Kristina Kennedy

Enthusiast
DISC Type : i

COO & Co-founder at Kickstand Communications

Austin, Texas, United States

Overview

As Co-Founder and COO of Kickstand, Kristina Kennedy specializes in scaling high-growth tech companies through major milestones like IPOs. She leads client success, financial strategy, and international expansion. Her approach is informed by her MBA from MIT and a focus on using data to drive business growth and create competitive strategies.

Outside of work, Kristina is active in her Austin community. She and her husband, a fellow former D1 athlete, support foster youth and local athletics. They enjoy traveling with their three sons and have visited numerous national parks and over 20 countries, showcasing a passion for exploration and family.

She and her co-founder are widely recognized for their employee-first culture, creating innovative benefits like working parent stipends and "design your own" parental leave policies.

Personality Overview

Amiable & Agreeable

Non-Confrontational

Story Driven

Unlike D or C types, they are convinced more by stories and testimonials.  They prefer to build relationships rather than staying totally transactional. They tend to be agreeable by nature, so take their promises with a pinch of salt.


Topics They Care About

Workplace Culture
She is a recognized leader in creating an "employee-first" culture, with Kickstand winning awards for its approach to benefits and employee wellness.
Scaling Tech Companies
Her role at Kickstand focuses on helping high-growth technology companies navigate scaling, funding, and successful IPOs.
Supporting Working Parents
She has co-created award-winning programs, including parent stipends and flexible leave, to better support employees with families.

Media Appearances

Kristina Kennedy (EMBA '14) Of Kickstand Communications On 5 Ways That Businesses Can Help Promote the Mental Wellness of Their Employees. Featured in MIT Center for Digital Business (cdo.mit.edu)

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"Nothing's Sacred" Episode 11: Kickstand Communications' Kristina Kennedy. Featured in The Recruitability

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Kristina Kennedy COO and co‑founder, Kickstand Communications. Featured in Vimeo

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Work History

9-2014
COO & Co-founder at Kickstand Communications
9-2014 - 9-2016
Partner and VP at Kickstand Communications
2014 - 2014
Communications at Bigcommerce
2013 - 2014
Marketing Strategy Contractor at Philo
2012 - 2014
VP Marketing at Abine Inc.

Education

2012 - 2014
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2001 - 2004
BA from University of Notre Dame

More Information

Social Presence :

Prographics :

Exp : 22 Location : Austin, Texas, United States Job Level : Leadership Designation : COO & Co-founder at Kickstand Communications
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Insights For Selling To Kristina

During A Call Or A Meeting

DO's

  • Speak from experience about success that the product has seen with other customers
  • Refer to interesting customer testimonials and stress on great customer experience
  • Invite them for a lunch or a drink/coffee

DONT's

  • Don’t be too formal with them, they trust informality more
  • Don’t ask too many questions in one go, weave them into the flow
  • Avoid overloading them with too much information

When Cold Calling

When Writing An Email

While Negotiating & Closing

    The secret to closing fast with Kristina is

  • Relationship and rapport are valuable for them, but so is proven product value.
  • Will you ever get a clear answer from Kristina

  • They are unlikely to say no directly.

Insights For Deal Planning

    How fast (or slow) will Kristina move?

  • They are not very fast decision makers, even while they continue to stay engaged.
  • Can Kristina take some risk or not?

  • They can take some low-probability risks if needed.

You And Kristina

Personality Compatibility


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