Indigenous Relations, the Athabasca Tribal Council, and in partnership with Channer Consulting & Training.
