Allison Dunn: Brewing Joy, Organizing Futures, and Uplifting Communities

From Clutter to Clarity, from Passion to Purpose: Allison Dunn is the founder of Neat Rules, creator of Hibiscus Brew Café, mentor, author, and powerhouse entrepreneur whose life’s work is proof that courage and creativity can transform communities.

This year, she is being honored with the Impact Award at the 2025 JoyTutor Celebrations of Courage Awards on September 6th. With her roots in Jamaica and her heart grounded in Brooklyn, Allison has dedicated her journey to helping women, families, and communities clear space, reclaim joy, and build legacy.

Allison Dunn – Impact Award Honoree: (Photo Credit: Shatimah Monaé Brathwaite)

Brewing Joy and Building Community

When the pandemic shifted the world in 2020, Allison turned disruption into innovation. Without prior restaurant experience, she opened Hibiscus Brew Café in Brooklyn, a vibrant, pastel-hued community hub inspired by her Caribbean heritage. Known for its hibiscus sorrel, smoothies, and jerk chicken sandwiches, the café has become more than a place to eat—it’s a sanctuary of joy, wellness, and culture.

Her café has been featured in outlets like Forbes, Refinery29, MadameNoire, and Travel Noire for its creativity, resilience, and cultural impact. Every drink she pours and every meal she serves carries the essence of her Jamaican upbringing and the vision to create spaces that nourish both body and soul.

Neat Rules: Transforming Spaces and Minds

Before launching her café, Allison founded Neat Rules, a business dedicated to home organizing, productivity, and empowerment. With a gift for transforming cluttered spaces into clear, intentional sanctuaries, she helps women reclaim peace, joy, and possibility in their lives.

Her work as a mentor and organizer is deeply personal—she believes that when you create order in your environment, you create space for transformation in your spirit. Through workshops, mentorship, and direct services, Allison inspires others to live with clarity and courage.

Expanding Her Impact

Allison’s influence extends beyond business. She is a SCORE Mentor, a Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Alum, and an author of the children’s book Khison is Having Company, inspired by her son.

Allison is formally recognized through a New York State Senate resolution for being designated the 2023 Women-N-Motion Empowerment Award recipient by the Young, Gifted & Black Entrepreneurial Awards Program, which honors her exemplary leadership in mentorship, business, and community empowerment. nysenate.gov

From mentoring young entrepreneurs to coaching women through personal transformation, Allison’s leadership reflects her belief that courage is contagious.

Honoring Allison’s Courage and Vision

At this year’s JoyTutor Celebrations of Courage Awards on September 6th, we are proud to honor Allison Dunn with the Impact Award. She is a testament to what happens when creativity, heritage, and resilience meet purpose.

Her story is a reminder that courage is not just about overcoming fear—it’s about creating spaces where others can rise, too. From decluttering homes to serving hibiscus lattes, Allison Dunn is brewing legacy, love, and leadership for generations to come.