StoryEQ™

Founder

flynnkristina media, inc.

with over 17 years of building story-driven brands and communities for exceptional individuals—from NBA All-Stars to venture capitalists and renowned artists—my approach combines traditional storytelling with the latest in tech and AI. giving you a transformative perspective and uncovering new dimensions in your personal and professional journey.

how can you work with me?

• 1:1 guided personal story discovery 
• story articulation, content strategy and market positioning
• personal story playbooks, knowledge bases, and custom GPTs

accomplishments:

- transformative brand and operational advancements to over 20 award-winning artists, Ivy League PhDs, industry-leading CEOs, Gates Scholar recipients, and multi-million dollar bootstrapped startup Founders.

- built my personal brand to 20,000 followers + subscribers across platforms and a “Top Personal Branding Voice” recognition by LinkedIn in 2 years.

- created "StoryEngine", an AI-powered platform enhancing personal branding and professional growth among influential women and non-binary leaders; 90% approval rating from all BETA participants.

- led the development of a sold-out, first-of-its-kind, 1,000-piece generative art collection on the Ethereum blockchain that generated over $250,000 for award-winning musician, Ed Balloon, in 72 hours.

- engineered Kyle Lowry's pioneering Genesis NFT Collection, marking a significant intersection of technology and sports on blockchain technology.

- enhanced operational efficiencies and cross-functional team communication by over 25% in less than a year and advised and acted as a thought partnership to the CEO for the #1 training program for underrepresented tech founders in the US, Founder Gym.

Personal Brand + Story Strategist

Rug Radio

content focused on all things web3 (culture, community, creators, tech et. al.). platform and format agnostic.

host of weekly podcast, Web3 Queeroes.

Freelance Content Creator

elected, founding, member leading the establishment of the governance framework of pioneering decentralized autonomous organization in the media sector, underpinned by 1000 ETH ($5 million) and a community of over 1,000 co-owners.

Council + Founding Member

Marigold Capital

advisor to one of North America's first and top impact investment funds.

Advisor

jiiWA

- escalated and bootstrapped the startup to over $500,000 in revenue in less than 3 years through strategic development and oversight of all core business units.

- led JIIWA to successful B Corp Certification, acknowledging stakeholder governance policies and company procedures that embody the values of community investment and sustainable business practices.

- facilitated close to 3 years of industry research and customer discovery, collecting over 800,000 data points from over 10,000 end users across multi-year, enterprise clients in North America.

Co-Founder & CEO

GuardLab

- orchestrated the development of operational systems and digital platforms, including a DTC Website, Shopify backend, iOS and Android apps, leading to significantly enhancing efficiency and team and stakeholder engagement.

- established pivotal partnerships with Fortune 500 companies and major sports franchises across the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, UFC, and NCAA.

- acted as a strategic advisor and thought partner to the CEO and Board of Directors on industry trends and consumer behaviours that informed critical business decisions.

Vice President, Operations

The 519

- spearheaded the execution of a groundbreaking $100 million capital project of the world’s first inclusive sport and recreation facility, led by one of Canada’s wealthiest families. 

- acted as the primary liaison and strategic council between a major philanthropic donor and critical project stakeholders, including Federal, Provincial, and Municipal elected officials.

- directed the development, presentation, and administration of the project’s annual $1.5 million budget.

- facilitated a comprehensive community engagement process for over 2,500 residents of Moss Park, leading both the planning and execution phases.

Senior Project Consultant, The Moss Park Project

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

- promoted 3 times in under 6 years beginning as Intern, and ending as Manager, Community and Player Engagement.

- led a team of 4 in the strategy and execution of all business and personal initiatives and charitable investments for 90+ professional athletes, coaches and executives annually. 

- generated $1.7M through event management, sales and operations for major MLSE Foundation events through innovative sponsorship and donor engagement strategies. 

- launched MLSE’s educational platform, coordinating cross-functional teams to create a comprehensive resource for community health and wellness that served over 100,000 teachers across Canadian school boards.

- spearheaded MLSE’s first-ever Pride Night and Pride March.

Manager, Community & Player Engagement (Toronto Raptors | Toronto FC | MLSE Foundation)

Coordinator, Community and Player Programming (Toronto Raptors)

Coordinator, NBA Programming (NBA 3on3)

Community/Basketball Development Intern

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin

- Acted as liaison between Toronto and Ottawa legal offices in the acquisition of Johnson and Buchan LLP. Included software and systems training of 15 Ottawa personnel. 

- Created and maintained corporate manual on department policies, procedures and guidelines.
	
