Ursula Ullrich

Ursula Ullrich Nipissing Thrift Website: https://www.nipissingthrift.com/

For Ursula Ullrich, launching Nipissing Thrift is an eco-conscious mission rooted in community support and environmental stewardship on Nipissing First Nation. Located at 40b Couchie Industrial Rd S, Nipissing First Nation, ON P1B 8G5—just at the top of the hill from Duchesnay Falls—the business brings circular fashion and textile waste reduction directly to the community.   Sustainability Rooted in Community Ursula’s venture gained momentum during Earth Week with the installation of the initial Nipissing Thrift 24/7 donation bin. Within 24 hours of inviting her community to donate unwanted clothing and small housewares, local support flooded in, requiring her to empty the bin three times in a single day. By creating an accessible drop-off point, Nipissing Thrift gives community members a direct way to practice sustainability, divert reusable goods from landfills, and keep affordable items circulating locally.   Targeting the Grand Finale of Pow Wow Pitch 2026 Equipped with rigorous pitch training and practical business coaching, Ursula has set her sights on reaching the grand finale of Pow Wow Pitch 2026. As Turtle Island's premier pitch competition for Indigenous innovators, creators, and entrepreneurs, Pow Wow Pitch provides a platform to elevate businesses to the next level.   With community support driving her forward, Ursula is asking supporters to vote and help propel Nipissing Thrift to the national stage.   Vote for Ursula in Pow Wow Pitch: https://www.powwowpitch.org/vote/

Connect & Support Nipissing Thrift: Vote for Ursula in Pow Wow Pitch: https://www.powwowpitch.org/vote/ deadline for voting is September 10th 2026. Website: https://www.nipissingthrift.com/ Drop-off & Location: 40b Couchie Industrial Rd S, Nipissing First Nation, ON P1B 8G5 (Top of the hill from Duchesnay Falls)   Ursula credits her Indigenous Entrepreneurial readiness and public speaking confidence to graduating from the Canadian Center for Aboriginal Entrepreneurship (CCAE) Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurship Skills Training (BEST) Online program in 2024. Reflecting on how the program built her foundational skill set, Ursula shares: "In 2024, I did a business program called Aboriginal Best through the Canadian Centre for Aboriginal Entrepreneurship, prepping you for pitching. They did lots of Toastmasters’ work. Every day, we would do a 60-second pitch. At the end, it was a pitch competition because the program coordinator had competed in Pow Wow Pitch himself. That really prepped me to be able to take on this mission. I had the coaching from an instructor that did it before to give me that confidence to pitch, to get that video ready for sixty seconds full of what they need to know."