Anthony Flynn | Alumni Spotlight | BBA ’00
Anthony Flynn (BBA ’00) remembers a defining moment from his childhood. It was around Christmas when his mother and father separated. He recalls his mom packing up a single, blue suitcase and leaving everything behind. “My mom wept the entire bus ride home, and we initially did not know where we would end up,” Flynn said. Fortunately for Flynn and his mother, someone stepped up — his future stepfather came to their rescue. “That feeling of abandonment and not knowing where we would lay our head that night has stayed with me my entire life.”
Today, Flynn is stepping up for those in similar situations as CEO of Covenant House Texas, a Houston-based nonprofit that provides housing and support services to youth experiencing homelessness.
“Nothing excites me more than knowing that my work is contributing to the dignity and well-being of others who are aiming to ‘live the American dream.’ I get to play a small role in making that happen for tens of thousands of people,” said Flynn. “As the CEO, I carry the responsibility to ensure youth across the Houston metro area and eventually across the entire state have the resources they need to eventually become productive citizens through having stable housing and stable careers. My personal story, training, education, background and experience all work together to qualify me for this season and life cycle.”
Part of that story is breaking the statistics often associated with children who are born to teenage mothers. For Flynn, his community, including his stepfather, provided stability for him and his mom. “Throughout this extensive journey, there were many adult leaders who stepped into the picture and supported me along the way. In hindsight, they saw my potential and through the grace of God, made deposits in me that helped to steer me in the right direction,” Flynn said.
His family later moved to Hickory Hill, which at the time allowed Flynn to attend Germantown Middle School. “My vision for what I could do with my life shifted drastically,” Flynn said. “I saw moms volunteering at school during the day. I saw dads and moms picking their kids up from school every day as I was making my way toward the bus. I saw families going on vacation and kids talking about all the things they did when they went to the beach, to the lake or went skiing. I had never seen nor heard anything like that before in my life. My curiosity flourished and I wanted to know, ‘How can they afford this stuff? Why is it they get to go on vacation during spring break, and I am at home doing yard work?’”
Inspired by what he experienced, Flynn decided to create a different future for himself and his future family. His eighth-grade teacher, Marlene Williams, saw his potential and assisted Flynn and his mother in filing transfer paperwork with then Shelby County Schools Board of Education so that he could attend Germantown High School permanently. Flynn began taking advanced courses, all of which were filed so that they could transfer once he was officially a student of Germantown High. “That entire experience prepared me for the rigors of college along with the grind of matriculating into where I am today in my career,” he said.
“Throughout this extensive journey, there were many adult leaders who stepped into the picture and supported me along the way.”
– Anthony Flynn
After high school, Flynn received a football scholarship to attend a university in middle Tennessee. Flynn lived in the dorms at the time and knew that he was not in the right environment and was surrounded by bad influences. “I knew my future would not turn out as I would have preferred if I continued to hang out in those circles at that point in my life,” he said. “I needed a change and needed to be in a better position to influence my destiny. So, I gave up my full football scholarship and decided to return home to finish my journey at the University of Memphis. I am definitely proud I made that decision!”
He declared sales as his major in the Fogelman College of Business & Economics. Flynn said his negotiations course was among his favorites because it taught him skills he has used throughout his career. “Graduating with a degree in sales along with having sales experience early in my career contributed substantially to my current platform as both an operating CEO and a coach to some of the top CEOs in the world,” Flynn said. “Coupling this with my childhood of being raised in Memphis and experiencing some of life’s most challenging conditions was all a gift to me. I learned how to navigate adversity, how to hustle, how to fight for my goals and dreams, how to chase excellence but also lead with a spirit of humility.”
Today, Flynn has been able to run multiple seven-figure and eight-figure organizations that range from profit to non-profit organizations. He also founded the Amazing CEO company which helps executives and CEOs reach their full potential and achieve professional transformation through increased productivity and profitability. His clients have included Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, Pfizer, FedEx, TOTO and many other publicly traded companies. He enjoys spending time with his wife and his son and daughter.
“I learned that you can make lemonade out of lemons and that you should never despise humble beginnings. In fact, I often tell people that I have officially adopted the label of having a ‘White Collar Mind and a Blue-Collar Grind.’ I 100% contribute this to being raised in Memphis and I am truly proud that God allowed my journey to be constructed in this fashion,” Flynn said.
