We recently had the chance to connect with Kirstyn M. Yancy and have shared our conversation below.
Kirstyn, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
Almost two years ago, I decided to reset my entire sleep schedule and start waking up at 4:30 a.m. Yes, voluntarily. First thing, I leash up the dogs and head out while the neighborhood is nearly silent and the stars are still hanging around. If the sky isn’t horrendous, I take a photo—half for the memory, half to prove to myself that I actually do this every day. And, yes, I upload it to my Instagram story…
On our walk, I talk to my dogs in Spanish about what day it is and what I’ve got going on. Do they understand me? Probably not. Do they look like they do? Absolutely. Miraculously though, they have learned to turn right when I say “derecha!” left when I say “izquierda” and stop when I say “parrar!” so they have learned Spanish commands. This morning routine has become a form of meditation for me. And the weather can’t stop us—I’ve got an umbrella, and they’ve got raincoats lol
Once we’re back, it’s straight to my homemade cold brew (non-negotiable) and what I call an “eggel'” which is just a fried egg on a bagel with schmear, but branding it makes it – and me – feel special. Ha! Dogs get fed, cats get some ear scratching (or else they’ll plot against me), and then I head upstairs for a light TRX workout. By the time I’m ready to officially “start the day,” I’ve already gotten exercise, caffeine, pet therapy, and a mini Spanish lesson in. Not a bad 90 mins.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Kirstyn Mixa Yancy, and I’m “the face” of TMS Digital, a family-owned web design & SEO company, homegrown here in North Carolina – helping local businesses succeed since 1998. What started back in the phonebook days has grown into what we are now: a small but mighty team focused on web design & development, social media marketing, and SEO (search engine optimization).
What makes us different? We’re a small business ourselves, so we understand the grind our clients face. We keep things personal, practical, and rooted in helping local businesses actually grow—not just chase trends. TMS has consistently landed in “Top Digital Marketing Agencies in Raleigh” from Clutch (2019 through 2024), GoodFirms, Expertise, and others. We’ve also been named Clayton Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year (2022) and snagged multiple “Outstanding Business of the Month” awards.
Outside of the office, I’m active in the CCoC (Clayton Chamber of Commerce) & BNI (Business Networking International), a die-hard Carolina Hurricanes fan, (it’s still the RBC Center if you ask me) and a proud pet mom. My activities through both the CCoC & BNI have each landed me free cruises; not-so-humble brag: I was invited to the VIP session to meet the founder of BNI, Dr. Ivan Misner. At the end of the day, my goal is simple: help local businesses show up online with the same energy and authenticity they bring to their communities offline.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
So I had difficulty between choosing to answer this question or “who has taught you the most about work?” since the answer to each is the same: my (step)dad Jeff.
Selfishly, I’d say the relationship that’s most shaped how I see myself is the one I’ve built with myself. In a previous lifetime (aka late teens, early 20’s), I went through a really difficult period — living paycheck to paycheck, stuck in bad relationship after bad relationship, and generally unsure of where I was headed. Coming out of that forced me to really get to know myself, and it showed me how strong and capable I actually am.
That said, I wouldn’t have navigated that season without the influence of my dad — who’s also my supervisor and the founder of TMS Digital. He’s the one who taught me the most about work, yes, but also about how to show up in life: with integrity, with grit, and with perspective & a positive mental attitude.
Today, I’m very independent — sometimes too independent, to the point I have to check myself so my loved ones don’t feel left out. But I like knowing that if everything fell apart tomorrow, I’d be okay. That confidence and self-reliance, shaped by both my relationship with self and what I’ve learned from Jeff, is what grounds me.
Today, I’m the person to go to if you need a positivity boost. I’ll find the silver lining in any situation.
Oh, you’re upset it’s raining? Can’t have a rainbow without the rain!
Oh, you’re having a bad day? Well, you’re having a day; you’re alive and somebody loves you.
Oh, your partner put the dishes away wrong again? They put the dishes away.
