How to Grow Your Network with Dawn Kelly

Join Dawn Kelly, Founder and CEO of the Nourish Spot for tips and strategies on how to initiate, cultivate and cement enduring connections with others.

You will learn that:

• Your most powerful tool is your network
• Your network leads to an exchange of ideas and contributes to our social wellness
• Your network impacts your networth

OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Dawn Kelly

Founder and CEO of The Nourish Spot

A graduate of Howard University, Dawn’s 30 year + public and media relations career promoting campaigns and companies, food and entertainment, people and places, finance and retirement has taken her all around the world.

In fact, she can say hello to you in quite a few languages. Formerly Department Vice President of Prudential Financial Inc. and director of public relations for York College/CUNY, Kelly is a trusted, seasoned and proven public relations and strategic communications executive with an award winning track record of implementing large-scale innovative, integrated communications plans to build brand awareness for businesses, including her own.

After her three decade long corporate and nonprofit career, Kelly is now the CEO of The Nourish Spot Inc., a family owned, quick serve healthy food, smoothie and natural juice bar located on the iconic Guy R Brewer Blvd (formerly New York Boulevard) located in Jamaica, Queens, NYC. Kelly also serves as partner, Metropolis Group US, a virtual public relations and marketing firm.

Kelly calls herself an accidental but divine entrepreneur, as she expected to work for some big company until retirement. Some would say God had other plans. Dawn’s life changed six years ago in September, 2015 when a new boss eliminated her role. Relying upon her determination, faith and own resources, Dawn is now a courageous entrepreneur. In March, 2016 she and her young adult children, Owen and Jade, made the business decision to establish an S-corp to provide healthier beverage and food options in the SE Queens food desert. On September 9, 2017, The Nourish Spot Inc. opened for business.

With the assistance of her daughter/COO, Jade Duncan, Kelly has partnered with a variety of community based organizations and the Mayor of NYC’s CCAP program to provide culinary and hospitality internship training and ultimately jobs to high school and college students residing in Southeast Queens and beyond. In its infancy, The Nourish Spot was named micro business of the year 2019 by the U.S. Small Business Administration NY District and it is certified as a MWBE, WBE and a DBE by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The Nourish Spot Inc. has become the community gathering spot where career opportunities are shared and strategic partnerships are set including the relationship cultivated between LincNYC/South Jamaica Reads and The Nourish Spot that features free book share initiative, wellness information and a healthy snack. Kelly was also recently elected to serve as a coach and mentor for the NYC Department of Small Business Services that is dedicated to helping startups establish and grow businesses.

Kelly was recently named 2021 Entrepreneur of the Year by Queens Economic Development Corporation and the Empire State Development’s Entrepreneurship Assistance Centers (EAC) and Power Women of Queens from Schneps Media. In 2020, Kelly was named Distinguished Women An avid reader, Kelly genuinely understands the need to not only nourish the body but the mind and soul too. She hosts a podcast, The Nourish Spot Hour, to communicate information, services and solutions of value. Kelly interviews entrepreneurs and community leaders from across the nation to shed light on their missions and initiatives. The Nourish Spot Hour can be found on Google Play, IHeart Radio, Youtube and Spotify.

The Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center is a 501c(3) public charity whose mission it is to make entrepreneurship accessible to all. We deliver world-class resources and mentoring to enable every entrepreneur across the globe to realize their maximum potential. Please join us and make your gift to ensure these transformative programs may continue to reach the underserved.

All Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 48 hours in advance of this event; please send an email to [email protected] with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST. For assistance with registration or other technical difficulties, please contact [email protected]