Small Business Spotlight: T&T Dreamcatchers
T & T Dreamcatchers began as Jona Sparvier’s personal healing journey and has grown into a thriving business that blends traditional teachings with modern designs. With support from Digital Main Street programs, she transformed her digital presence and now reaches customers across Canada and internationally.
For Jona Sparvier, founder of T & T Dreamcatchers, entrepreneurship began long before she ever planned to start a business. A proud Nakota (Sioux/Assiniboine) creator and mother of three from White Bear First Nations, Jona began making dreamcatchers in 2015 during one of the most difficult periods of her life. After losing her father, she found herself searching for purpose and connection. Picking up a dreamcatcher kit became a turning point, a way to heal, reconnect with her culture, and remind herself of her own strength.
What started as a personal creative outlet quickly grew into something much bigger. By 2016, Jona had transformed her healing journey into a thriving business: T & T Dreamcatchers, now known for its unique handmade dreamcatchers, jewelry, workshops, and cultural presentations. Each piece blends traditional teachings with modern elements such as gemstones, LED lights, and 3D designs, while preserving the cultural meaning and teachings behind dreamcatchers. Beyond selling products, Jona has built a platform rooted in education, helping people understand the true significance of dreamcatchers and honouring Indigenous culture.
Jona’s digital journey began when she participated in the Digital Economy Program and worked with the Digital Service Squad. Before participating, her website was basic, unorganized, and not optimized to reach audiences beyond local markets. “I received support in setting up and improving my e-commerce presence, learning how to list products effectively, the importance of cohesion between my website and socials, more effective layout and placement of text to photo, also a better understanding how to use digital tools to connect with my audience, also what I was doing well and what I needed to work on as one of my goals was to be independent going forward with my website’s content and SEO,” she shared.
The support she received helped her overcome what once felt like an intimidating leap into the digital world. “I’m a hands-on, creative person, but translating that into digital storefronts, SEO, and online customer engagement felt overwhelming at first. The program gave me step-by-step guidance and confidence to do it which I can now manage my website on my own.”
Through the program, Jona learned that digital adoption is not about replacing traditional approaches but extending them. Social media, SEO, and e-commerce tools have helped her tell her story more effectively and reach customers she never could have met at markets alone. Today, T & T Dreamcatchers sells products online, connects with new audiences across social media, uses analytics to understand what resonates, and is building an email list to nurture ongoing relationships. As a result, her business has expanded far beyond Calgary, with orders now shipping across Canada, the United States, Australia, and Japan. Many customers have even become repeat buyers after following her journey online.
Looking ahead, Jona has big plans for T & T Dreamcatchers. She is preparing to expand into the tourism sector, retail shops, and cultural centres, with a focus on sharing her how-to kits to promote Indigenous culture and correct misconceptions. She also plans to grow the educational side of her work by offering more workshops for schools, corporations, and community events. A particularly special project in the works is a short story she is collaborating on with her husband and daughter, which she hopes to publish in the future.
Digital adoption will play a key role in this next chapter. Jona is working toward building an online Learning Center, a space that highlights dreamcatcher history, Indigenous perspectives, and showcases other Indigenous artists and creators. “Digital tools are helping me share not just products, but knowledge and culture,” she noted.
To explore T&T Dreamcatchers thoughtfully created prodcuts, visit their website.
Are you small business in Toronto looking for support with your digital strategy? Connect with our Digital Service Squad by booking an appointment sur ce site, or sending us an email to [email protected]
