Estevan 鈥� The keynote address during the Canadian School of Hydrocarbon Measurement session in Estevan on Nov. 27 was delivered by Kendal Netmaker.
Netmaker spoke about being raised by a single mother, overcoming adversity and thriving, and how acts of kindness from a childhood friend鈥檚 family made a huge difference in his life.
Netmaker is from Sweetgrass First Nation, west of the Battlefords.聽
Netmaker has launched five businesses and has written a book called Driven to Succeed: From Poverty to Podium.
鈥淚 understand we are going through a time that tests us,鈥� Netmaker said. 鈥淧eople who continue to adapt and keep evolving are the ones who find ways to win.鈥�
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 realize a lot of things I grew up in became normalized to me,鈥� he said, noting he was raised in 鈥渓ess than ideal circumstances.鈥�
Initially raised in Big River First Nation, he said that, at the age five, his mother took him and his three young sisters to stay at a women鈥檚 shelter. They eventually ended up staying at his grandmother鈥檚 house, all living in a one-bedroom house for two months. The whole family slept on the couch.
They then got a two-bedroom house where they lived for many years. To make room for the children, his mother slept on the couch from the time he was in Grade 1 to Grade 12.
鈥淪he made a decision she was going to sacrifice for her children, her team,鈥� Netmaker said.
He ended up going to school in Cut Knife. They were living on welfare, and his bike would regularly get pawned. 鈥淭hat whole cycle of poverty would continue,鈥� he said.
Going to school at Cut Knife, in Grade 5, he met Johan, son of the local doctor. Johan鈥檚 family paid Netmaker鈥檚 fees for him to play soccer, and would take him home to the reserve after practice.
Johan鈥檚 father kept encouraging him. Two years later, Johan and his family had to move away, but the doctor gave Netmaker鈥檚 family a 1986 Ford Crown Victoria, so they could have a car. It had a large impact on their family, allowing him and his sisters to take part in after-school sports.
鈥淟eaders recognize leaders,鈥� Netmaker said, noting the doctor recognized his mother鈥檚 leadership. 鈥淭hey saw our leader was doing everything we could.鈥�
Later, in Grade 10 attending school in North Battleford, Netmaker had teacher, the volleyball coach, named Doug, make a big impact in his life. In words that changed his life, that coach told him, 鈥淚 see a lot of potential in you.鈥�
鈥淭hat is such a powerful phrase. We need to say that more.鈥�
鈥淲hen you believe in someone, and showing them you believe in someone, they feel they owe you something. They will go above and beyond for you,鈥� Netmaker said.
He applied for university, and was initially rejected. He got a call to move to Fort McMurray to go to school there and play volleyball in 2005.
鈥淲hen you get outside your comfort zone, you get inspired,鈥� he said.
He reapplied to the University of Saskatchewan, calling upon the dean of education. He was accepted in 2007 and began university.
While there he entered a business plan contest and succeeded. It involved doing a pitch like on Dragon鈥檚 Den. He won $6,000 for his pitch, and then $10,000, enough to start a business. He started selling T-shirts out of his apartment.
鈥淥ne of the hardest things for people, especially when you didn鈥檛 come from a lot, when you get some money, you want to spend it on something you didn鈥檛 have,鈥� he said. Instead, he disciplined himself to re-invest into his business.
The business grew from the apartment to an office then a kiosk, then a store, then a series of stores and wholesaling.
鈥淭he number one reason people don鈥檛 get to where they want to in life is they don鈥檛 make the initial decision,鈥� Netmaker said. He had to make it work, or go on welfare. 鈥淭here was no Plan B. I had to make it work.鈥�
鈥淚t only takes one person to change another person鈥檚 life,鈥� he said.
He began listening to audiobooks and got hooked on personal development, like the work of Zig Ziglar.
Netmaker is launching a charity in 2020 to be called Indigifund.
鈥淭he business that fails is one that fails to adapt,鈥� Netmaker said.
鈥淚f you don鈥檛 like the way things are, you still have the time to change things. Use your gift. Tell your story. You鈥檒l find people who will pick you out of your ruts.鈥�
