Researching your product and market

Manitoba Metis, Sean McCormick and his partner and sister, Heather, spent much of their childhood in northern Manitoba where they learned firsthand how to tan and preserve leather and make moccasins and mukluks. After graduating from the business program at the Centre for Aboriginal Human Resource Development in Winnipeg, Sean started Manitobah Mukluks which has become famous for its authentic, high quality and high fashion, products. When Oprah Winfrey famously ordered a pair for herself in 2009, his business took off and his products are now sold across Europe, in Australia, Russia, Japan and the United States. Every year Sean returns to his alma mater where he hands out a bursary from his company to help another First Nations student realize their own dream.