Meet Kristy Flynn

We were lucky to catch up with Kristy Flynn recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kristy, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome can be very debilitating if you listen to it long enough. To be able to overcome it you have to chip away at the fear, the self doubt, the feeling you’re in way over your head.
Imposter syndrome can creep up on you at any given time, during any given project; so I don’t think you overcome it completely. You rather work through it whenever it decides to show up.
Practice positive reassurance by saying “I can do this”, “I have the talent”, “I am strong enough”, or some other words of encouragement. For me, I am an artist that works in paint and I have to tell myself it’s only paint. It can be removed or repainted if I should mess up. Remember perfection does not exist and the flaws are what make things unique.
Don’t let imposter syndrome stop you from sharing your gift with the world. Those gifts were given to you to share with others, so give yourself some grace when it’s needed.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I am an artist, a creative, a dreamer, and to a very small degree a preservationist.

I upcycle furniture and decor items which I offer to customers on various platforms. I also take on commissioned pieces for clients looking to update a family heirloom or existing piece they may have.

It reduces the amount of items that go into landfills every single year as well as reducing the amount of new resources needed to create new things.

It is preserving history and craftsmanship of old world masters not found in modern day furniture. Antique and vintage furniture had a very hands on approach when being constructed.

Elements were hand carved, machines were run by people, inspected by people, and so on. I love that I am able to preserve that for future generations. Especially if that piece already had a history within the family.

During the Great Depression furniture had many roles within the household and that furniture is still around today. Every knick and flaw tells its history, making it unique.

New furniture doesn’t have that and, let’s face it, probably won’t stand the test of time. It’s poorly constructed with toxic chemicals and more often than not made of a particle board material.

I love that I am able to offer items that are high quality, non toxic, and sustainable. That each piece has a story and it is as unique as the person who buys it. I get to create unique pieces of art to fill their homes that bring them joy and create spaces that are unique to them.

That’s my passion, creating items that are unique, colorful, and one of a kind. I continue the hands on tradition when creating these pieces of art, instilling the human touch which is slowly slipping away in modern society.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

In this business it’s important to have the ability to problem solve, posses basic DIY skills, and manage doing a variety of things on your own.
You need to be comfortable working alone. That means being comfortable having to manage many tasks by yourself such as moving large pieces of furniture, handling shipping, procuring new inventory, and going days sometimes with little interaction from others.
As isolating as that may sound the creative community is incredibly supportive. There are so many out there willing to help and lift each other up whenever the need arises.
Connecting with other creatives is easy through social media, private and public groups, attending workshops or retreats.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the various tasks you need to tackle each and every day.
Running your own business is not for the faint of heart, it’s long hours, handling things you may have never done before, the constant hustle; all while managing your home and family.
Tackle tasks in small batches, set reminders, create a list prioritizing items that are most important, outsource when possible, or seek advice when needed.
When I first started my business I felt extremely overwhelmed; I wanted to do things right to ensure that all I have worked for was protected. It seemed like I was facing a mountain, a large never seen before mountain.
Here’s the thing, it has been seen before by someone. That’s where asking for help comes in or researching a little. You chip away at the tasks and the mountain becomes a hill, then a small rise, to a bump. Before you know it you have managed the first mountain to tackle the next and the next and so on.
The unknown is scary and overwhelming, but once you start overcoming your fears, you learn and grow. It’s a beautiful thing.

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Kristy Flynn

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