Sh*t Don't Be Afraid To Dream Big

To dream big is scary. What if you don’t make it? What if you never get what you yearn for? I know for me, this is a constant struggle - I can’t seem to get out of my own way.

My guest today - Dawn Kelly - did. Once a celebrated PR executive, Dawn's world turned upside down when her role was unceremoniously scrapped. But rather than bowing down to defeat, she channeled her resilience into founding The Nourish Spot, a haven for healthy food in her community.

Dawn's story isn't just about entrepreneurship; it's about reclaiming one's identity and purpose in the face of unforeseen challenges. It's about creating a legacy of health and wellness in a neighborhood starved of fresh, wholesome food options, and in doing so, creating generational wealth for her family. This episode isn't just about leaving a job; it's about confronting fears, embracing new beginnings, and the relentless pursuit of one's passions against all odds.

Dawn Kelly opened the first location of her healthy food and beverage haven in Jamaica, Queens with her two young adult children in September 2017 after a 35+ year public relations and marketing communications career. In February 2024, Kelly and her daughter Jade Duncan joined forces with Radio Hall of Famer Angela Yee to establish The Nourish Spot BK in Bed Stuy, Brooklyn.

In 2019, during Small Business Week, The Nourish Spot, which offers customers the opportunity to customize fresh produce into smoothies, salads, cold pressed juices, sandwich wraps and more was recognized by the Small Business Administration as Microbusiness of the Year, NY District. Kelly, a small business advocate, has received numerous awards for her recent retail business success and community service including recognition by New York State Senator Leroy Comrie as 2020 Distinguished Women of the Year and selection as 1 of 6, statewide, Entrepreneur of the Year by Empire State Development and the Queens Economic Development Corporation.

A graduate of the Interise and Goldman Sachs 10kSB programs, Kelly and her family also partners with non-profit organizations to serve as a culinary and hospitality internship training ground for community youth and neighborhood fair wage employer.

Before taking the entrepreneurial leap, Kelly spent nearly 16 years with Fortune 500 firm,Prudential Financial, where she served in several leadership roles within the Global Communications department.

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