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With a family legacy steeped in courage, Dawn Kelly becoming an entrepreneur was almost inevitable.
As the founder of The Nourish Spot, a healthy food and drink destination in New York City, Kelly’s small business journey began with big dreams. After an extensive career in the corporate space, the realization of her potential as a business owner took a significant turn during her participation in the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program.
With help from that program and other training (including from the NYC Economic Development Corporation) her eyes were open to her potential. “That’s when I realized that I could do this,” she told Shawn Walchef of Cali BBQ Media.
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Dawn Kelly drew and continues to harvest inspiration from her mother and grandfather. He was a military veteran who settled the family in Jamaica, Queens after being denied housing elsewhere. Her lineage instilled in her the values of diligence and the significance of an early start.
“I’m the oldest in my family, and so one of the things that my grandfather always taught me was the early bird gets the worm,” says Dawn. That family legacy was carried on when Kelly started The Nourish Spot with her daughter.
The Power of Social Media for Building Community
For Dawn Kelly, social media, particularly Instagram and LinkedIn, serves as a powerful tool for storytelling and community building.
Embracing the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words, Kelly appreciates the visual storytelling aspect of Instagram, using it to document her personal and professional journey.
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“I love to take pictures. I always have. So what Instagram has allowed me to do, both personally and professionally, is to document my journey,” expresses Kelly.
Through social media, she captures moments, showcases accomplishments, and emphasizes the positive impact The Nourish Spot has on the local community.
“There will be no question when I’m no longer here about what I have been able to accomplish and the things that made me happy, as well as the benefits of what our business brings to our community, our Jamaica, Queens community, and beyond.”
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