ENTREPRENEUR
comes from and I think it’s a great platform to
further that.” The fashion line, Island Avenue,
is already a hit, having been embraced by large
retailers and influencers alike, including glob-
al superstar Dwayne “ The Rock” Johnson.
While creative ventures are clearly a big
part of Dawson’s burgeoning empire, his
scientific and physiological interests have
brought him to the forefront of one of the fast-
est growing medical industries, CBD, with
his role in the founding of the company ADM
Labs. Initially Dawson learned of the emerg-
ing medicine when his father used it during
his battle with cancer. “But, as I dove deeper
into it, I saw so much potential with people
that are using it for seizures, using it for anxi-
ety, for sleep, for pain relief,” Dawson recalls.
“It’s such a powerful tool for the world and it
can change lives so quickly for the better... I
would say the motivation behind it comes
from the same platform internally for me
where I want to help others. I get a lot out of
that and I really enjoy it. Whether it’s bringing
people’s dreams to life on film, or whether it’s a
business that I’m invested in, I typically go for
businesses that I believe will impact the world
and make it a better place.”
But regardless of the growth and success
of his diverse business empire, Dawson is
unlikely to slow down anytime soon. Ponder-
ing the future, he admits “I think retirement
is doing what you love, whenever you’re able.
And I think that doing these projects has al-
ways been very fulfilling to me in that way. So
in that sense, I would never retire... I think if
you’re always trying to serve people around
you, you’ll always be young at heart.”If you love your job, you’ll never work a day
in your life, or so people claim. But for Dave
Dawson, a former NFL wide receiver, it
seems to be a matter of fact. In the years since
his football career ended, the California native
has poured his passion, intensity and drive to-
wards entrepreneurship. Now, Dawson has
his fingers in more pies than one can count,
following his interests in film, music, fash-
ion, medicine and more into an array of ven-
tures, stretching from Hollywood movies to a
Polynesian-inspired fashion line. But for all of
the financial endeavors that take up his time,
money is seemingly never his top priority. Per-
haps that’s why the former athlete speaks of
his work in terms of relationships, community
and helping others, rather than in terms of
revenue and profit.
“I always say there’s a warrior side of you
that you’re just used to, that’s a little difficult
to let go of. You have to find the fulfillment
you’d get from competition,” Dawson explains
about his transition from elite athlete to entre-
preneur. “It is in the end very freeing to get to
improve other people’s lives through business.”
Speaking to the high-energy Dawson
about his diverse ventures can leave one’s
head spinning, but through it all, one cannot
help but notice that in all that he does, the
up-and-coming renaissance
man focuses on helping oth-
ers, strengthening his com-
munity, and investing in the
people around him. “I always
say I never do something that
I don’t believe in myself,” ad-
mits Dawson. “I encourage
other people to find things
that truly interest them, and
then give themselves over
to it. That way you’re always
enjoying whatever you’re do-
ing.”
A multitalented artist,
Dawson caught the film bug
while working as an extra
on the Mel Gibson Vietnam
War movie We Were Soldiers.
Getting this behind-the-
scenes look at filmmaking led
to Dawson’s interest in the in-
dustry, and his eventual work
on the film Shadow Wolves, a
thrilling action story about
a group of Navajo trackers
working to stop a terrorist onAmerican soil. In addition to crafting his own
upcoming film and television projects, he can
also be found in the recording studio, continu-
ing his passion for music.
But his creative interests expand beyond
entertainment, as his boldest venture yet ful-
fills a lifelong interest, fashion. “I’ve always
wanted to have an apparel line since I was a
kid. I remember being in sixth grade, and I cut
a shirt and did some unconventional things
to it. It was horrible. But I thought one day
I would love to do something unique that’s
personal to me, personal to the Polynesian
people. And I just happened to meet Fa‘avae
Fa‘avae, who’s become a very close friend of
mine, who already had a working vision of a
Polynesian apparel line that not only is a front
runner for our people, but also inclusive of all
cultures and you know, bringing the aloha to
everyone.”
It’s here where Dawson really brightens up,
speaking about combining a business he loves
with the sense of community that is such a big
part of Polynesian culture, and its ability to
share this attitude with the world. “It’s a cloth-
ing line that brings our culture to the world,
and all the positive vibes that come through
that from the Polynesian culture. Everybody’s
curious about the islands and where the alohaCOURTESYOF^
NATEJOSEPH/SKYCRAFT^
STUDIOSHow an elite athlete used his work ethic to create an entrepreneurial empire
Text by KEITH GORDONRenaissance Man
24 SEP/OCT 2019 MAXIM.COM