How Amanda Young is Revolutionizing Senior Living with M.A. Longey Consulting

Amanda Young, founder and CEO of M.A. Longey (MAL) Consulting, transformed her frustration with nonprofit constraints into a thriving business. In this Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur Spotlight, Amanda reveals how her innovative Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) programs empower seniors to age in place with confidence. Her leap from a limited CEO role to independent entrepreneur was sparked by a bold move to file for her LLC, turning challenges into opportunities. Amanda's journey is a testament to embracing change, leveraging AI for efficiency, and standing firm against adversity to create impactful solutions.

Hi, Amanda! Thanks for joining us today. Tell us about your business. Who do you serve, how do you serve them, and what's the impact that your business and work makes?

I am founder and CEO of M.A. Longey (MAL) Consulting that helps nonprofit senior living organizations launch and operate Continuing Care at Home (CCaH) programs across the country. I do everything from board education, market studies, business plan development, to full operational build-outs and staff training. 

Almost a quarter of the population will be over the age of 60 by 2030 and most of them want to age in place, but don't have a plan to do so. CCaH programs provide support and financial asset protection to help older adults age in place with peace of mind while allowing for organizations to expand missions and serve more people. 

Tell us about the moment you finally felt like you went from wantrepreneur to entrepreneur.

I think when I was able to leave my regular full-time job and completely work for myself. I had been building different CCaH programs and was running a nonprofit so I had all the experience to be successful. I just never thought of myself as an entrepreneur, but reflecting back I have always thought of new creative ways to serve the older adult population. 

Describe the moment or period in your life/career that motivated you to make the entrepreneurial leap.

I was the CEO of a small nonprofit and was doing so many job functions with little support from my board and less money than I really thought I deserved. I went to my board chair with an idea to open a consulting arm of the organization to fill the gap in the industry and help more organizations launch CCaH programs. I thought with my education and experience it would be a great add creating more revenue with a commission structure that would raise my pay. My chair was supportive and I designed the program out and even obtained a client; however, when I went to my full board with the idea and the news that I already had someone who wanted to sign on for work, about half of them were a strong "no" for me to pursue this and wanted me to focus on membership growth only. I got off that meeting and filed for my LLC and decided to pursue this venture on my own. I wasn't happy from the lack of support and being overworked and underpaid. This frustration bred this opportunity to go out on my own and on my own terms. I also wanted to feel like I was using more of my PhD and I felt like having my own business would allow me to explore other opportunities in research, teaching, and writing. 

Describe a tool, service, or software that has been a game-changer for your business. How does it contribute to your success?

AI in general has been such a game changer in saving time especially when it comes to analyzing data. I can gain insights quickly from data sets that before would have taken me all day to analyze. It allows me create easy visualizations in presentations for boards and leadership team members. I use Claude everyday for something even if it is just brainstorming blog topic ideas. 

We know that success is very often a non-linear path. Tell us about a failure, pivot point, or lesson that changed your course or direction and helped to get you where you are today.

I am a strong believer in everything happening for a reason and there have been numerous times I was interviewing for a position I really wanted and didn't get it. I was upset at the time, but all of that led to where I am today. 

What unconventional strategy did you employ that significantly impacted your business?

My business is still less than a year old so not sure if I have unconventional strategy that I used that significantly impacted my business. I haven't had to do a lot of direct marketing yet because I have been able to operate on my previous networking and word of mouth for referrals for business. I try to say yes to new opportunities to get my name out there and in front of people.  

What’s something you wish you knew sooner that you’d give as advice for aspiring or newer entrepreneurs?

I hate to say it like this but that there are so many incompetent people in positions of leadership that will be the first ones to try and knock you down. Don't be afraid to speak up, know your worth, and be persistent. It is disheartening that in 2026, I still experience sexism. I have even heard before that I was too young for a job. If you are competent, work hard, and are passionate you will be successful don't let someone in a higher leadership position put you down because they lack that.

Want to dive deeper into Amanda's work? Check out the links below!

• Visit MAL Consulting's website: malconsulting.co/
• Connect with Amanda Young on LinkedIn: Amanda Young