Beyond Numbers: Innovations in Aurora Heat’s Finance and Social Impact Strategy

Aurora Heat, Inc., led by Indigenous entrepreneur Brenda Dragon and headquartered in Fort Smith, NWT, creates sustainable, reusable hand, foot and body warmers from sheared beaver fur. Their mission is to empower Indigenous women and youth through inclusive employment, fair wages, and cultural heritage preservation, all while meeting warmth and health needs for North Americans.

To realize a five-year goal of $7 million in annual revenue and become a top employer for Indigenous people in Canada, Aurora Heat must tackle significant challenges. First, they must enhance resilience to climate change, which disproportionately affects businesses reliant on natural resources. Secondly, they need to innovate their bookkeeping practices to optimize financial management. Finally, Aurora Heat must develop an extensive valuation model and cash flow projections to enhance risk management and guide strategic decisions.

The “Beyond Numbers: Innovations in Aurora Heat’s Finance and Social Impact Strategy” project lays out a strategic approach to these challenges and opportunities. Three key objectives drive this initiative, which include creating a comprehensive valuation model and risk assessment, streamlining bookkeeping procedures, and developing an annual social impact report aligning with global sustainability standards. The project’s intern will play an important role in realizing these objectives by preparing three key deliverables: an extensive valuation model, a bookkeeping innovation report, and an annual social impact report.

Faculty Supervisor:

Maureen Bourassa

Student:

Partner:

Aurora Heat Inc

Discipline:

Business

Sector:

Manufacturing; Wholesale trade

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: