Sḵwálwen Botanicals

Leigh Joseph, calling from her ancestral Squamish territory in Vancouver, BC, asked for $200,000 for 10% of Skwálwen Botanicals, an Indigenous skincare brand offering serums, toners, and face masks made with ingredients like rose, calendula, sweetgrass, and sage. Products are made in-house with a team of four Indigenous women, with margins between 75% and 85%; for example, a rose facial oil costs just over $8 to make and retails for $32. The company has made $370,000 in sales, with a projected gross profit of $240,000 and net profit of $140,000 by year end, a 30% repeat customer rate, an average order value of around $115, an Instagram following of 25,000, and distribution in more than 40 retailers across Canada, achieved with no paid advertising.

Vincenzo Guzzo went out over uncertainty in future retail demand, Michele Romanow felt $200,000 would not be enough given her experience in luxury skincare investments, and Manjit Minhas felt the company was not yet ready to scale. Wes Hall offered $200,000 for 20%, citing his work with the Black North Initiative to bring more Black and Indigenous entrepreneurs into retail and access to capital. Arlene Dickinson deferred, saying Wes Hall would be a better partner. Leigh Joseph asked if Wes Hall would accept 15%, but he declined to negotiate against himself, and she accepted his original offer of $200,000 for 20%.

Sḵwálwen Botanicals is still operating and sells through its website.