Maven Member Spotlight is a weekly series by Indy Maven highlighting a member of our community. Want to be featured? Join us!
Kelly Young is a storyteller, connector, and longtime PR strategist — but most importantly, she’s a wife, mom, and advocate for women. For fun, Kelly is a spin instructor, an ok(ish) pickleball player, and leaning into a “giving fewer f*s” era. She’s the founder of Baise Collective, which she relaunched in March 2025 to focus on three pillars she cares deeply about: PR and crisis communications, women’s leadership and empowerment, and podcast media. Kelly is also the founder and co-host of the Badassery Life podcast, where she amplifies the stories of ordinary women doing extraordinary things. In 2026, she’s leaning into deeper community and connection, creating spaces where women can learn from, support, and champion one another. She recently launched and now manages The Next Chapter, a Women’s Fund–supported program for women 50+ navigating purpose and reinvention. After going through her own vision work with Marianne Glick, she supported and partnered with Kelly to bring this program to life for other women navigating what’s next. Personally, Kelly is living that next chapter too. She’s an empty nester, reinvesting in herself and the work that lights her up. She believes reinvention doesn’t have an age limit — and that women don’t need permission to evolve, lead, or take up space. Kelly’s mission is to CREATE opportunities, AMPLIFY voices, and INSPIRE and EMPOWER others — a mission Kelly claimed last year and now brings to life through everything she does.
My Maven Superpower is…Connecting people, ideas, and stories — and helping women see their own power.
Best book I’ve read lately is…The Boyfriend – it turned me onto any and all Freida McFadden books.
Self-care habit I swear by…A daily two-mile walk with my dog, Junior, to start the day — for my sanity and hers.
My first job was…I’m sure I got paid to babysit when I was younger, but the worst and somehow most fun early job was as a telemarketer for a water purification company in high school – brutal job, great lesson in handling rejection, made survivable by my best friend. We lasted a whole two weeks.
The best career advice I can offer is…Not everything deserves your energy. Choose wisely — advice I wish I’d taken sooner.
A purchase I’ve been loving lately is…Shapermint high-waisted leggings – tucks it in so I don’t have to.
I feel most confident when…I’m cheering on other women — especially when they start recognizing their own badassery (a good lipstick and a great pair of shoes doesn’t hurt either).
My favorite local restaurant dish is…Anything from The Garden Table (I’m gluten and dairy-free, and they are very accommodating).
The thing I’ve been binging lately is…Not much — short Netflix binges when I need to shut my brain off.
A fun fact about me is…I was training for a Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hike last year (24 mile challenging trek), but wildfires closed the North Rim. Hoping to win the lottery and try again this year.
The skill I most want to learn is…Is giving fewer f*s a skill? … How about learning to slow down and relax.
A Maven you should know is…Tina McIntosh — my NEW Badassery Life podcast co-host and the founder of Joy’s House.
My favorite nonprofit to support is…That’s a hard one — I work with and support many nonprofits, and each one holds a special place for different reasons.
What have you achieved recently that you’d like to celebrate with our community?…Launching The Next Chapter — a Women’s Fund–supported program for women navigating purpose and reinvention. It’s been two years in the making and personal, and I’m proud to see it coming to life in 2026.
What’s next for you? What can we expect to see over the next few years?…More hustle, with intention — growing Baise Collective, expanding the Badassery Life community, and continuing to support women-centered programs like the ICFW Leadership Development Series and The Next Chapter. And (fingers crossed) more travel, better pickleball, and a Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim epic hike.
I feel most myself when…When I’m with the people who know me best, where I can just be me.
My “must-have” product is…A good pair of spanx.
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