Building an Abundant Future: The Tin Wis (Tla-o-qui-aht) "10 in 10" ʔiisaak Plan
As Tla-o-qui-aht leader Maria Clark powerfully states in the video below, tourism is often an industry "that is not mandated to give back to the communities it extracts from."
The Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation is fundamentally changing that narrative.
We invite you to watch this short video introducing the "10 in 10" ʔiisaak (respect) plan—a transformative, community-led vision for the Tla-o-qui-aht Nation to earn 10% of the $600 million regional tourism economy within 10 years.
This isn't just an economic goal; it's a strategy to build a self-sustaining ecosystem of Indigenous entrepreneurship, empowering community members to "control their own destiny" and build a resilient, abundant future rooted in culture.
From Resort to "Learning Campus"
A cornerstone of this ambitious strategy is the transformation of the successful Tin Wis Resort into a dynamic "learning campus."
OLA Strategy is humbled and honoured to partner with Indigenous Tourism BC (ITBC) to help bring this vision to life. Together, we are co-designing and delivering an intensive capacity-building program focused on "supporting and empowering" Tla-o-qui-aht community leaders, Tin Wis staff, and aspiring entrepreneurs through over 300 hours of workshops and coaching.
As Connor Paone of OLA shares, our role is to shift from "a leader at the front... to becoming a leader from beside, and even a leader from behind," helping to facilitate the community's vision.
Creating Legacy & Empowerment
This "10 in 10" plan is built for the long haul. To ensure the 10-year vision is successful, two key pillars of support are being built:
A Digital Learning Platform: An enduring online resource to make all training modules accessible to current and future Tla-o-qui-aht entrepreneurs.
A Project Management Office (PMO): A critical on-the-ground support system. This PMO will be staffed by Tla-o-qui-aht community members who will serve as project coordinators, business coaches, and mentors, ensuring the expertise remains rooted within the community.
This is what a holistic, strengths-based, and community-led approach looks like in action. It's about building systems of support so that, as Elected Chief Councillor Elmer Frank says, anyone with a dream can "take that small step... and just press send."
How You Can Support This Vision
This vital work is just beginning, and we are currently seeking funding partners to help staff the community-led Project Management Office (PMO).
Your support will directly fund Tla-o-qui-aht members to provide the hands-on mentorship and project management needed to create a legacy of economic empowerment for the next decade and beyond.
To discuss partnership opportunities, please contact connor@olastrategy.com, and we will get you directly in touch with the team at Tin Wis.
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Watch the introduction video now!
