Financial Lit Lady Podcast
A Simple Life On Purpose
With Kellie Markey: Social Entrepreneur | Founder | Executive Director
October 17, 2022
Social entrepreneur, Kellie Markey, opens up about not having a good answer to the question, “What do you do?” It took her time to figure out who she was outside of her job titles. In this episode we discuss everything from the value of early money lessons to the wisdom of Sherly Crow.
After years in a successful marketing career that took her across the globe, Kellie decided it was time to settle back into her hometown of Des Moines, where she began flipping houses for income. She leaned into volunteerism as a way to reconnect with the community and make friends.
While volunteering with teen girls at Y.E.S.S. (Young Emergency Services & Shelter), Kellie was shocked by the nature and severity of abuse the children in our community endure. She was inspired to become a foster parent. It wasn’t long before her worlds merged: she discovered the home that would become Dorothy’s House.
She purchased the home, the adjacent home and the empty lot between the two. She immediately began working on the properties and found a groundswell of support in the community. The homes opened in January 2016 as a “safe place for the practice of life for those whose lives have been interrupted by human trafficking, exploitation and prostitution.”
You can find Kellie Markey on LinkedIn. You can also learn more about Dorothy’s House at DorothysHouse.org or follow them or Instagram @Dorothyshouse and on Facebook at Doroth’sHouseDSM.
Show notes:
Kellie summarized her purchasing habits by quoting Sherly Crow who sang, “It’s not having what you want. It’s wanting what you’ve got.” This profound quote is from the playful song Soak Up the Sun.
