Ashleigh Kelly shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Ashleigh, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you chasing, and what would happen if you stopped?
I’m chasing the dream of building my clothing brand, Pure Intentions, into something much bigger than myself. My goal is for it to reach people who move with love, authenticity, and resilience—people who give pure intentions even when life hasn’t always given that back to them. My brand is rooted in faith, in staying grounded in who you are, and in spreading the kind of energy the world needs more of.
I’m also chasing success so I can change my family’s life, especially my mom’s. She raised three kids on her own and spent most of her life in survival mode, always working, always pushing through. She hasn’t really had the chance to experience life fully because she was too busy making sure we had one. My dream is to retire her, to make sure she never has to lift a finger again, and to give her the peace and freedom she’s always deserved.
Beyond that, I’m chasing wealth with purpose—so I can give back to those who believed in me and those who are in real need. I want to be in a position where I can pour into my community, create opportunities, and be the blessing I wished I had when I started.
If I stopped chasing this dream, I’d be stopping the ripple effect of everything I’m meant to build and everyone I’m meant to impact. I’d be settling for a life that doesn’t reflect my purpose. My dream isn’t just about me—it’s about my family, my future, and the people who see themselves in my story. Stopping isn’t an option, because too much depends on the vision God gave me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ashleigh Kelly, and at my core, I’m a creator with a heart for people. I grew up watching my mom raise three kids on her own, working nonstop and doing everything she could to keep us going. A lot of my drive, my faith, and my resilience comes from her. She taught me what it looks like to keep pushing even when life feels heavy, and that’s a big part of who I am today.
My clothing brand, Pure Intentions, was born from that same place of honesty and heart. It represents people who give love genuinely, who stay solid even when life hasn’t always been kind to them. I didn’t start my brand just to sell clothes—I started it because I wanted people to wear something that reflects their spirit and their story. Every design has meaning behind it, and everything I do is rooted in staying true to myself and spreading the kind of energy that the world needs more of.
A big part of my journey has also been my faith. God has carried me through some of my hardest seasons, and He’s guided me through moments where I didn’t know how things were going to work out. The strength I have, the opportunities I’ve received, and the growth I’ve experienced all come from Him. At the end of the day, I know I’m walking the path He chose for me, and I’m simply here to fulfill the purpose He placed on my life.
Outside of my brand, I’m just someone who works hard, believes in God, and is determined to create a better future for my family. I’m building something bigger than me—a legacy that honors where I came from and inspires where I’m going. Pure Intentions is my way of turning pain into purpose and purpose into something people can feel when they wear it.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a young woman who only knew basketball, faith in my family’s support, and the dreams I carried since childhood. From the moment I stepped onto a court at 10 years old, basketball became my identity. I poured my entire heart into the sport — year after year, season after season — until it felt like it was the only thing that defined me.
After high school, I went straight to Miami Dade College to play ball, and that’s when life started teaching me who I was outside of what I did. I had just come out to my mom, I was away from home for the first time, and I was trying to understand myself while chasing the dream I’d worked for my whole life. When I sprained my ankle and was out for six months, everything changed. For the first time, I had to face the question: Who am I when I’m not on the court? I didn’t know God the way I know Him now, and I didn’t know myself outside of basketball. I felt lost, unsure, and disconnected from the confidence I once had.
When I finally healed, I returned to the game — but my passion didn’t come back as easily. I played with fear instead of freedom. I questioned whether recruiters would even look my way. But during a scrimmage game, something in me clicked again. I played with everything I had left, and the next day, my coach told me Appalachian State University — a Division I school — wanted me. That moment reminded me of who I was before self-doubt crept in: driven, capable, and strong.
But going D1 was a whole new world. I was thousands of miles from home, no family in the stands, heavy workouts, new pressures, and the realization that I had to fight for everything — my spot, my confidence, my peace. The depression, homesickness, and self-doubt hit again, and I struggled with motivation. Still, I pushed through, earned my degrees, and made my family proud.
Then suddenly, I was 23, back home, and no longer a student-athlete. No longer “the basketball girl.” I had to truly face life for the first time without the identity I’d carried for over a decade. I worked my first job, made mistakes, ended up in situations that tested me, dealt with heartbreak, legal trouble, toxic relationships — the kind of things that force you to learn who you are all over again.
But even in the lowest moments, God was working on me.
