Northern Metis Entrepreneur Natassia Hansen is taking charcuterie to a whole new level, her boards and boxes are literally flying off the shelves and could be taking Turtle Island by storm at this year’s Pow Wow Pitch.
Taking charcuterie to the airport to fly to other Northern destinations like Nunavut means her business is growing, but Hansen said the heart of Oak & Olive will always at home with Yellowknifers.
“You have to connect with community— why it’s important and I think looking back culturally before businesses were a thing, food has always been at the forefront of every celebratory event, even the sad ones too, like food is comfort. So I think trying to bring it back to the organicness of what food is for us.”
Earlier this month, Hansen, founder of Oak & Olive Charcuterie in Yellowknife moved onto the semi-finalist round of the Pow Wow Pitch.
The Pow Wow Pitch is a friendly competition organized by an Indigenous-led non-profit organization dedicated to empowering and supporting Indigenous entrepreneurs, providing access to capital, mentorship, training and ongoing support.
She is one of about 100 semi-finalists chosen from across Turtle Island and among only about a dozen selected for her category from hundreds of applicants.
“It’s been really exciting,” says Hansen.
The rising entrepreneur’s charcuterie business has expanded rapidly since applying to the Pow Wow pitch a few months ago.
“I’ve been super busy with getting the commercial space ready,” said Hansen.
Her business has grown and transformed to the point she had to take a breath to look back and take stock.
“I had to kind of review my pitch and go over everything again.”
Each year, hundreds of Indigenous entrepreneurs from all over Turtle Island, from across Canada, the U.S. and Mexico take part in Pow Wow Pitch.
Hansen’s video pitch of her growing business caught the attention of the panel of judges who have to make tough decisions about who will be selected to move onto the next round.
“It’s a one-minute pitch and you present it virtually. They do have some in-person, sessions around Canada and the States, but obviously being in the North, the virtual just kind of worked out easier for me.”
Hansen lives in Yellowknife and first opened her business about one year and a half ago. Since that time, what started out as a passion project turned side hustle quickly expanded.
“I moved actually to Yellowknife a little over a year and a half ago and before I moved here, I lived in a very small town of 400 people in Northern BC. “
Hansen had more than 15 years of experience in the fine dining industry and had also spent time in the corporate world. She was able to further her business education. Coming back home to her Métis Nation in Northern B.C., Hansen felt something was missing.
In that spirit of adventure and hunger for change, she launched Oak & Olive.
Each board Hansen crafts is about bringing quality local products to the table.
“When I knew we were going to move to Yellowknife, I did a little market research and found out that it was a little bit of a need here was catering and something a little bit more unique, “ explained Hansen who was working for Air Tindi when she arrived while doing charcuterie “on the side.”
“Next thing I knew it blew up, and I had to make the choice, and I jumped right in.”
It’s been just over a year and Hansen is getting ready to hire staff because business has taken off.
Hansen said that one of the biggest challenges was not just finding time but also room to grow her business.
Growing Space
Oak & Olive’s beginnings were in Hansen’s home. She created charcuterie boards right from her kitchen after going through some red tape. After having to get permits and other paper work in order, it was also a stretch to balance the physical space itself.
“The challenge was outgrowing the space, I only have one kitchen at my house. It’s also personal and then business. I had to completely turn one room into, like a whole room, for all of my catering stuff.
For awhile her kitchen was filled with giant coffee urns and big wood top tables that would travel with her to catering contracts, “all my decor and everything,” explained Hansen.
Being alone at the start, another major challenge was staffing.
“Because I am only one person, so it’s hard to be doing the prep and events at the same time, and then also all my admin stuff in the behind the scenes and social media.”
Her hard work has expanded into something much bigger as Hansen adapts her business model, while sharing her passion for good food.
“It’s been fun! It’s a big project, but now, at this point, I’m just excited to finally start expanding and to be able to hire. There’s so many fun ideas that I have in the works that I’ve been kind of having to put on the back burner where now, once I get some staff, I can kind of jump in and make some really fun things for the community of Yellowknife,” said Hansen.
Charcuterie is popular for catering at events because the food is designed to be healthy, delicious and easy to grab on the go while socializing, explained Hansen.
