FuzePlay: Kristy Sevy, 34
Kristy Sevy is so fly. (And purple hair is just the beginning.) It’s been almost two years since she started FuzePlay, an edTech company that helps kids “build, hack, play.” Their premier product, the ZUBI Flyer, will officially soar off shelves this December. But Sevy’s mission to disrupt the industry and inspire a new generation of kids in the world of coding is already off-the-charts smart. Before FuzePlay, Sevy was a stay-at-home mom with three daughters and no business background. She read the stats about how girls over the age of 10 were being culturally pushed out of STEM — and those stats were so not cool with her. Now, Sevy is learning on the job, taking names (like literally, with a STEM Builder Program for moms), networking like a boss, and throwing naysayers (and frisbees) to the wind.
BABY STEPS I wanted to be an attorney, concert pianist and mom. I’ve achieved two.
SPRING IN YOUR STEP Building a better world excites me. When I was a young girl people would often gawk when I said I wanted to be an attorney, concert pianist and mom. But my dad simply said, “You can do that. You can do whatever you put your mind to.” I learned from a young age I could channel my passions and make things happen. My passion now is for education and building IOT toys that teach futuristic technologies like Blockchain. Entrepreneurship is the platform that allows me to build what I see.
TWO LEFT FEET I don’t have a background in business. I’m grateful for my business partner and brother, Kyle, because he has taught me about the business world. There is a quote I’ve never forgotten: “You don’t have to have competence to be confident.” I am confident in my ability to figure stuff out and get the job done. I have a great brain.
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WHAT’S COOL TO YOU?
Authenticity and intelligence.
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PUT YOUR FEET UP After work? Haha. I’m always working. Ever so often I will go completely offline. Playing with my family helps ground me — that play mentality has shaped a lot of product development at FuzePlay.
FEET FIRST I wouldn’t say I’m impulsive, but I am always up for a new experience. I’ve been skydiving, swimming with stingrays, scuba diving to a 100ft ship wreck, cliff jumping, and canyoneering.
SOCK IT TO ‘EM Embrace the haters and the naysayers. The fact that they care enough to spectate means something. They will only help bounce you to the next level.
COLD FEET I like executing tasks with precision. I get nervous when I know something isn’t perfect.
HOT FEET Living true to myself makes me confident. All too often women focus on themselves, their fashionable family, and their pretty lifestyle that’s all wrapped up into a clean 3X3 Instagram grid. Confidence is built when you are contributing to something greater than self.
BEST FOOT FORWARD I’m most proud of successfully implementing FuzePlay’s Builder Program. I am passionate about leveraging FuzePlay’s platform as a community advocacy tool. We have around 70 moms currently signed up for the Builder Program; these moms are bringing STEM into their child’s classroom at no cost to them. These are women with no background in tech or STEM, just moms who want to build the world around them.