- Delivered training seminars to legal secretariat assistant groups and conducted departmental orientations for new legal professionals.

- Assisted with special projects by researching new resources and testing new products and software.

- Provided support to the Records Management team as required.

Analyst/Coordinator, Records Management

make your personal story a profitable brand | i help high-potential women understand & share their stories to effortlessly sell themselves & their work | +15 years building brands for NBA All-Stars, founders, VCs | ADHD

aren’t you sick of playing small?

maybe you’re:

• feeling overlooked while you watch others rise
• unsure how to own your story & show up confidently
• ready to finally get paid for what makes you unique

🟦 short 🟦

for 18 years, i built personal brands for NBA All-Stars, Olympians, and VCs. now, i help mid-to-late career founders + pros use StoryEQ™—my AI-driven, neuroscience-backed approach—to discover, articulate, and own their story so they can GET PAID for their expertise.

tired of staying safe? go to my “featured” section to book a discovery call.

🟦 long 🟦

if you’re here, you’re feeling it. the frustration of not fully knowing (or owning) who you are or how to communicate what makes you valuable.

you’re wondering:

• how do i explain what i do in a way that feels like me?
• how am i different and why should people care?
• who the f*ck am i to call myself an expert?

you’ve tried to "figure it out"… journaling, courses, reading. but it never feels complete.

but you’re still stuck:

• holding back
• doubting your worth
• feeling invisible in rooms you belong

the reality is you don’t feel like you because you haven’t fully discovered who you are.

but, here’s what i know from 18 years with top talent:

• you’re not alone in feeling this way
• it can 100% be fixed (in way less time than you think)

if you want to show up with confidence, get paid for your unique expertise, and build a personal brand that "feels like you" AND deeply connects with your audience, it starts with two things:

1) getting clear on your personal story and why it matters
2) learning to share it authentically—in a way that connects with any audience

that’s what i help you do with StoryEQ™. 

this AI + EQ framework makes self-reflection accessible, storytelling strategic (without the trauma-spilling), and your personal brand your greatest professional asset.

ready to enter your no f*cks era? book a discovery call in my FEATURED section.

---

real results from leaders who’ve used StoryEQ™ to step into their No F*cks Era™:

🔸 “i built a multi million dollar company in 18 months, and if i'd had StoryEQ™ early on, my team and i could’ve done it in 9. it is so impactful that we now send all of our consulting clients through the process with Kristina.” — Amanda Northcutt (Founder and CEO @ Level Up Creators)

🔸 “kristina is kindness and warmth personified. she creates a safe space to dig into the nitty-gritty parts of your life and analyze them in a way that gives them deep meaning.” — Erica Schneider (Founder + Creator @ Cut The Fluff + Full Stack Solo)

kristina flynn

walking into a room of 100 accomplished women is my nightmare. last week i not only walked in - i got on stage…


the first thing i asked?


"how many of you looked around today and thought… i must be in the wrong room?"


90% raised their hands.

90% of the top creators. journalists. executives. entrepreneurs. from Spotify, CNN, Forbes, Vanity Fair, iHeartRadio…

90% felt like imposters who got "lucky."


we'd all been telling ourselves the same lie.

that everyone else belonged.
that we were the only ones who didn’t. 

it was wild. 

and a perfect intro to my talk, The Science of Trust in the Creator Economy. 

because the best news is that we can rewire this sh*t. we can engineer self-trust. 

by understanding when we're performing instead of being ourselves.
by proving to ourselves - one terrifying moment at a time - that we can handle it.

micro moments. big shifts. 


standing on that stage, my body screamed RUN. 

(a yell that started over 72 hours earlier)

turns out, I didn't need to be fearless.
those women didn't need me to be fearless. 

they needed me to be real. 

to be terrified and do it anyway. 

because self-trust doesn't come from never feeling fear.

it comes from feeling like you’re gonna puke and still taking the mic. 
feeling like you don't belong and still sharing your story.


rooms of all women have rarely felt safe to me. 

as a mom who didn't birth my kids, i'm often seen more like a "Dad" — never quite fitting the mold.

but by refusing to “perform professionalism” last week at Amy Sterner Nelson’s The Gathering in DC 

I gave others in the room permission to do the same. 

and from the moment i walked off stage, I felt supported, welcomed, seen. 

turns out the wrong room was exactly where we ALL needed to be.

90% of us, learning we weren't alone in feeling alone.


real talk 💬 does walking into a room of all women feel safe to you?


