Shahneel
Nawab
I help ambitious founders turn scattered ideas into brands people actually remember — part strategist, part storyteller, always in the room where the hard calls get made.
Based in
Toronto, Canada
A little about my story
I grew up taking apart my family's small print shop's old layout files just to understand why some flyers worked and others didn't — that curiosity about what makes people pay attention never really left me. Nearly a decade later, it's the same instinct that drives every strategy deck I build.
My work sits at the intersection of narrative and numbers: I care as much about the story a brand tells as the metrics that prove it's landing. I've spent the past eight years helping founders, executives, and creative teams say the right thing, to the right audience, at the right moment.
Outside of client work, I mentor early-career strategists, speak at industry conferences a few times a year, and am usually the person convincing the room that the boring slide can wait — the story comes first.
Where I've spent my time
2022 — Present
Meridian Growth Partners
Head of Brand Strategy
Lead a nine-person strategy team advising founders on positioning, narrative, and go-to-market storytelling for early-stage consumer brands.
2019 — 2022
Northlight Media Group
Senior Communications Consultant
Shaped press strategy and public messaging for twelve client accounts, coordinating launch campaigns that landed coverage in national outlets.
2016 — 2019
Vantage Collective
Marketing & Partnerships Lead
Built the partnerships function from the ground up, closing co-marketing deals with fourteen brands and doubling qualified event attendance.
Core Competencies
Interpersonal Strengths
Moments worth keeping
A running collection from stages, studios, and everything in between. Swap these placeholders for your own photos any time.
Let's build something worth talking about
Whether it's a speaking engagement, a strategy sprint, or just a good conversation about brand — my inbox is open.