In 2020, after leaving a painful relationship and starting from scratch, someone suggested I use my creativity to make custom clothing. That sparked something in me. I started drawing and designing again, and when I got my very first order, everything shifted. The feedback, the reviews, the excitement from customers — it lit a fire in me. Order after order came in, and I realized this wasn’t just something to do… this was something I was meant to do. Seeing people wear the pieces I created with my own hands made me feel whole again. It gave me the same joy and purpose I used to feel stepping onto the basketball court.
God made it clear it was time to move, so I packed everything and moved to Dallas on my own. No plan, just faith. And ever since, my life has taken a turn I could’ve never predicted.
Before the world tried to tell me who I had to be, I was someone who led with heart, passion, creativity, and pure intentions. And after everything I’ve been through, I’ve finally found my way back to her — stronger, wiser, covered in grace, and walking the path God chose for me.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
One of the biggest things I changed my mind about after failing hard was the belief that failure means you’re not good enough. For a long time, whenever life hit me, I took it personally. When I lost myself after my injury in college, when my confidence disappeared, when I wasn’t chosen to start, when I felt overlooked, when I returned home at 23 with no clear direction — I saw all of that as failure. I believed it meant I wasn’t meant for more.
But life humbled me and taught me differently.
Every setback I went through — the depression, the homesickness, the mistakes, the bad relationship, the legal trouble, the moments where I didn’t recognize myself — all of it showed me that failure isn’t the end. It’s a redirection. It’s God pulling you out of something you thought you wanted so He can place you exactly where you’re meant to be.
I changed my mind and realized that failure is actually feedback. It shows you what needs to grow, what needs to go, and what’s waiting for you on the other side.
If I hadn’t failed hard, I would’ve never found the strength to start over. I would’ve never discovered my creativity again. I would’ve never started Pure Intentions. And I definitely wouldn’t be the woman I am today — grounded, focused, self-aware, and trusting God more than I trust my own plan.
Failing taught me that sometimes you need to be broken down to be rebuilt. Not weaker, but wiser. Not smaller, but stronger. And not lost — just being placed on the path you were meant to walk all along.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
A belief and project I’m committed to—no matter how long it takes—is building Pure Intentions into a global brand with a purpose behind it. This isn’t just a business to me; it’s a mission that God placed on my heart. I’m committed to creating something that represents authenticity, resilience, and real love in a world that often forgets those values.
I believe in staying true to who you are, treating people with genuine kindness, and moving with pure intentions even when life tries to harden you. That belief is the foundation of my brand, and it’s something I refuse to let go of, no matter how long the journey takes.
I’m also committed to breaking generational cycles and creating a life for myself and my family that we’ve never experienced. I want to retire my mom, build a solid future, and use my platform to help people who are going through things I once survived. That’s a long-term mission, but one I’m devoted to with everything in me.
Whether it takes years or decades, I’m committed to walking the path God laid out for me—growing my brand, expanding my impact, and pouring purpose into everything I create. As long as I’m moving in alignment with Him, I’m willing to stay the course as long as it takes.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
The story I hope people tell about me when I’m gone is that I was someone who led with love, moved with purpose, and lived with pure intentions no matter what life threw at me. I want to be remembered as a woman who never let her past define her future, who fought through adversity with faith, and who kept going even when life tried to break her.
I hope people say that I was the kind of person who could light up a room — not just with strength, but with my goofy, playful personality. Someone who made people laugh, who didn’t take life too seriously, and who brought joy everywhere she went. I want people to remember that even through my own storms, I still found a way to make others feel seen, supported, and uplifted.
My legacy, above anything else, is about resilience and God’s grace. I want people to remember that you can come from hardship, lose yourself, make mistakes, fall down, and still rise into the person God called you to be. That I didn’t just build a clothing brand — I built something that carried meaning, inspired authenticity, and encouraged people to move with pure intentions.
I hope they say I loved hard, believed in others before they believed in themselves, and used my journey to break generational cycles and create a new path for my family. That I honored my mom’s sacrifices and turned my pain into purpose.
Most importantly, I want people to remember that I walked the path God laid out for me. That I fulfilled the purpose He placed on my life. And that everything I did — every laugh, every design, every moment — was rooted in Him.
If that’s the story people tell, then I know I lived my life the way I was meant to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pureintentionsbyak.com/shop/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pureecustoms?igsh=bGV1M2F2bnN6OHNk&utm_source=qr
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-kelly444
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DKxnZ7Vpd/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@leighkellzs?_r=1&_t=ZP-92Dq702pmCl
Image Credits
Ashleigh Kelly