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
Oh my. What a powerful question. I’ve got a handful of wounds I could talk about, but I’ll focus on two that really shaped me.
The first is epilepsy. I was diagnosed at age 5, with no family history and no clear cause. Epilepsy is often called the “no cause, no cure” disorder, which feels like the universe’s way of saying: good luck figuring this out. Growing up—and honestly well into my 20s—was tough. I had to carry my pills everywhere, deal with the embarrassment of seizures, the numerous times I’d woken up not realizing I had even had a seizure, and twice even woke up to find I’d knocked out some of my teeth (fell through glass shower door). Epilepsy touches every part of my daily life. But somewhere along the way, I decided to change the narrative. Instead of thinking, why me?, I started telling myself: my brain is so powerful, it’s practically overloaded! Only a strong person could carry this. It doesn’t define me. If anything, it’s made me stronger.
The second was a major knee injury I had in my early 20s, while working at a garden shop. My knee was almost sliced clean off. At the time, I was logging 13 miles a day, always moving, always active—and suddenly, I was down. Hard. Recovery took 9 months, involved a move I didn’t want to make, (to Austin, TX) and left me with scars that didn’t heal “pretty.” I gained weight, lost confidence, and had to completely rebuild from scratch. And I did just that – rebuild. First I celebrated walking a mile non-stop, then running a mile, then running it faster and faster until I got back to a 7-minute mile. Before you ask, NO, I cannot still run a 7-min mile. I don’t know if I could even run a 10min mile these days – ha! The crazy part about this one, is that if I hadn’t gotten into this freak accident, I never would have moved to Austin, and I wouldn’t have met my husband; we’ve been married for 10 years last March. Now I wear my scar with pride. It’s proof that even when life literally knocks you off your feet, something better is probably waiting around the corner. That whole one door closes, another opens scenario…
Both of these wounds taught me the same thing: resilience isn’t about pretending the pain never happened—it’s about carrying it, growing from it, and even being grateful for it. I wouldn’t be where I am today without these wounds.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Is the public version of you the real you?
Nearly. The public version of me is very close to the real me. Someone recently asked me, “Do you want to be well-known, or known well?” Without hesitation, I said “well-known.” I’m a natural connector, and in the networking community it happens all the time—I’ll walk into a room and someone goes, “Kirstyn, right? From ___?” Sure, they might butcher my name (it’s Keer-stin, by the way – like beer, but with a K), but they know who I am, and I take pride in that.
When said inquisitor pressed me—“Why well-known and not known well?”—my answer was simple: I keep a small, sacred circle of people who really know me, and I want to protect that. But if you and I are having a one-to-one conversation, what you see is 100% authentic. I’m an open book.
That said, there are always layers. e.g. at BNI, we have to answer the question, “What’s something no one knows about you?” and I always struggle with it—not because I’m hiding things, but because I share a lot already, just not everything. I do keep some things for myself.
Oh, and the public version of me? She absolutely comes with the vocabulary of a sailor. I don’t really tone it down…unless your kids are around. 😉
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I touched on this a bit earlier, but my happy place is really simple: being outside and surrounded by nature. My mornings start with walks when the world is quiet and the stars are still out, and that sets the tone for the day.
Evenings are my other sweet spot. After dinner and all the “adulting” is done, I grab a cold one and head to the patio under my pergola. Sometimes I play solitaire, sometimes Egyptian Ratscrew if my partner joins me, and on especially long or tiring days, it’s just me and the iPad binge-watching “trash TV”—with Vanderpump Rules being my favorite guilty pleasure. I can spend hours out there.
Honestly, when I’m outdoors & surrounded by nature, I feel grounded and at peace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tmsdigi.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tmsdigi
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tmsdigital
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/tmsdigi
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/tmsdigi
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJrjUzklWzVOmO1K1lD6puQ
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tmsdigi.yancyboom
Image Credits
Photos of Kirstyn presenting in BNI (the photos with TMS Digital logo overlay), captured by the android of Anthony Torres of Anthony S. Torres Photography.
