In an exclusive interview with Indigenous-SME Business Magazine, Steven Vanloffeld, Founder and CEO of eSupply Canada, shares how Indigenous-led entrepreneurship is transforming procurement into a tool for economic empowerment and reconciliation. Through initiatives like the Waaban Chair and the Procurement with Purpose model, Steven discusses bridging business and culture to build a future where every purchase strengthens communities, advances inclusion, and fuels Indigenous prosperity across Canada.
Driven by purpose and guided by experience, I am an entrepreneur, consultant, and advocate for Indigenous prosperity. With a career spanning business, community advocacy, and executive leadership, I focus on creating transformative opportunities for Indigenous peoples and communities across Canada. As a founder of multiple ventures, I’ve built platforms that drive economic growth, foster innovation, and minimize revenue leakage for Indigenous communities. My work bridges the gap between traditional knowledge and modern business practices, creating sustainable models that empower communities while promoting reconciliation.
Before launching my entrepreneurial journey, I served as an elected councillor of my community and played a pivotal role in transforming Indigenous child welfare in Ontario. These experiences shaped my unwavering commitment to strengthening Indigenous voices and ensuring equitable access to opportunities. With graduate degrees in Indigenous Community Development and Business Administration, along with recognition as a Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar, I bring a blend of academic insight and practical expertise to every project I undertake. Beyond business, I’m the host of The Indigenist Podcast, where I share the stories of Indigenous entrepreneurs making waves. Whether it’s driving systemic change or mentoring the next generation of leaders, I seek to empower Indigenous communities, foster economic self-determination, and inspire meaningful reconciliation—one idea, one conversation at a time.
eSupply Canada stands as a proudly Indigenous-owned company, bridging traditional knowledge with modern enterprise. How do you see representation and inclusivity shaping the future of Canadian workplaces, particularly in leadership and procurement roles?
Representation and inclusivity are not just moral imperatives; they are competitive advantages. When Indigenous people hold leadership and procurement roles, they bring forward perspectives grounded in community, sustainability, and shared value. That leads to better decisions, stronger relationships, and outcomes that benefit everyone.
For too long, Indigenous participation in Canada’s economy has focused on consultation rather than collaboration. The future lies in moving from being stakeholders to shareholders, with real ownership and influence over the systems that shape our lives. Procurement is one of the most powerful ways to make that shift because every purchase determines who benefits from Canada’s prosperity.
Through the Waaban Chair and eSupply Canada’s Procurement with Purpose model, we are proving that inclusion can be more than a statement. It can be seen, felt, and measured. Indigenous ownership and design are already shaping the workplaces of tomorrow, creating spaces that are more creative, more equitable, and truly representative of the country we want to build.
The Waaban Chair is a landmark product — Indigenous-themed, Canadian-made, and designed through collaboration. What does this project symbolize for you in terms of Canadian manufacturing, design innovation, and reconciliation through business?
The Waaban Chair represents what happens when inclusion moves from words to action. It brings together Indigenous design, Canadian manufacturing, and social impact in one product. For me, it symbolizes the future of reconciliation in business, where collaboration replaces tokenism and where Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners build together on equal footing.
Waaban means “the dawn” in Anishinaabemowin, and that name captures the spirit of this project. It’s about a new beginning for how Canada thinks about representation and value creation. The chair is not just furniture; it’s a statement that design can carry culture, and procurement can advance reconciliation.
Working with ergoCentric and artist Tracey Metallic showed what is possible when Canadian companies choose to collaborate meaningfully. We kept the work in Canada, supported Indigenous art, and tied every purchase to Indigenous education through Indspire. The Waaban Chair proves that Indigenous design can be world-class and socially conscious at the same time.
You’ve been an outspoken advocate for the idea that procurement can be a tool for social impact. How can organizations balance cost-effectiveness with purpose-driven purchasing, especially in times of economic uncertainty?
Balancing cost and purpose starts with redefining value. Too often, organizations look only at price instead of asking what their purchasing dollars are building—or eroding—over time. Buying from U.S. suppliers or their Canadian subsidiaries may seem cheaper, but it drains revenue, jobs, and innovation out of the country.
Nearshoring production and choosing Indigenous or Canadian suppliers keep that value here at home. It strengthens our supply chains, reduces risk, and ensures that every purchase supports the communities and industries that sustain our economy. That is cost-effectiveness with purpose built in.
With all levels of government moving to give preference to Canadian suppliers, the shift is already underway. At eSupply Canada, we prove that you can compete on price and still deliver impact. Every purchase supports Indigenous entrepreneurship, Canadian manufacturing, and education. The next era of growth in Canada will come from businesses that measure success by both profit and impact.
You’ve mentioned that while Canadians often express support for local business, habits still lean toward big-box retailers. What strategies have you found effective in inspiring businesses and consumers to align their spending with their values?
The challenge isn’t that people don’t care about buying local or supporting Indigenous businesses—it’s that convenience usually wins. Big-box retailers have trained us to equate ease with value. The real work is making purpose-driven purchasing just as simple and competitive.
At eSupply Canada, we focus on removing friction. Our online platform matches the product range and pricing of major retailers while showing customers the impact of every purchase. When people can see that their order supports Indigenous education, entrepreneurship, and Canadian manufacturing, they understand that their spending creates measurable change.
For businesses, we frame it in terms of strategy, not sentiment. Purpose-driven procurement helps them meet diversity goals, strengthen supply chains, and demonstrate leadership in reconciliation. Once they experience that alignment—where doing the right thing also makes business sense—they rarely go back.
Changing habits is about connection and convenience. When values and practicality meet, loyalty follows naturally.
As someone who’s blending entrepreneurship with advocacy, what advice would you offer small business owners seeking to build ventures that not only succeed commercially but also contribute meaningfully to community and country?
I’ve found success in tying procurement directly to measurable impact. Companies want to see the difference their dollars make and be able to share that story with their employees, customers, and communities. We make that simple, trackable, and transparent.
At eSupply Canada, every purchase has a visible outcome—supporting Indigenous education, employment, entrepreneurship, and Canadian manufacturing. When organizations can measure that impact, they move from passive support to active partnership. Procurement becomes a shared success.
My advice to small business owners is to start by truly understanding what their customers need—not just in products or services, but in purpose. People want to know their spending creates value beyond the transaction. That’s the foundation of our Procurement with Purpose initiative: same spend, bigger impact, measurable results. When customers can see and measure their impact, they believe in what you’re building. That belief builds loyalty, fuels growth, and creates lasting change.
Disclaimer: Indigenous-SME Business Magazine is committed to providing insightful interviews that highlight the successes and challenges faced by small and medium-sized businesses. The views expressed in this interview are those of the guest and may not reflect the opinions of the magazine or its affiliates.
