From Tourist Office to Tech Leadership: Carolyn Dawson's Unconventional Path
Carolyn Dawson, the CEO of Founders Forum Group, has built a remarkable career at the intersection of technology and entrepreneurship. Now 47, her journey began far from the boardrooms of London's tech scene, in the tourist offices of North Wales.
Early Lessons in Customer Service
"My first job was at the tourist offices in North Wales," Dawson recalls with amusement. "I'm pretty sure a few visitors received terrible advice about climbing Snowdon, which I have only done by train. Saying Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch twenty times a day to Americans was also a highlight!"
This unconventional start taught Dawson fundamental lessons about customer service that would later inform her approach to building tech communities and events.
The Tech Calling
Dawson's entry into technology came as a research analyst and conference producer for Informa Telecoms & Media during the mobile telecoms boom. "It was a fantastic role as a fresh graduate right at the heart of the mobile revolution," she explains. "We traveled the world producing world-class events, and I realized quickly that tech is the place to be."
What hooked Dawson was the unique combination of factors she found in technology: "The pace of change, the global reach, the sense that the decisions being made in rooms you were curating actually mattered. Being ringside at the future being built in real time was beyond energizing."
London's Strengths and Shortcomings
As someone who has worked extensively in London's tech ecosystem, Dawson appreciates the city's unique qualities. "I love its sheer scale and the variety that comes with it – its blend of modern and historic. I think there is a depth to London that most cities can't replicate."
However, she identifies one area for improvement: "A greater appetite for risk. London has so much going for it, but we can still be cautious when it comes to backing bold ideas early."
Memorable Encounters and Embarrassing Moments
Dawson recalls a particularly impactful conversation with Blaise Metreweli, just before she went on to head up MI6. "I moderated a talk with her about the weight of the decisions she navigates, the real-world stakes, the lives genuinely on the line. Sitting across from someone who has that responsibility, and carries it with such grace, has a way of putting everything into sharp perspective."
Not all memories are so serious. Dawson shares an early career faux pas: "In one of my first job interviews, I walked into the cleaning cupboard at the back of the room instead of leaving through the main door I'd walked through forty minutes before. It was the second interview, fifteen people were in the room, and I wish I could have been swallowed up whole. I still got the job!"
Career Milestones and Inspiration
Among Dawson's proudest achievements is watching London Tech Week grow into a globally significant event. "My pride is less about the numbers and more about the impact it has on the UK's position on the world stage," she notes.
Receiving an OBE was another highlight: "Being able to take my parents, who sacrificed so much to give me the education that set me on this path, was extra special."
Dawson finds inspiration in the founders she works with daily: "What I find endlessly inspiring isn't just what they build, it's the resilience they carry. Holding a clear vision through inevitable chaos and keeping going when most people would have stopped."
Essential Career Advice
Dawson shares two pieces of advice that have guided her career: "Make sure you look around corners and focus on the things only you can do – don't be a blocker. And always find people smarter than you. If you're the smartest person in the room, get out."
She's less impressed with the common saying "Work smarter not harder": "I think it's a terrible cliche, and getting where you want to be often does need to be a combination of both, not either or."
Looking Ahead with Optimism
Dawson expresses genuine optimism about the year ahead: "The pace of AI development alone would be enough to get excited about, but what I find most energizing is seeing how founders are applying it to real, meaningful problems."
On a personal note, she's excited about launching The Longevity Show in June: "It's my first ever consumer launch in an incredible area of transformation for us all, and there's a real thrill of doing something new at this stage."
Life Beyond the Boardroom
When not leading Founders Forum Group, Dawson enjoys CORD by Le Cordon Bleu for lunch and Wagtail for after-work drinks. She lives in Chobham, Surrey during the week and escapes to Colwell Bay on the Isle of Wight for weekends.
For longer breaks, she favors adventurous family trips: "RV trips to Canada with the family have been a highlight, and we're trying Alaska this year."
From misdirecting tourists in Wales to guiding tech entrepreneurs in London, Dawson's career demonstrates that unconventional paths can lead to extraordinary destinations, especially when you're willing to leave rooms where you might be the smartest person present.
