Karen Dean
Coach, Speaker, Author
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Karen Dean leads a movement of brilliant women who are redefining resilience. She leads by example, having found success repeatedly as a serial entrepreneur and now as founder of the Define the Next Chapter coaching program.
Recognized by the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards Nominee in 2014, Karen has been a mentor to women in business throughout her career and was mentored herself by Arlene Dickinson of Venture Communications, youinc.com and CBC TV’s Dragon’s Den. Karen holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a certificate in Small Business Development Training.
Karen also shows her dedication to her community through extensive volunteering, including roles as a founding member of several community and business development organizations. She was one of only two women to ever be elected to the Board of Directors of Farmers Co-operative Dairy Limited, and she has also served as a board member for the Early Intervention Association of Nova Scotia and the National Holstein Convention in 2011.
In Karen’s words:
My most important job is being a mom to three amazing humans. Together we have survived and thrived through some of what could be defined as "our worst nightmares", but those situations were actually pivotal moments to spark massive change in my life.
In June 2019, I left my job to pursue my lifelong dream of becoming an author, speaker and coach. We, as women, often struggle to find the strength and courage to make tough life choices. We let the opinions of others or our own negative self-talk hold us back from living our dreams and being the person we were born to be. We play small to make other people feel comfortable.
Through telling my story, my goal is to empower as many women as possible to make powerful changes in their lives and become the best possible version of themselves.
I credit my sanity to my children (although they have challenged it numerous times), to my home (a small farm, that I built for my children and I bordering a beautiful river, to provide a place for them to always call home) and to my animals, including dogs, horses, goats, a miniature horse and a miniature donkey (AKA the best therapist on the planet).
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What are you most proud of professionally? And who or why?
I am most proud of the resiliency and versatility that I developed through the many businesses that I have owned ... everything from a restaurant, to a welding business specializing in building boat trailers, to a dairy farm to an online clothing business. I am also proud of the business owners that I was able to help through my work as a business counselor for many years.
What’s your vision for Atlantic Canada in 10 years? What’s our biggest opportunity now?
In 10 years I see Atlantic Canada thriving with industry in the more urban areas, but still taking advantage of our beautiful rural areas to attract tourists, and to grow micro-businesses and agricultural products. We have so much fertile farmland in this province and I look forward to seeing it produce more food to feed our world. I hope to see more of our younger generation working to build vibrant farms all over our province, to effectively lower the average age of the farmer in Nova Scotia. Not only do our rural areas provide a great place for farming, but I envision more tourism in our rural areas. Our province has such magnificent beauty in every area … we need to show it off to the world.
What was your greatest stage of growth? What made it a shift for you?
Ending toxic relationships (with family members, friends and partners) and making the decision to make myself my top priority was the best thing I have ever done for myself. Countless negative situations brought about that shift but, each of those situations were learning opportunities that led me to the incredible and fulfilling life that I now have.
What’s your favourite or most read book or podcast? Now or at each of your greatest stages of growth?
It is hard to pick one favourite because there are many great books. My must-reads are Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and The Secret by Rhonda Byrne.
What’s your deepest learning from this past year? How did/will you apply it?
Definitely to love myself and to stop listening to and internalizing other people's negative opinions.
Who’s inspired you, directly or indirectly? How have they inspired you?
My inspirations in business have been Eleanor Beaton, Tony Robbins, Dean Graziosi, Rachel Hollis and Arlene Dickinson. They have given me tools to be successful and stay focused.
Personally, Elizabeth Gilbert, Brene Brown and Oprah Winfrey have helped me discover who I am meant to be.
Most importantly, my children have inspired me every minute of every day, to keep going, to fight for our lives, and to love beyond words.
What would you have done differently?
Absolutely nothing. Life has been tough ... really, REALLY tough. But every tough time was an opportunity to learn a valuable life lesson and to grow as a person.
What are the principles you live by?
Love yourself first and fiercely.
Speak to yourself like you would speak to a 6-year old you ... kind and loving.
Fight FOR each other, not WITH each other.
If you think poor, you will always be poor.
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Coach, Speaker, Author, Motivator, Hobby Farmer, Animal Lover, Solo Parent, Country Girl