—

hey hey, i'm kristina with a 'k' and i help overthinking high-achievers turn their personal stories into personal brands (that feel like them and make shittons of money).

• follow me here: kristina flynn  
• subscribe to my newsletter (relaunching soon!)

you don’t know why you’re valuable. I fix that | 18 yrs w/ NBA All-Stars, Olympians + VCs | founder, StoryEQ™ — helping overthinking high-achievers see, own, and get paid for what makes you unique | ADHD

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my therapist says i need "consistency." so here's 12,000 thoughts from this morning.



(welcome to #overthinkinginpublic — my brain dump series happening every Wednesday)


the avg person has 4000 thoughts/day. 

overthinkers like me? we're *at least* triple that. 


here are some of mine:
(that literally no one asked for)


• whoever said Allan Keys are the best invention has never actually used a f*cking Allan Key

• we have tech that lets rockets take off, come back and land…Apple, can you really not build an AirPod case that stays closed when it drops???

• i don't care how much of a Millennial it makes me. i'm not booking no flight on a f*cking phone. 

• 🎵"i'm just a teenage dirtbag, baby"🎵 

• are we "officially old" when a car peels around the corner and we respond with "well, that was unnecessary."

• as a kid i collected keychains. now i collect domains. welcome to the family, performingprofessionalism(.)com

• i resent Gen Z bringing back the tramp stamp. how are people supposed to know my age now? 

• were "The Jones'" a marketing campaign just like "Betty Crocker"?

• are we the last generation to say things like "2 shakes of a lamb's tail"? (yes i actually say this)

• what asshole decided that women needed to shave their entire bodies to be desirable?



real talk 💬 how many thoughts do you think you have daily?



—

hey hey, i'm kristina with a 'k' and i help overthinking high-achievers like you turn your personal stories and wild careers into personal brands (that feel like you and make sh*ttons of money).

if you liked this (and don't hate Queer people):

follow me here: kristina flynn

i crushed the talk. but felt nothing. like watching someone else’s success through a window. 



last week i shared that 90% of women in a room of 100 raised their hands when i asked who felt like they didn’t belong.

today i'm still thinking about why.


"imposter syndrome" doesn't capture it. 
at least not for me.

i don't feel like an imposter. 
i know logically i'm “good at what i do”.

for me, it feels more like disconnect.

my brain can list the facts:

• brought value
• crushed the talk
• people connected
• asks to work together

but my body? feels nothing.


and if 90% of the women in that room of 'heavy hitters' (barf) raised their hands? 

this isn’t just a “me” problem of knowing my achievements but being unable to feel them.


so, here's what i'm #overthinkinginpublic today (maybe you can help me figure this out):


what if the way we're taught to “succeed” actually breaks our ability to experience it when we do?

think about it.

• every time we push through exhaustion for a deadline
• every time we smile in meetings when we want to scream
• every time we ignore our gut to be "professional"

we’re doing what i call “performing professionalism” 


teaching our nervous system its signals don't matter.

teaching ourselves that success means overriding what we feel.

that to “win” we need to disconnect from ourselves.



so when we "make it" - we literally can't feel it. because we've trained ourselves out of it.


i don’t have any answers yet 
but naming it feels like the first step

and i can’t ignore the pattern.


if 90% of a room of ridiculously accomplished women feel like they don’t belong… 

that's not individual failure.
that's something bigger.

and if we wanna fix it… we’re gonna have to admit it’s a big f*cking problem in the first place. 


real talk 💬 have you ever experienced this?


—

hey hey, i'm kristina with a 'k' and i help overthinking high-achievers turn their personal stories and wild careers into personal brands (that feel like them and make sh*ttons of money).

if you liked this (and don’t hate Queer people):

follow me here: kristina flynn

my therapist says i need "consistency." so here's 12,000 thoughts from this morning (pt.2)


(welcome to #overthinkinginpublic — my brain dump series happening every Wednesday)

the avg person has 4000 thoughts/day.
overthinkers like me? gotta be at least triple that.

here are some of mine:
(that literally no one asked for)

• do 2 narcissists ever end up together?
• are crawfish actually just baby lobsters?
• do Blue Jays know that they're the Brad Pitt of birds?
• Pamela Anderson might be the best comeback story since the QR code
• “this is our daughter, Dottie, and this is our other daughter…Dottie’s sister”
• why are ears and noses the only things on our bodies that continue to grow as we age?
• if an item you washed is damp but you really want to wear it, do you put it on anyways? (i 100% do)
• i’m still working on a definition of peri-menopause but so far I’ve got: 3 days of existential crises monthly
• is my house actually a disaster or is it just a disaster compared to the house i grew up in (where you only played in your room and basement)?
• 🎵doooooo yooouurrr ears hang low. do they wobble to and frow. can you tie them in a knot. can you tie them in a bow. 🎵


real talk 💬 are you an overthinker?

