2025-26 Val Stock Speaker

Jenn shared powerful insights on her experience as an Indigenous business owner with Senior School business students. For Jenn, the path to founding Cheekbone wasn't just about launching a brand; it was about reclaiming a narrative. While her love for beauty products began in childhood, the vision of her business didn't take shape until 2015 when she was working in the hospitality industry. After a vivid dream about Indigenous girls wearing colourful lipgloss, she began to envision a business that would channel profits back into the community.

The early days of her entrepreneurial journey were about personal discovery, as well as professional development. As Jenn researched business models, she simultaneously delved into the history of her own family, and her grandmother’s experiences in the residential school system. She taught herself to formulate products by hand while immersing herself in Indigenous history, ensuring that the brand she built was rooted in culture and authenticity.

The initial launch of her products proved successful. After joining the Sephora accelerator program, she refined her focus on clean, vegan, cruelty-free formulations that are safer for the environment and people. In 2021, Cheekbone Beauty became a Certified B Corp, solidifying Jenn’s commitment to prioritizing people and the planet over profit. "In sustainability, there is no straightforward path to getting it right,” she says. However, knowing what materials are used and that her employees are paid a fair wage is an important part of the journey.

Today, the mission of the business remains grounded in representation. “I’m helping the world see Indigenous faces,” she says, acknowledging that representation is a vital tool for empowerment. Beyond creating space in a historically exclusive industry, each year, the brand releases a limited-edition product with 100% of the proceeds funding a scholarship program. By providing Indigenous students with the resources to thrive in post-secondary education, Jenn is ensuring that her business begins a cycle of opportunity that will support her community for generations to come.

After her keynote address, Jenn participated in a small group discussion with business students, sharing insights and advice for future business leaders and entrepreneurs. She urged students to take the small seed of an idea and turn it into something tangible by working consistently every day to advance their vision.