We had the good fortune of connecting with Kelley Holderman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kelley, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Authenticity has always been paramount in both my career in commercial real estate and my current venture with Pirdie. In commercial real estate, building lasting relationships with professionals and vendors hinges on authenticity. Now, with Pirdie, although we’re a golf apparel company at heart, our mission goes beyond selling clothes. We aim to break down the barriers that often make women feel excluded from the game of golf, providing apparel that helps them feel confident and welcome on the course.

Our success with Pirdie stems from our transparency about our own journey with the sport—we’re not scratch golfers yet—and our commitment to engaging with women directly at golf events across the country. By meeting them face-to-face, shaking hands, and sharing our story and words of encouragement, we’ve built a brand that is authentic and relatable to many women seeking a supportive community for their golf journey.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I don’t think my path traveled has necessarily been ‘easy,’ but I don’t think that alone is a qualifier for success. I have worked since I have been 14 and worked my way up in commercial real estate right out of college. The industry can be super lucrative, while at times cutthroat. It is uniquely stunted in terms of its evolution to modern standards, with only 9% of C-suite positions held by women. Funny enough, golf is a huge part of commercial real estate – a canvas for deal-making that I didn’t frequent for one reason or another. Allowing the sport and the environment to intimidate me was a detriment, and numerous studies have proven the quantifiable disadvantage women are at in their careers by simply not golfing. While it might seem like this was the primary motivator behind starting Pirdie, the brand was actually started out of need and the coincidence of coming full circle to lift women up in careers similar to my past is a full-circle moment and an amazing feeling. Through Pirdie, we are giving women one less reason to say no to golf, a means to feel confident and themselves on the course, and a community of like-minded ladies. This is a win for all women and their aspirations.

The greatest thing I have experienced in this chapter of my career with Pirdie has been the unwavering support of the community around us. Kendra, Jaimee, and I feel like we have a marching band playing behind us 24 hours a day. It has been extremely refreshing and a reminder to pay it forward to those around us.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well, this is my favorite question! All things outdoors, that’s why we pay the “San Diego tax,” right? This might be a heavy itinerary, so I might not be getting any out-of-town guests soon!

In no particular order, this would be my hit list:

– Run along the boardwalk in Pacific Beach followed by coffee/breakfast at Java Earth on Cass Street.
– Taco Stand burritos to-go just in time to watch the sunset at Law Street Beach.
– A tee time at Torrey Pines followed by happy hour at The Grill @ Torrey Pines Lodge.
– A concert at Rady’s Shell.
– A drive to Coronado –> a stop at the Coronado dog beach –> a day walking around Orange Ave finished off with a fire pit on the beach in front of the Hotel Del.
– Spa at Rancho Valencia.
– A night game at Petco Park to watch the Padres
– Some downtime at the Glider Port watching the waves and the hang gliders.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
While Pirdie’s inception during the tumult of Covid was serendipitous, my transition from commercial real estate to entrepreneurship was guided by the coaching of Monisha Chandanani and her See Love Choose practice. She was able to guide me through what she calls “conscious creation” which ultimately allowed me to identify a working environment and career aspirations that would fulfill me. She also helped me transition from a successful 20-year career without a plan in place for what was next; it was scary! When the opportunity to co-found Pirdie with Kendra and Jaimee arose, I swiftly recognized its alignment with what I had consciously created.

In the midst of the exhilarating yet chaotic whirlwind of entrepreneurship post-Pirdie’s launch, I find inspiration and guidance in Phil Knight’s memoir, “Shoe Dog.” Knight’s narrative detailing the creation of Nike serves as a constant mental reference for me. It’s uncanny how many times I laugh at the synergy in events between that memoir and our first year of Pirdie.

Website: www.pirdiegolf.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pirdiegolf/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelley-h-6724906/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pirdiegolf

Image Credits
Studio Shots – Taryn Kent https://www.tarynkent.com/ Lifestyle shots – Rachel McFarlin https://rachelmcfarlinphotography.com/

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