Dawn Nadeau is a blue-sky thinker with decades of experience in on-the-ground execution. She speaks about topics including business innovation, start-up strategy, product development, the power of play, navigating business partnerships, failing, women's leadership and company naming strategy.
She has extensive experience in new product development from inside the start-up landscape and innovating within the structure of big corporations. Her special gift is helping individuals and companies navigate the blank space and making the complex simple.
From the Chairman’s Office of Goldman Sachs to a TIME Magazine Best Invention winner, she understands the challenges of getting things done regardless of scale. Her company, TwoCents Riot helps companies and founders develop unique and compelling names and execution-ready go-to-market strategies.
An experienced start-up founder, Dawn co-founded IAmElemental - a line of body positive female action figures - voted one of the 25 Best Inventions of 2014 by TIME magazine. Launched via Kickstarter (fully funded in 2 days, doubled in another two and ending at 465% funded), then onto production in China, toy store shelves and recognition in TIME, the BBC and many others like Marie Claire’s article: "9 Mind-blowing Things Invented by Women This Year". She also co-founded and successfully raised outside investment to launch VONK a play-based social platform for kids and was part of the StartED Incubator at NYU. During the pandemic, VONK pivoted to offer free play break content for remote learning and play and was named a Mom's Choice Award Winner.
Drawing on her experience as an original team member at Fast Company magazine and as Director of Content for FORTUNE magazine , she helps companies and founders navigate telling the story of the What, Why, How and Who of their businesses. She was a Vice President in the Office of the Chairman at Goldman Sachs and a former Strategic Advisor to Women Moving Millions.
Dawn is also an expert in personal safety and self defense, receiving a G1 Level Instructor Certification from Israel-based International Krav Maga. She founded BigLessons.info and regularly speaks about personal safety to families and kids, in addition to speaking about business innovation, leadership and the very real trials and tribulations of entrepreneurship.
She is also a mostly inside-the-court tennis player and a beginning banjo player, although not all at the same time.