“I’m also getting requests for Nunavut, so Cambridge Bay now gets my charcuterie, so I take it to the airport, and it ships up there, which is really cool, because I’ve never even been there, but my food is going there, which is pretty awesome. That’s going to be something that. I’ll be kind of working with some other communities to try to get like seasonal, maybe charcuterie sent to them, so expanding beyond just Yellowknife which will be fun.”
Hansen’s vision of Oak & Olive has continued to change over time.
“At first, I was more just kind of residential. I was doing box deliveries for people and then I’ve been seeing and getting more requests for events.”
Oak & Olive Roots
While the business has expanded, it’s kept true to its personal roots.
“So now, I’ve been really going into the catering aspect of it, but I never wanted to take away from those residential people, because they are my regular clients and people that order from me quite often. And I started it because I love charcuterie myself, and I know that people love just kind of like getting a box at home and having a glass of wine.”
Hansen maintains that personal touch at the heart of her business even as her charcuterie boards are literally flying off the shelves.
Just looking at the charcuterie boards is an experience to behold, each board is crafted with a harvest of vegetables, fruits, produce and whole foods rich in earthy colors and textures. Hansen’s boards bring all the aesthetic elements of creative design, elegant structure and whimsy that go into a work great work of art into her boards.
Hansen also makes the dips and balsamic glazes and crackers, despite having to balance time, hard work and staffing.
Hansen is looking to expand to a bigger menu that will include more items as well as hot food items.
“A big part of kind of what I’ve done in my Hospitality is, I just like good quality food, and I want to be able to bring that and Branch into that even more.
Hansen is also looking to work more with local producers for specialty items like edible flowers
Taking part in the Pow Wow Pitch has helped shape Hansen’s vision of her business.
“When you’re having to recite something that’s within one minute you have to really hone in on, exactly what’s most important to say to provide the judges with the most of what [you] can give them in such a short time. So, you really have to look at in big detail of everything that what you want to do and what your business is about.”
The act of having to boil down the essence of her business has helped Hansen to evaluate where she is and where she wants to go.
While “there may be things” Hansen wants “to add in” she has realized that growth is about taking one step at a time so that “steps” can “grow with” the business.
“I think it’s the smartest way of doing it versus sometimes you want to dive right in and do everything, but then it’s hard. So I think by really honing in on, like, okay, I’m starting with this, and then I’ll expand and hopefully get grants or funding for this and then I can expand and do this that way,” said Hansen.
“[The Pitch] has helped break down my milestones to make it more meaningful growth rather than just an instant of ‘I can do it all.’”
Northern businesses alongside Hansen are also competing in different categories of the Pow Wow Pitch.
Hansen’s pitch is the only N.W.T. based business that was selected in the Food and Drink category, among about a dozen other participants to make it to this round.
Pitches are rated by judges and the public also gets a say through People’s Choice voting. Members of the public can vote once for each category.
In August, Hansen and the other semi- finalists will present their business pitch to a panel of judges for a chance of $25,000 in seed money to grow their business.
Growing her business and advancing in the Pow Wow Pitch is not just about following her dreams, but empowering more emerging entrepreneurs.
“By participating in this program, I will contribute to the larger growth of the Indigenous economy, building a life more connected to strong values and the strive to offer something special to everyone. I would love to support others with hopes to be their own boss and inspire the next generation of Indigenous entrepreneurs, who are willing to step out of that box,” said Hansen in a public message released shortly after her advance to the semi-finals.
The Pow Wow Pitch has put a spotlight on talented Northern entrepreneurs and businesses. Last year Jamie Wetrade-Stevenson, a talented Tłı̨chǫ photographer based in Yellowknife made it to the semi-finals and Wendy Landry of Bebia Cho Foods Co., a Deh Gáh Got’îê owned business won a spot in the Grand Finale.
Anyone who would like to cast a vote for the People’s Choice winner to help them advance into the Grand Finale can head to the Pow Wow Pitch website. Voting closes September 10 just before 11:59 p.m. ET.
The grand finale watch party is scheduled to take place on Oct. 21
