By: Mary Schroeder

In business, success often depends not just on following a rigid strategy but on the ability to listen, adapt to customers, respond to market shifts, and follow the natural progression of a company’s growth. For Missy Kelly, Co-Founder and CEO of CatTongue Grips, this principle allowed her and her husband, Matt, to transform a simple idea into a multi-million-dollar global brand serving industries as varied as safety, military, and aerospace, as well as adaptive solutions for the disability community and aging-in-place products.

However, Missy didn’t build the company by strictly adhering to a fixed roadmap. Rather, she embraced what she describes as “business as a conversation,” a philosophy where listening, intuition, and adaptability drive growth. “If I had been too attached to our original plan, we might not have explored many of the industries we now serve,” Missy shares. According to her, success involves being open to the real needs of the world and meeting them in ways that can have a meaningful impact.

A Simple Idea with Unseen Potential

Like many great business stories, CatTongue Grips began with a problem that needed solving. When Missy’s husband, Matt, struggled with his slippery cell phone, there wasn’t a solution on the market that provided a non-slip grip with a non-abrasive feel. So, they decided to create one.

What initially started as a niche product for mobile devices soon found applications in unexpected areas. Customers began using the grips for securing tools in high-risk workplaces, while others with mobility challenges discovered they could use them to keep essential items from slipping from their grasp. Then came a pivotal moment: Paralympian Chris Waddell shared how the CatTongue Grips’ Gription Roll had significantly improved his ability to carry everyday items while using his wheelchair. “That conversation was a turning point for me,” Missy recalls. “It really helped me see the potential for this product to make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Letting Business Show the Way

Rather than limiting CatTongue Grips to its initial market, Missy followed the natural demand. The company’s growth didn’t come from forcing a particular trajectory but from recognizing and embracing real-world opportunities as they arose. Missy views business as a living, evolving entity that naturally seeks growth, and success is a result of paying attention to where momentum is already building.

Leading with Intuition

When many people think about business strategy, they focus on external metrics—analyzing data, tracking numbers, and making calculated decisions. While Missy Kelly acknowledges that hard strategy is a key part of growth, what sets her apart is her ability to trust her intuition as a guiding force in decision-making.

For Missy, success comes from letting go of the need to control every outcome and choosing to quiet the noise, listen deeply, and gain the clarity necessary to make decisions that are both bold and aligned. She describes this process as “co-creating with her business”—not forcing growth down a single path, but leveraging self-trust and adaptability to stay aligned with the opportunities as they arise. This approach enables her to receive (rather than force) success, balancing the masculine energy of action with the feminine energy of trust and flow.

Scaling with Purpose and Impact

Another key driver of Missy’s success has been her focus on leading with purpose and pursuing growth through impact. “When we’re addressing a genuine need, success often follows,” she explains. “I always ask, ‘Where can we make the biggest difference?’ and let that guide us.”

This approach has helped CatTongue Grips expand far beyond its original phone grip concept, establishing the company as a global leader in non-slip, non-abrasive solutions. But Missy’s expertise is not limited to business leadership—she has also developed a signature framework that helps entrepreneurs scale with clarity, alignment, and purpose-driven impact.

At the core of her mentorship is The Impact Matrix Shift™, a strategic framework designed to help leaders cut through distractions, eliminate noise, and take decisive action.

• I – Intention: Set a clear and aligned vision.

Ask: What do I truly want—and why does it matter?

• M – Mindset: Cultivate belief, resilience, and possibility.

Ask: What story am I telling myself—and is it helping or holding me back?

• P – Purpose: Align your values with meaningful action.

Ask: What impact do I want to make—and who am I becoming in the process?

• A – Aligned Action: Take intentional steps that support your vision.

Ask: What’s one action I can take today that reflects who I truly am?

• C – Conviction: Own your power and stay committed.

Ask: Where do I need to stand firm, speak up, or lean in—even when it’s challenging?

• T – Trust: Surrender control and trust the journey.

Ask: Am I rooted in faith—or reaching for certainty out of fear?

By applying this framework, Missy helps entrepreneurs break through limitations, trust their instincts, and build businesses that reflect their values—without compromising their energy or purpose. Through her mentorship and speaking, she inspires leaders to embrace adaptability, take bold actions, and create lasting impact.

What’s Next for CatTongue Grips and Missy Kelly?

For Missy Kelly, a successful future will likely stem from her mission to use business as a tool to make the world a better place. She’s stepping into a new phase of mentorship through her high-level program Born for Impact, designed to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses while staying deeply aligned with their core purpose.

Missy recognizes that true success requires the mindset, clarity, and adaptability to break through limitations and build something truly meaningful. Born for Impact is built on this philosophy, helping entrepreneurs to overcome self-doubt, trust their instincts, and take bold, strategic action. Through her signature frameworks, Missy assists other entrepreneurs in developing powerful leadership skills and creating businesses that reflect their highest vision.

At the same time, Missy continues to apply this philosophy within her own company, as CatTongue Grips expands into new industries. What began as a simple phone grip has now evolved into a diverse range of consumer and industrial products, impacting lives and organizations around the world. Missy’s journey demonstrates that when a business is built with purpose and adaptability, it can naturally evolve in ways that were never initially envisioned.

Looking ahead, Missy’s vision remains clear: empower entrepreneurs, create impact, and continue to evolve—both in business and in life.