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Jodi Bondi Norgaard

Jodi Bondi Norgaard

Founder/Creator of Go! Go! Sports Girls Dolls & Books

Jodi Bondi Norgaard

Founder/Creator of Go! Go! Sports Girls Dolls & Books

Biography

An expert in creating change, Jodi Bondi Norgaard shares her entrepreneurial journey of determination, persistence, passion and grit needed to challenge the status quo and achieve goals. She is the founder and creator of the award-winning Go! Go! Sports Girls line of dolls, books and apps for girls encouraging healthy and active play over fashion and body image.

Jodi is a leader in the movement pushing media and retail to do a better job portraying girls beyond stereotypes since 2009, when she launched the plush sports dolls built in specification to a real girl's body. Her inspiration came in 2007 after shopping for a doll with her then 9-year-old daughter and finding a doll with belly baring clothing, high heels and make-up, named 'Lovely Lola.'  Jodi knows girls are strong, smart and adventurous and the importance of emphasizing what a girl's mind and body can do versus what her body looks like.

She has been featured on national media including The Today Show, The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson, Forbes, Upworthy, Parents, Shape, Self, Runner's World, Advertising Age, Good Housekeeping, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, and Huffington Post. In 2016, Jodi was invited by The White House to participate in a conference on breaking down gender stereotypes in media and toys.

She is a board member of Girls on the Run – Chicago and is a founding member of The Brave Girl Alliance, a think tank of girl empowerment experts. In October 2016 the Go! Go! Sports Girls brand was acquired by Jazwares, an established cutting edge toy company.

Speaker Videos

TEDx: Persistence: The Power to Create Change

The Importance of Empowering Girls

Girls are Strong, Smart, and Adventurous

Beyond Mainstream

Parents Want a Better Choice for Their Girls on the Toy Aisle

I'm Going to Create Change

Let's Change a Culture

Speech Topics

Beyond Mainstream: Creating Change with a Mission-Driven Company

Hear Jodi’s entrepreneurial journey of challenging the status quo, achieving goals, and becoming a leader in breaking gender stereotypes. In this presentation, Jodi discusses how to market for social good and the necessary combination of passion, determination, perseverance and grit needed to create change while running a successful business. Initially industry leaders dismissed her product because a sports doll was not mainstream. “Girls want fashion dolls,” she heard, over and over. Jodi was not convinced and knew mainstream ideas never create change. By 2015, she made significant strides and her product was launched in Walmart stores.

Stronger Together: Women Supporting Women

In this powerful presentation, Jodi speaks on the value and benefit of women supporting women in business and in life. She brings awareness to the stereotypes imposed upon women - of competitiveness and jealousy - and the steps needed to eliminate them from our culture, so women can rise together.  She shares her entrepreneurial experience and the mentors who have helped her succeed through their guidance, kindness and support.  Jodi offers strategies for women to get behind each other and provides examples of what the power of being a woman really looks like.

The Importance of Empowering Girls: If She Can See It, She Can Be It

In this presentation Jodi empowers girls to realize their full potential. Research shows interests, ambitions, and skills can be shaped early on by media and toys, influencing everything from subjects they choose to study to the careers they ultimately pursue. Jodi inspires girls to break free from stereotypes and embrace their unique strengths and assertiveness.

The Power of STEAM: Bringing an Idea to Life

What does STEAM have to do with creating a business? Everything!  Jodi encourages participants to develop their talents, build their knowledge, and pursue their passions without limits. From rough draft to a finished product, Jodi speaks on the importance of science, technology, engineering, art and math and how they were instrumental in creating the Go! Go! Sports Girls dolls. This topic allows audiences to understand what STEAM can look like outside the classroom.

Testimonials