—

hey hey, i'm kristina with a 'k' and i help overthinking high-achievers like you turn your personal stories and wild careers into personal brands (that feel like you and make sh*ttons of money).

if you liked this (and don't hate Queer people)

follow me here: kristina flynn

my 6 y/o discovered the $6.2 million banana. what i realized next won't leave my brain.

she doesn't overthink.


my daughter is an Artist. 
she started claiming that label at 3. 
 
wifey and i encourage it. 

i'm an Artist, 
but couldn't claim it until my late 30s. 

last week she burst through the door after school:
"Mommy, this guy's art was taping a banana to a wall!"

i said, "wild right, it's called 'Comedian.'"

her eyes went huge. "you KNOW that story?!"

and we were off. 
(i'd bet my right arm she has my brain)

30 minutes deep diving into Maurizio Cattelan. 
the concept. the sales. the controversy.

about 15 mins in, she grabbed my sharpie.

didn't ask permission.
didn't worry about getting it wrong.
didn't wonder if she was artistic enough.

just...started drawing.

couple minutes later (with some spelling help from me) her interpretation was done. 

it was like i got to watch myself create before the world got to me.

before i worried "what will they think?"
before i wondered "am i qualified?"
before i felt wrong claiming Artist. 

she wanted to make something. so she did.

no overthinking to the point of paralysis.
no overriding voice in her head.
no second guessing.

just: idea → action.

this is what we lose, isn't it?

not our creativity.
not our ability.
not our ideas.

we lose the permission to just do.

overthinking high-achievers get this. 

1000s of ideas sitting in your notes app.
frameworks dying in your Notion instance.
stories you're "perfecting" instead of posting.

maybe it's time to pick up the sharpie again.

stop asking if you're ready.
stop waiting for permission.
stop overthinking it without action.

your 6-year-old self would've just done it by now.


real talk 💬 what did you want to be when you grew up?


—

hey hey, i'm kristina with a 'k' and i help overthinking high-achievers turn their personal stories and wild careers into profitable personal brands (that actually feel like them).

if you dig this (and aren't afraid of Queer people):

• follow me here: kristina flynn

AWare Catalysts

We help underestimated founders (People of Color, Women, LGBTQIA) create scalable, positive impact on their people and bottom line through mental wealth, culture, empathy and self-awareness.

Principal & Founder

Founder Mental Wealth

We do our part to create a world in which we prioritize the mental health of underestimated founders and their teams, with the same effort and resources as we do for revenue and operations. We use our research and advisory services to create generational solutions.

Research Publications:
2019 Founder Mental Wealth Report
This inaugural research study for underestimated startup founders in the UK and US. This is a first step to reverse the negative generational impact of mental illness and social injustice, and increase generational mental wealth to complement the generational financial wealth currently being created. Founders can use these to identify practices to help them create or refine their mental wealth based on our peers with similar backgrounds.

Founder & Principal Researcher

Founder Mental Health Pledge

Founder Mental Health Pledge is a coalition of startup investors, founders, and leaders coming together to destigmatize and encourage mental healthcare for founders and the greater startup community as a business imperative. Visit www.founderpledge.com to learn more and take the pledge.

Member

Ethereum Name Service (ENS) DAO

Established and refined the DAO-wide budget for the 6-month term in collaboration with stewards from Ecosystem and Meta-Governance Working Groups.

Managed, organized, led weekly Public Goods Working Group meetings and programming.

Public Goods Working Group, Lead Steward

Founder Gym

Founder Gym is an online training center for underrepresented founders who want to build successful tech startups. Incorporating best practices from entrepreneurship, education, and sports psychology, Founder Gym offers an innovative approach to develop the world's next great entrepreneurs.

Cohort 15 Graduate

Job Portraits

At Job Portraits we use the tools of journalism to help high-growth companies build and communicate their employer brand, allowing them to recruit more effectively and efficiently, ultimately (we hope!) widening access to meaningful work.

Creative Lead (Contractor)

Zen Doughboy

Provided strategic consulting grounded in culture and happiness to high-growth start-ups and non-profits.

