MÉLANIE
PAUL

Mélanie Paul has been making waves in the business world for over 22 years. Her journey is marked by entrepreneurial ventures—she's the CEO of Mocassins et Talons Hauts and Akua Nature—as well as numerous accolades and recognitions.​*
 

As an acknowledged expert, she frequently speaks, facilitates, and trains on topics such as Indigenous entrepreneurial development, fostering partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, and integrating Indigenous workforce into Quebec businesses and organizations like Hydro-Québec, Innergex, Pomerleau, Saguenay School Board, BDC, Rio Tinto, WSP, Stantec, and Desjardins.

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Through her companies and collaborations, Mélanie is dedicated to building bridges between nations, embodying the spirit of reconciliation with her blend of Moccasins and High Heels.

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Mélanie Paul is passionate about sharing the core values of the First Nations: solidarity, mutual aid, sharing, and respect for oneself, others, and nature. She aims to reshape perceptions of First Nations, emphasizing that Indigenous identity is a strength, not a limitation.

 

CONFERENCES:​​​

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1. MAMU, TOGETHER TOWARDS RECONCILIACTION!
An intimate, authentic and inspiring sharing 

Mélanie, an Ilnu woman, mother, and heart-driven entrepreneur, hails from the community of Mashteuiatsh in Lac St-Jean, where she spent her childhood and teenage years. Surrounded by various social issues, she often faced the repercussions stemming from them.

In this conference, she candidly shares parts of her story, including her doubts, fears, and the reasons that distanced her from her roots and identity for so long. Mélanie reveals the journey she embarked on to reconcile her Moccasins with her High Heels and reclaim her pride in being Ilnu. It was through her entrepreneurial path that she realized the power of co-creating win-win partnerships and projects between nations, embracing our differences to build a new future together, Mamu.

Her goal in this conference is to shed light on the true reality of the First Nations and shift people's perceptions. With complete authenticity, she shares the keys to success, aiming to break down unconscious barriers and foster trust, enabling genuine reconciliation between our nations. Mélanie proudly identifies as indigenous to demonstrate that First Nations members can achieve professional success and that our differences can be our greatest strengths. For her, being indigenous is not a constraint but an IDENTITY.


Objective of the conference
 

• Inspire participants through Mélanie Paul's journey, highlighting the balance between her moccasins and high heels.

• Raise awareness of the First Nations' reality through a holistic approach.

• Offer practical keys to fostering better connections with the First Nations.

• Emphasize the importance of understanding and valuing our differences.

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2. UNITING OUR STRENGTHS FOR SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
Drawing inspiration from the First Nations

Mélanie, an Ilnu woman, mother, and dedicated entrepreneur, was born in the Mashteuiatsh community in Lac St-Jean. In this conference, she shares her personal journey with honesty, discussing her doubts, fears, and the factors that distanced her from her indigenous roots. Her story bridges the gap with that of the First Nations, helping to understand the lingering indirect impacts. Mélanie recounts the path she took to reconcile her Moccasins with her High Heels and regain her pride in being Ilnu.

Through her entrepreneurial experiences, she discovered that sustainable partnerships and win-win projects between nations, embracing our differences, are key to building a sustainable future together, Mamu.

In this conference, Mélanie aims to reveal the genuine reality of the First Nations. Her hands-on experience allows her to share tangible examples of sustainable project development, encouraging her audience to change their perceptions of the First Nations. She confidently identifies as indigenous to show that First Nations members can achieve professional success and that our differences can be our greatest strengths. For her, being indigenous is an IDENTITY, not a limitation.


Conference content
 

• The significance of holistic approaches in sustainable development among the First Nations.

• Sharing her personal journey, understanding our differences to overcome dualities and unconscious biases.

• Placing the environment at the core of economic and social decisions, not just as a value but as a way of life.

• Demonstrating how uniting our differences in sustainable projects can be the key, with concrete examples.

3. LOAFERS AND HIGH HEELS
Turning Our Differences into Our Greatest Strength!

Mélanie, an Ilnu woman, mother, and passionate entrepreneur, was born in the community of Mashteuiatsh, in Lac St-Jean. Growing up, she faced numerous social challenges and experienced the harsh realities of racism, bullying, violence, and rejection both within and outside her community. These painful experiences created an internal conflict between her Loafers and High Heels.

In this heartfelt and genuine conference, Mélanie shares her journey, her doubts, her fears, and the struggles she faced as an Indigenous woman in a predominantly male business world. This distance from her roots and true essence was a significant part of her story.

Mélanie's goal is to help women and people from diverse cultural backgrounds understand how our trials can build resilience. She authentically and sensitively demonstrates how our differences can be our greatest strengths. Her journey to reconcile her Loafers and High Heels, change her internal dialogue, and reclaim her pride in being Ilnu is both inspiring and relatable for anyone who has felt disconnected from their identity or dreams.

A proud mother of three children—Guillaume (29), Aurélie (23), and Mélina (18)—Mélanie is dedicated to passing on the values of solidarity, mutual aid, sharing, and respect for oneself, others, and Mother Earth, which have guided the First Nations for millennia.


Conference content
 

• Sharing my journey: the duality between my loafers and my high heels

• My Russian dolls: how do our unconscious barriers form?

• Who are your "dream catchers"?

• How can our challenges reveal our greatest strengths?

• 5 keys to developing resilience and finding meaning in our lives.

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