Starting your own business is difficult. Ensuring that business is successful is one of life’s great challenges. That’s why we would like to shine a light on Kellie Brady—wife, super mom, successful entrepreneur, and proud daughter of the Seneca Cayuga Nation.  

Mrs. Brady was born and raised in Miami, Oklahoma, and belongs to the Deer Clan through her paternal bloodline. Both her father and mother instilled in her and her sister a sense of pride in their Tribal heritage and culture. 

During a recent interview, Kellie recollected a memory her mother spoke of from when she was a child:

“Around age 5, I came home from elementary school and proudly displayed a piece of art to my parents. The illustration contained tepees, buffalo, and Native individuals. According to them, I had not been exposed to my Native culture up to that point. When asked why I’d drawn it, I replied ‘Well, these are my people.’ My parents decided it was sign. That our ancestry was already deeply embedded in our souls from previous lives. That’s when they chose to immerse my sister and I into the culture.”

Today, Kellie carries on this tradition of educating her own children—the next generation—not only to continue Native Legacy, but to enrich their knowledge so they can help revitalize Native Culture in America. “I talk to my sons [nine and three years old] about our Native heritage every day, both SCN and Pueblo,” she said. “Just this morning, I was brushing the younger one’s hair and teaching him ‘Our hair is spiritual to us, that’s how we connect to our ancestors. It is where we draw our guidance and strength from.’” 

Her other children, both girls, were born from her heart, through the marriage to her husband, Charle. The eldest is a freshman in college, “on a full academic scholarship, which we’re very proud of.” And the younger daughter is in college prep military academy on the east coast. “She was just chosen for the Cadet Leadership Summer Academy and received a merit scholarship which we’re also very proud of.”  

Education is central to Kellie’s life. She comes from a long line of educators, and entered the trade herself, making her way into an administrative position only four years after becoming a teacher. 14 years later, she launched her own consulting firm Twenty Three in 2019, breaking glass ceilings in her district and opening doors for others interested in contract work.   

The firm offers a menu of services, but primarily serves schools in the U.S. “We help families by removing hurdles for those within marginalized groups to attain an equitable education.” They also help schools fine tune their enrollment and recruitment processes, making it easier for parents to find a school that fits their family’s unique needs.

Coincidentally, her own family’s unique needs served as a catalyst for launching the business. Her dream was to be at home to support her children all hours of the day. She wanted to ensure they had every opportunity to succeed in the face of obstacles. 

So, she turned to her spirituality, her deep connection with the universe, and when she asked for help, Creator answered: 

“I was just surfing the web and kind of looking for some inspiration. Trying to get some guidance. And up popped a little graphic, a beautiful illustration of a girl sitting on a cliff with long brown hair that looked similar to my daughter from my heart, who my mom nicknamed ‘Zazzle.’ The image was related to the phrase ‘what if you fall, but oh my darling, what if you fly?’ And written at the top was the name Zazzle.” 

It was another sign. A final reassurance that entrepreneurship was the right path. “The move was nerve wracking, but I pushed through it, and it worked. And here we are. Year four.”  

Kellie also holds a master's in Criminal Justice with an Emphasis in Legal Studies and will eventually transition to law. She plans on attending UMKC law school to begin a second career as an attorney specializing in Native American Law/Family Law. She possesses the strong desire to work for Seneca Cayuga Nation and give back to her tribal roots that have gifted her so much. 

Kellie’s journey is one of grit and determination, sprung up from her practice of connecting to her spirituality, one heavily rooted in her Tribal heritage. And through her deep devotion to her extended and nuclear family—the desire to see them safe, healthy, and thriving—she has succeeded.  

Her story represents a tenacity we all have inside of us. Despite old stigmas, discrimination, and erasure attempts, our people are still here. Our people still thrive. Our people are still strong.

Sometimes, we just need a sign. A gentle reminder of where we come from, to be proud of who we are, and to believe in what we can accomplish as Natives in this world.