Services included:
–Experiential Workshops: Culture+Happiness for Business Growth
–Fundraising and Capacity Building for Nonprofits and NGOs
–Business Optimization & Strategic People Geek Services

Catalyst

Jumpstart Foundry

Jumpstart Foundry (JSF) is a healthcare-focused mentor-driven accelerator with one simple mission: Make Something Better™. Located in Nashville, TN, JSF is dedicated to being the home of healthcare innovation, helping entrepreneurs make something that truly makes a difference.

Mentor

Diversity Accords LLC

Director of Business Development

HappyCity

HappyCity is a nonprofit public benefit corporation and a leader in the establishment of happiness and well-being indicators and quality of life initiatives. HappyCity aims to make a positive impact by taking actions towards a transformative future that is compassionate, kind, and inclusive.

Host, HappyCity: Nashville

Mental Wealth Strategist | Speaker | Author | Researcher

🎯 I guide entrepreneurs and professionals through smooth transitions in work and life. By integrating mental wealth insights with practical empathy, I empower them to achieve genuine, enduring success without sacrificing their well-being.

🔄 Bridging worlds as a Master Connector, I translate complex concepts into simple, actionable strategies. From logistics to information security, I've launched ventures that prove my ability to make specialized knowledge accessible to all. Think of me as your interdisciplinary translator - helping teams collaborate effectively across boundaries to drive both innovation and efficiency.

 🌟 I transform complexity into clarity, turning potential roadblocks into collaborative breakthroughs. My unique ability to simplify intricate concepts has helped specialists across fields uncover hidden opportunities. By fostering mutual understanding, I creates environments where diverse teams thrive and interdisciplinary initiatives flourish. 

Past clients and speaking engagements: Culture Amp, Amplitude, Black Men Talk Tech, Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, The Portland Clinic, NSBE Pro PDX, Headstream Innovation, Washington Marine Innovation Accelerator

--> Subscribe to newsletter: https://theanthonyware.substack.com/
--> More about Anthony: https://theanthonyware.com/
--> AI Portfolio of Tools for Entrepreneurs, Individuals, & Leaders: https://mentalwealthdeposit.com/

Anthony Ware

While I've never met Mary, she has impacted my life by the way she lives hers. I first learned about her work on Instagram. 

The lessons she shared on proper nutrition and yummy recipes helped me to be more intentional and curious about what I eat. 

The way she runs her business made me rethink how I've run mine over the years. More nuance than can be conveyed on socials. You can get a taste of it from her post.

"People love to define success by revenue or by proximity to the right faces. None of that means much if you have to abandon yourself to achieve it. Success is the ability to stand ten toes down on the money and projects I decline just as much as the ones I accept." - Mary Shenouda

Here's a proper recovery Mary Shenouda! Thank you for being you.

Helping solopreneurs + SMEs make human-centered decisions about AI governance, safety & strategy | Practical, non-technical guidance | Advisor, Speaker & Trainer

Concierge Performance Agency | Sports Nutrition | Helping the World’s Top Performers Stay Ready, Recovered, & Relentless

I am on week two of recovering from pituitary tumor surgery (aka brain surgery) and finally giving myself the space I needed for far more than just the procedure. I stepped back from everything and told clients and projects that I’d be unavailable while I healed.

The irony is real. I work in performance, health, and wellness, where we talk nonstop about rest and recovery, yet the person in service is often treated like an infallible machine. My very reasonable request highlighted who understands my value as a human and who only understands my value when I am producing.

My surgery happened just days after losing a friend to suicide and during a year already heavy with personal loss and a major professional battle that I fought like hell to win and did (phew), which I'll share more about when I'm fully back in action, but the point is, I absolutely must be mindful about the enviroment and energy I keep.

I chose to let go of any client, vendor, or opportunity that did not operate with reasonable compassion and integrity, even if it meant walking away from big money or being misunderstood. The world has to keep turning, but it does not need to turn at the expense of my well-being.

None of this is new for me. It is the only way to stay aligned with the standard I expect from myself. People in service often ask how I end up with such great clients who are not only legends in their craft but genuinely good humans. The answer is discernment. The willingness to walk away when others feel like they cannot.

People love to define success by revenue or by proximity to the right faces. None of that means much if you have to abandon yourself to achieve it. Success is the ability to stand ten toes down on the money and projects I decline just as much as the ones I accept.

Some people will get ahead by doing the wrong thing or not doing it totally right, if you catch my drift, and life will not always feel fair. But truth has a longer shelf life than shortcuts.

This season is a reminder to reinforce that truth and to reinvest in myself and in the work that supports the life I am actually building, not the one I am expected to perform.
——
Right before going in for surgery: all the feelings, including hungry. 🙃

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