Who is Karen Dean?

Karen Dean is a powerhouse of real-life wisdom — the kind you can’t find in a textbook. Her voice and her mission are rooted in lived experience, grit, and decades of entrepreneurial success.  

With over 25 years of experience, Karen is a sought-after keynote speaker, bestselling author and trusted advisor for individuals, organizations, and teams. She works at the intersection of resilience, mental wellness, and leadership, helping people strengthen their mental fitness, emotional capacity, and psychological safety — both at work and in life. 

Karen’s sessions are equal parts strategy and soul. She delivers powerful keynotes, transformative workshops, and one-on-one coaching rooted in resilience tools that are easy to implement and proven to drive results. Her approach helps clients recover from stress, show up more sustainably, and lead with clarity — even in high-pressure environments. 

She has been featured on CBC, Global TV, CTV Atlantic, and Eastlink Community TV's Women Now, as well as numerous podcasts around the world.

Recognized as a four-time nominee for the RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Awards, Karen has built and led successful businesses across multiple industries. She was also one of only two women ever elected to the Farmer’s Dairy Board of Directors — a milestone she’s especially proud of.  

Karen is a firm believer in paying it forward. Since 2018, she has raised nearly $150,000 to support families in need across Nova Scotia. Her community leadership has earned her the QueenPin Halifax Award (2020) and the Mission Integration Award from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada (2022). 

In November 2020, Karen self-published her first book, We Are Unbreakable: Raw, Real Stories of Resilience from Women in Nova Scotia in 2020. The book is a collection of authentic and inspiring stories about the unprecedented year of 2020 written by 22 incredible women who call Nova Scotia home.  We Are Unbreakable was an Amazon category best-seller for over 6 months and is also a Canadian bestseller.  A portion of the proceeds from this book has established an education fund for women in rural Nova Scotia.

In 2022, she published Fierce & Fabulous: A Self-Love Journal which provides readers with a daily practice to reconnect to their inner self and become even more successful, both personally and professionally.

Whether she’s speaking on stage, mentoring entrepreneurs, or guiding individuals through tough life transitions, Karen brings authenticity, compassion, and unstoppable energy. Her mission is simple: to help people not just survive — but thrive.