About me
Kelley Powell Williamson is the founder of Kelley Kouture, a luxury footwear brand built on a simple belief: a woman should never have to choose between beauty and well being. After a life-altering surgery, the high heels that once made her feel confident and unstoppable no longer fit her reality. What seemed small to others marked a profound shift. Kelley Kouture was built out of that moment so that all women may stand tall, move freely, and feel powerful in their own stride.
A Virginia native, Kelley has spent more than two decades building and scaling businesses at moments of transformation. As founder of MacLaurin Group and Kefiweh Group, she has advised founders and investors on growth, value creation, and strategic change. Across every chapter, her work has centered on one idea: the right fit changes everything. She is the author of the best-selling book Courage To Lose Sight of Shore, written for founders navigating growth and reinvention, and serves on the board of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC). As moderator of Built Differently, Kelley brings the perspective of an operator, investor, and builder—leading conversations on what it takes to build and evolve with intention.
