Makenzie Young

I attribute my success to resilience, relentless curiosity, and an unwillingness to become comfortable with “good enough.” I’ve never been afraid to walk into a room where I’m underestimated, ask the difficult question, challenge the way something has always been done, or take ownership when the outcome isn’t what it should be. Some of the greatest opportunities in my career have come from being willing to step into the uncomfortable, learn quickly, and figure it out. I also believe my success is deeply connected to the people around me. Titles have never impressed me as much as impact does. I’ve learned just as much from the people working on the plant floor as I have from executives, mentors, and formal education. The best leaders stay curious enough to listen, humble enough to learn, and confident enough to act.

Above all, I attribute my success to grit. I have learned that you do not need to fit the traditional mold of a leader to become one. You can be ambitious and compassionate. You can hold incredibly high standards while still caring deeply about people. You can be feminine, bold, unconventional, and still command the room.

I didn’t build my career by waiting until I felt completely ready or until someone gave me permission to lead. I built it by showing up, doing the work, betting on myself, and being willing to go first. And every time I open a door, I want to leave it a little wider for the woman coming behind me.

The best career advice I’ve ever been given was simple: Don’t wait until you feel ready. That advice changed the trajectory of my career. Some of my greatest opportunities came before I felt completely prepared for them. I learned early that growth rarely happens when you are comfortable, and confidence is often something you earn after you take the leap, not before. Walk into the room. Apply for the position. Ask the question. Take on the challenge. Be willing to say, “I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure it out.” Especially as a woman in male-dominated industries, I’ve learned not to wait for someone else to decide when I’m qualified enough, experienced enough, or ready enough to lead. Preparation matters. Competence matters. But so does having the courage to bet on yourself. I’ve carried that mentality into every chapter of my career. I would rather step into something that challenges me and grow into it than stay somewhere I’ve already outgrown.

You don’t have to know everything before you take the next step. You just have to trust yourself enough to take it.

Take up space before you feel like you’ve earned permission to. You may walk into rooms where you are the youngest person, the only woman, or the person no one expects to be leading the conversation. Walk in anyway. Learn the business, know your numbers, understand the operation, and never underestimate the power of being exceptionally prepared. But don’t make the mistake of believing you have to become less feminine, less authentic, or more like everyone else in the room to be respected. You do not have to change who you are to prove that you belong. Your perspective is part of your advantage.

Ask questions. Get your hands dirty. Spend time with the people actually doing the work. Find mentors who challenge you, and when you become successful, turn around and become that person for someone else. Most importantly, stop waiting to feel completely qualified. There will always be another certification, another year of experience, or another reason you could convince yourself you’re not ready yet. Do the work, build your credibility, and then bet on yourself. Be kind, but don’t confuse kindness with shrinking yourself. Be coachable, but know your worth. Be humble enough to learn and bold enough to lead.

And when you finally find yourself sitting at a table you once wondered whether you belonged at, remember: you weren’t invited there to blend in. Bring your voice with you.

I believe the greatest challenge in manufacturing right now is also our greatest opportunity: the industry is evolving faster than its leadership models. Automation, AI, data visibility, and advanced manufacturing technologies are changing what is possible operationally. But technology alone will not transform an organization. The real opportunity is building a workforce and leadership culture capable of evolving alongside it. Manufacturing has historically relied heavily on tribal knowledge and a “this is how we’ve always done it” mentality. As experienced workers retire and a new generation enters the workforce, companies have an incredible opportunity to rethink how we train, communicate, develop leaders, and transfer knowledge. We have to build systems that are sustainable beyond any one person. There is also a tremendous opportunity to bring more women and diverse perspectives into operations and manufacturing leadership. The industry needs people willing to challenge traditional thinking, ask better questions, and redefine what a manufacturing leader looks like. The future of manufacturing will belong to organizations that can successfully connect people, process, and technology. We can automate equipment, digitize information, and measure nearly everything—but the competitive advantage will still be people.

My goal is to help build that future: operations where innovation is embraced, accountability is expected, knowledge is shared, and the next generation of leaders is developed intentionally rather than accidentally.

The values that matter most to me, personally and professionally, are integrity, accountability, resilience, authenticity, and impact. Integrity is the foundation of everything. I believe in doing the right thing when it is easy, when it is uncomfortable, and especially when no one is watching. Accountability follows closely behind. I hold myself to a high standard, and I believe strong leadership starts with being willing to look in the mirror before pointing across the room.

Resilience has shaped much of who I am. Life and leadership will both test you, and I’ve learned that strength isn’t about never being knocked down, it’s about what you build from the experiences that were supposed to break you. Authenticity is equally important to me. I spent enough of my early career believing I needed to fit a certain mold to be taken seriously. I don’t believe that anymore. I can be strong and compassionate, polished and gritty, a mother and an executive, feminine and formidable. None of those things diminish the others; together, they make me a better leader and a better person.

Finally, I value impact. Success means very little to me if it only benefits me. I want the people I lead to become stronger leaders themselves. I want my children to grow up believing there is no room they cannot walk into. And I want the women coming behind me to encounter fewer ceilings because women before them were willing to break through them. At the end of the day, I want my legacy to be bigger than the titles I held. I want it to be measured by the people I developed, the standards I raised, the barriers I challenged, and the doors I left open behind me.