Behind wUP
Woman UP Media is founded by Kelly Wade, who also serves as the first podcast’s host.
Pumped doesn’t begin to describe how I feel about launching Woman Up Media. Like let’s freaking go. I’ll bring the content, the war stories, the WTF, the how-to, the secret sauce that worked for me and others like me. Can’t wait to witness the light bulbs, the ah-ahs, the what the hell took me so longs. It’s gonna be magical.
The Road to CEO, Boards & Blue Blazers…
Growing up in a small business-focused family and community, Kelly learned her work ethic and customer-first style having worked in every role of the family’s clothing and hotel businesses. She would go on to amass 30 years of sales, marketing, and management experience focused on growing and leading people, cultivating unique cultures, and developing strategic long-term growth plans for a variety of industries, including two startups of her own. She spent a decade with one of the largest commercial roofing companies, where she helped transition the company to an ESOP as the COO and led the company through a sale to PE as the first female CEO in the national roofing industry. She then went on to turnaround a second $100M+ company to prepare for a sale. She then founded Go Get Life capital+advisory, coaching businesses to scale and leaders to grow, serving on Boards and consulting for private equity. In her third CEO role, she led the creation of the Skycrest Roof Co brand and the launch of the roofing platform backed by Shore Capital, acting as interim CEO following her Director of the Board role. In all, she has managed 5 transactions and served on 5 Boards – and counting. Kelly continues to serve on Boards, seek new businesses to acquire and look for opportunities to promote female leadership.
The Girl Loves to Learn…
Kelly received a B.A. in English Journalism from Miami University and will complete her MBA in Global Finance July 2025 (yes, it’s never too late girls). She has a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt from Villanova University. And a certification with honors from L’Institut de Francais.
The Ultimate Why…
Kelly earned the key to the city of Temple Terrace outside of Tampa for developing a new type of “all-in” corporate partnership with the teen program, then went on to join the Board of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America in Sarasota/Desoto counties where she developed corporate partnership programs. She continues the years long support for women in Africa thru Women for Women International. Most recently she became a Foster Nation coach to a young woman aged out of the system.
Naked On the Side of Any Mountain…
Kelly’s home base is Santa Barbara CA. She has two rock star sons and a Siberian Husky. She enjoys running, skiing, yoga, reading, biking, and writing. When not home she can be found around the world on some of the most interesting high altitude treks – Patagonia’s Torres Del Paine, the Haute Route and GR20, the Pennine Alps, Kilimanjaro, Sleeping Indian in Jackson Hole, Mt Whitney, Mt Fuji Sea to Summit, Rim2Rim Grand Canyon, Mt Muhabura Rwanda. Up next: Bhutan