In Conversation with Alicia Hibbert | Edified Projects Inc
Alicia Hibbert is a Port Coquitlam-based Métis entrepreneur whose work focuses on Indigenous inclusion and workplace well-being. Through Edified Projects Inc., she works Canada-wide to centre Indigenous voices in professional services, building a legacy of economic self-determination. Her team developed Elevate Workplace Learning, an online platform training inclusive leaders across Canada.
First of all congratulations on being selected as a recipient of the 2026 Mastercard Small Business Fund!
- What does it mean to you to be a recipient of the Mastercard Small Business Fund and how will the $10,000 grant help fuel your business growth?
Being a recipient means joining an ecosystem of women-led businesses built on shared knowledge and mutual support. The $10,000 grant provides the critical capital we need to accelerate the commercialization of our B2B platform, Elevate Workplace Learning. We will direct these funds toward search engine optimization and targeted digital marketing, expanding our reach to human resources leaders across Canada.
- Can you share a bit about your background and what inspired you to start your business?
I am a Métis Nation of Alberta citizen with over 15 years of experience in community engagement and applied research. Early in my career, I noticed that Indigenous expertise was frequently relegated to a secondary consideration in professional consulting. I wanted to build a firm where Indigenous ways of knowing were the foundational core of the work, rather than an afterthought. My inspiration was rooted in a drive for economic self-determination and the creation of a business model that equitably values lived experience alongside formal education.
- How did you come up with your business idea?
Throughout my career in the public sector, I observed that many organizations genuinely want to be inclusive but lack the practical tools and structural understanding to achieve it. Companies often rely heavily on underrepresented employees to take action on inclusion, often from the side of their desks, creating an unequal distribution of labour. I realized I could have a greater impact by stepping outside of these environments to build Edified Projects, and subsequently, Elevate Workplace Learning. This allowed me to develop scalable, expert-led training on Indigenous engagement, inclusion, and psychological safety that organizations can easily integrate.
- What were the first steps you took to turn your idea into reality?
The first major step was embracing the concept of otipemisiwak—”the ones who own themselves.” In 2023, I left my full-time role as a principal research associate to commit entirely to this business. From day one, I structured our operations around wahkohtowin, the principle of kinship and interconnectedness. This meant implementing a model of radical reciprocity where all subcontractors are paid the same consulting rate I receive, ensuring that wealth and knowledge are distributed directly back into the communities we partner with.
- Have you faced any unique challenges as a woman entrepreneur?
Managing an episodic and chronic illness, rheumatoid arthritis, as well as having a parent with early-onset Alzheimer’s, has shown me firsthand how rigid, traditional workplace structures fail to support the flexibility people need. As a Métis woman, a unique challenge has been maintaining complete autonomy while growing a firm. Rather than seeking external capital, I fiercely value the concept of otipemisiwak—”the ones who own themselves.” Having seen the negative impacts when women have financial vulnerability, I intentionally chose to bootstrap Edified Projects through our consulting revenue. This self-reliance empowered me to build a human-first, asynchronous workflow that supports our team’s health and community obligations on our own terms.
- What’s one lesson you wish you had learned earlier in your journey?
I wish I had fully realized earlier that working with clients is a mutual decision. I now intentionally seek out organizations and connections whose public values align with ethical engagement principles and the kind of work I feel grateful to stand behind before responding to a request for proposals or signing a contract. Establishing that shared baseline of respect and trust from the outset is essential for producing meaningful work.
- Who or what has been your biggest source of support?
My family laid the foundation. My late grandpa used to always ask me, “Are you Premier of Alberta yet?”, which instilled a deep sense of confidence in my leadership potential. Today, my biggest source of support is my team. I work alongside a collective of highly skilled professionals who share my passion and show unwavering dedication when advocating for the communities we serve.
- Are there any tools, networks, or communities that have been especially helpful?
Peer mentorship has been vital. Participating in a women’s peer mentorship group through WeBC provided the accountability and advice necessary to overcome big mental hurdles for me around incorporating the business and getting accounting and legal support. Being part of networks like the Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB) and the Indigenous Tech Circle has also been highly beneficial.
- Where do you see your business in the next 3–5 years?
Our focus is on scaling Elevate Workplace Learning to become a national leader in B2B professional development. Through both Edified Projects and Elevate Workplace Learning, we aim to achieve over $1 million in revenue by growing our consulting work and serving small-to-medium-sized organizations with workplace learning across the country. We also plan to enhance our platform by integrating video content, including culturally rich interviews, and cementing our commitment to ethical, accessible education.
- What advice would you give to other women thinking about starting their own business?
Invest time and energy into building a strong support network of female leaders at various stages of their careers. Early on in my business, I had some game-changing Zoom calls with Métis women entrepreneurs that really let me dream about what could be. Take the time to work through your personal, mental and financial hurdles, as our own limiting beliefs are often the biggest barriers to growth. And always support other women-owned businesses wherever possible to help strengthen our collective economic impact.
- How do you define success for yourself and your company?
Success is building a legacy of ethical community engagement and proving that a business can be both highly profitable and deeply principled. For Edified Projects, success means continuing to operate a firm where Indigenous ways of knowing drive our strategy, and where our radical reciprocity model ensures fair compensation for our highly skilled consultants and educators. I will be happy if we can continue to be a safe workplace to land for individuals coming from underserved communities, and grow both our full-time staff and subcontractor team.
- Tell us something about yourself that would surprise people.
I’ve always had a bit of a tech lean in what I do. My Master’s degree is in Anthropology and Humanities Computing, and my thesis was a cultural study in the MMORPG, World of Warcraft. I used to dabble in website design, and now I do all of the back-end aspects of our online learning platform. I stay involved in the tech community today through Indigenous Tech Circle.