Indigenous

How Alissa Assu built a trio of Indigenous wellness brands rooted in land and legacy

RavenSong’s Indigenous founder weaves storytelling into a thriving wellness business grounded in the land.

By Riley Webster /

Alissa Assu’s entrepreneurial journey was initiated by the same drive that made her a competitive athlete. As a sponsored badminton player, she honed the discipline and focus that fuel the success of her three Indigenous-led wellness businesses.

Assu’s career began at the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation Council as a provincial coordinator, and she pivoted to entrepreneurship after the birth of her son in 2019. Born about three months premature and facing serious health challenges, his arrival pushed her to reevaluate what truly mattered: her family, wellness and the reclamation of Indigenous ways of being. Seeking a smaller community that offered a sense of calm and connection, she and her family left Vancouver for Campbell River on Vancouver Island. “It’s a place where the pace of life allows for more presence and intentionality,” she says.

Within four years of leaving her job, Assu was running three companies in this community. In 2020, she started West Coast Wildflowers, an online store that sells Canadian goods like jewellery, clothing and skincare products. What began as a creative outlet to combine storytelling, culture and wellness grew into a 2,500-square-foot storefront within three months. In its first year, the business surpassed $1 million in sales—a clear sign that her vision was resonating with consumers.

In 2022, Assu acquired Bear Essential Oils, an Indigenous-owned brand from nearby Black Creek that aligned with her concept of reclaiming wellness through land-based healing. Assu’s husband, Cody, a fourth-generation fisherman—and one of the last to operate a traditional sailing vessel—joined as her partner.

The following year, another opportunity came: Valerie Lamirande, the owner of RavenSong Soap and Candle, which sells cold-processed soaps, luxury candles, herbal sea salts and bath bombs, asked the couple to purchase her business; she wanted it to remain local and Indigenous-owned. Lamirande shared the stories and wisdom from over two decades in business through a knowledge-transfer process, helping Assu stay centred in Lamirande’s original vision. “It was an invitation to keep evolving in a good way as we honour our past and carry it forward,” says Assu of the acquisition.

Stepping into RavenSong’s legacy, Assu grounded herself in the land-based practices behind each product. “For me, the way back to my heritage was through hand-bottling essential oil, making soap and candles and involving our family in harvesting plants,” she continues.

Each product she crafts reflects the rich history of its ingredients, the legacy of its makers and the skill poured into its creation. “A soap maker could purchase milk from Walmart, but instead we purchase buffalo milk from a local farmer on Vancouver Island,” she reveals.

Assu strives to bring the same level of care and intention to other aspects of her business. Despite no formal business training—and even failing her university stats class three times—she tackles entrepreneurship with enthusiasm rather than fear. “Most people assume we are just playing around and making potions,” she laughs. “But there is so much to learn—it feels like I’m getting a master’s degree.”

Assu’s dedication is paying off. This summer, her wellness ventures are teaming up with Copper Canoe Woman and Sriracha Revolver Hot Sauce to launch the first Indigenous, women-led pop-up shop at Vancouver’s Bentall Centre. All three brands are thriving under her leadership—but RavenSong remains at the heart of her vision.

“I’m focusing my long-term vision on RavenSong because of its legacy,” explains Assu. “The original founder created something truly prestigious: an award-winning brand grounded in excellence and care. Acquiring RavenSong was never about changing that, but about adding a new chapter to its story. Perhaps one day, a Nation or another Indigenous family will continue that legacy, writing future chapters that further the impact and reach of what RavenSong was always meant to be.”

Staying aligned with her culture through business means constantly returning to the concept of yintah, the Wet’suwet’en word for land. “When I make choices about what products to carry, how we show up in the community or who we collaborate with, I always come back to: ‘Does this honour our teachings? Does this feel like yintah—like home, like relationship?’”

“This business isn’t just about brick-and-mortar or commerce,” she continues. “It’s about creating a place where culture and community thrive together, on the land that has sustained our people for generations.”

Riley Webster

Riley Webster

Riley Webster writes our Small Town Success column. A storyteller at heart with a deep curiosity for humankind, her work is rooted in a passion for exploring what connects us all and how we can leave the world a better place.