I met Maida Branch back in 2019 when she came to me for an Own Your Why® session and Thought Partnership. Immediately, I was taken in by her vision and I felt privileged to witness and hold space for the growth of the idea that became MAIDA, a sustainable retail company centered on supporting Indigenous artists and lands.

Maida is an actress, filmmaker, and retailer aiming to change the retail model to be more supportive—rather than exploitative—of artisans. As a company, MAIDA is dedicated to uplifting artists and preserving heritage and homeland through sustainable business practices, collaborating with Indigenous & Indo-Hispano artists to create one of a kind, handmade pieces. These pieces are then featured in carefully curated collections with stunning photography, and then sold using a 50/50 profit sharing model; a radical, unheard of proportion in the retail world.

I was struck by how beautifully Maida and her company marry art to purpose and by the impact of the meaningful objects and stories featured in her shop.

The curated collections featured in MAIDA are meant to be enjoyed by all, as well as reflect the rituals of their culture of origin and in turn, spark conversations about their origins and purpose in everyday life.

“Preserving ancient knowledge is how we heal,” says Maida. “I hope to be an example of a modern interpretation of the past. Not only to regenerate a place and tradition, but to honor and support those of the place rather than gentrify. To magnify where I’m from, and celebrate New Mexico cultural tradition through visual, written, and oral storytelling—creating more reverence for place and community.”

Of Pueblo & Ute captiva and Inda-hispana descent (Dilia and Mora, NM), Maida’s family has been living on Pueblo Territory since time immemorial. Inspired by her family and the land from which they came, she tells this story through thoughtfully curated products and artifacts, the history of northern New Mexico, and now mini films about community and place.

Her work also tells the story of lived experience as someone with mixed ancestry, a commonality in her community and in our country as a whole, though this experience is massively underrepresented.

“[My ancestry] means having limbs in different worlds, experiences in both, and cultural tellings in the processing of that experience,” Maida tells me. “I would like to continue to help tell that story via the experiences of other artists with similar tales.”

When we met, Maida had already planted the seeds that would become MAIDA, but she needed the space and gentle thought collaboration in order to articulate the WHY behind her company and clarify the HOW of bringing her ideas to life.

As we all know, that space can be hard to create on our own! I was honored to hold that space through her Own Your Why coaching and monthly Thought Partnership conversations.

“Our monthly meetings were so supportive and generative,” Maida says. “Working together helped me honor myself and my work more, carving out and creating time and space to create and channel my vision.”

Own Your Why sessions provided a sounding board and the space for Maida to connect with her highest vision and purpose for her company. Sometimes it takes a container, a listener, and the right questions in order to find clarity. Over several months, we worked through Maida’s challenges together and created the space for her dreams to flourish as we grounded them through actions and forward momentum.

This allowed Maida to build a strong foundation, connected to her family’s history, the land, and her purpose as a business owner and creator.

As MAIDA continues to grow, Maida stays connected to her WHY and curates products of incredible beauty and quality while supporting their creators and their stories. It’s been incredible to watch, and I’m profoundly honored I was able to be a tiny part of this beautiful company’s development.

I can’t wait to see what Maida will create in the future through her film, acting, and work with Indigeonous artists and their stories.

When she isn’t working with artisans or creating films, Maida loves chopping firewood, rock climbing, hanging out with her animals (dogs, cats, sheep, donkeys, chickens) and loved ones, being outside with her partner, and cooking.

To learn more about MAIDA and her work, visit her at Maidagoods.com and sign up for her newsletter on the contact page to learn about these one-of-a-kind pieces and the people who made them. You can also find her on Instagram @maidagoods.