Amy Felknor, MBA
Amy Felknor is Managing Director of Strategic Alliances at Generational Group, where she builds high-impact partnerships that help middle-market business owners prepare for growth, succession, and successful exits. Working closely with banks, CPAs, wealth advisors, and corporate partners, she develops relationship-driven strategies that expand referral ecosystems and deliver long-term value. Her work sits at the intersection of trust, strategy, and connection—ensuring founders are supported well before a transaction becomes imminent.
Amy brings a rare blend of entrepreneurial and institutional experience to her role. She previously co-founded and scaled Little Castle Furniture from a garage startup into a $25M+ global brand with major retail distribution and international licensing partnerships, helping redefine an entire product category. She later led strategic marketing and advancement initiatives at both Pepperdine University and Southern Methodist University, where she became known for aligning storytelling, data, and cross-functional collaboration to drive measurable growth and engagement.
Grounded in a philosophy that business is ultimately about service and relationships, Amy approaches leadership with equal parts creativity and analytical rigor. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA and an Executive MBA from SMU’s Cox School of Business. Across every chapter of her career—from founder to fundraiser to M&A strategist—she has remained focused on building meaningful partnerships, creating clarity through communication, and helping organizations grow with purpose.
• AIQ Level Badge - Practitioner Level
• SMU Cox School of Business
• 2023 Gravyty Impact Award - Innovation
• American Marketing Association
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance and the willingness to keep moving forward, even when challenges arise. Building strong, genuine relationships has also played a key role in my journey, as collaboration and trust open doors that hard work alone sometimes cannot. Above all, I stay grounded in authenticity and am never afraid to ask for help, knowing that growth often comes from learning alongside others.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received came from my mentor, John Charnay: know your market, know your audience, know their values — and craft narratives that connect. That guidance has shaped how I approach both strategy and relationships, reminding me that success isn’t just about having the right skills, but about communicating value in a way that truly resonates.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women entering the industry to find their own path and lean into the interests and strengths that come naturally to them. When you approach business as an opportunity to serve, build relationships, and create meaningful connections — rather than focusing only on sales — you build a foundation for long-term success. Most importantly, stay resilient. Challenges will come, but perseverance and belief in your value will carry you through.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in the field right now is building stronger advisor and channel-partner ecosystems. By forming strategic alliances and integrating thoughtful exit-planning support, we can help business owners navigate transitions in a way that preserves their legacy rather than unintentionally diminishing what they’ve built. When the right experts collaborate early and intentionally, transactions become more than financial events — they become well-guided transitions that honor founders, employees, and the long-term vision of the business.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide both my work and personal life are resilience, perseverance, authenticity, service, and purpose. I believe challenges are part of any meaningful journey, and resilience and perseverance help me grow through them rather than be stopped by them. I strive to show up authentically in every space, while keeping service and a clear sense of purpose at the center of what I do so my work positively impacts others.