Christal Duncan Earle has been a lifelong social entrepreneur. From co-founding an international youth humanitarian charity (Live Different) to launching her own social enterprise in circular fashion (Brave Soles), Christal has had a wide range of experience and entrepreneurial adventures around the world. As a Métis woman, she also has a strong passion for equity, community, and connection, and a deep respect for generational wisdom and practices.
Christal has spoken to hundreds of audiences and has coached and mentored many clients one on one. Her work is focused on helping others to find their own resilience, uncover new ways of thinking, and support their dreams of social change. As a professionally trained coach, she has worked with various clients including the Mètis Nation of British Columbia, Alma de Samana in the Dominican Republic, Spruce Lab, and Elizabeth Fry Foundation.
She also serves as an advisor for the Social Venture Zone at Toronto Metro University and has been an Entrepreneur in Residence for the Fashion Zone, a member of the Creative Innovation Studio at Toronto Metro University.
What started out as a passion for social equality has grown into a love for people and the planet.
She was first introduced to landfill workers in vulnerable parts of the world in 2005, while leading Live Different. In 2017, as a result of that work, she launched Brave Soles with $250, working with local artisans in the Dominican Republic. Through research and local partnerships, she discovered that a fashion business model focused on meaningful work, responsible production, and within the reach of average consumers could help inspire and create meaningful change.
Christal loves working with and supporting entrepreneurs and social change makers to grow their ideas, build their brands, and get clear on what they want to create in the world. She has been a featured guest on numerous podcasts, radio shows, magazines, and television appearances both nationally and internationally.
Bridging the Gaps With Humane Sustainability
There’s no denying that Canadian Indigenous traditions have always upheld humanity and all life in high regard. Each living entity is a means to connect to the higher power of the universe – a silent mantra that has run deep in the veins of all natives through thousands of years of inhibiting the Great White North. While most Indigenous entrepreneurs are social activists in some capacity or another. However, there’s one womanpreneur whose social activism has taken her beyond the borders of race, culture and the North American continent! Christal Duncan Earle, the Founder & CEO of Brave Soles and co-founder of Whole Human Coaching, is an embodiment of kindness and love for humanity that transgresses all borders, physical and mental.
Her story not only evokes emotions but deeply inspires the young and the old to fight relentlessly to shrink the gap between the haves and the have-nots. This is why the Indigenous-SME Magazine has decided to honour her contribution by recognizing her as the Business Woman of the Month for this month’s edition.
Transition from Non-Profit to Sustainable Fashion:
Christal’s social impact journey began in the early 2000s when she co-founded an international not-for-profit organization, Live Different. Live Different is focused on leadership development with youth adults in high schools and invites them to partner with communities internationally for development projects. And it was through the hands-on experience of working with unfortunate youth of Canada and beyond that the inspiration plus the idea to establish Brave Soles sprung up in her mind. During her time volunteering in the Dominican Republic, Christal got the opportunity to work with a local community of garbage dump workers. Surrounded by mountains of discarded tires, she saw a cumulative solution to two most devastating problems prevailing in the Caribbean continent. She helped the locals to set up small factories that use discarded tires to make the most basic human need – Shoes! A sustainable fashion industry model that would single-handedly address both poverty and carbon footprint.
From Adversity to Opportunity
Christal encountered a critical juncture in her life in 2010 when she was unable to decide between the Dominican Republic, where her adopted daughter resided, but was denied the ability to obtain a visa for her to join Christal in Canada where her career was situated. Christal perceived this obstacle as a chance to reestablish her life with purpose. During this period of transition, the concept of Brave Soles materialized. Christal vowed to bring about positive change in the lives of others by integrating her fervour for sustainable fashion with the creation of handcrafted shoe soles from repurposed tires.
In 2017, Christal officially launched Brave Soles, taking her passion for social impact to greater heights. This initiative helps the local artisans to earn well while exploring their creativity with the used tire leather, which has worked wonders for the communities in the Dominican Republic!
Developing a Community of Agents of Change
At the very core of Brave Soles is a dedicated team of local artisans who are driven by a single shared objective: to handcraft a product that authentically embodies their affection for both humanity and the environment. This one idea has triggered a domino effect by inspiring many across the world, including entrepreneurs, activists, and artisans from the Dominican Republic. So, how has Brave Soles really impacted the rest of the business world?
Today, Christal continues to mentor aspiring entrepreneurs in their quest to actualize their personal aspirations for a more improved society. She encourages others to join the movement by amplifying her message of humane sustainability and social responsibility through her work as an author, podcaster, and professional speaker.
Christal’s resilience and relentless efforts to transform lives are a testament to the power of entrepreneurship to drive much-needed positivity. Through Brave Soles, Live Different, Podcasts and her writings, Christal has truly paved the way to a new era of socially conscious business leaders.
To learn more about her personal achievements and initiatives, click here or to check out the latest collection of shoes, click here.
