Bryn Kenney, professional poker player, talks with our president, Steve Gilman, about the impact of following your intuition in this episode of Brand Story.
Ask anyone who plays and they will tell you poker isn’t for the faint of heart or the unfocused. It’s one of the most mentally-difficult, strategic games there is. Most people play purely for fun or perhaps even for a small payout and don’t have their sights set on becoming one of the most prolific players of all time. While Bryn Kenney didn’t set out to become that either, he certainly achieved it as he amassed more than $55 million in poker earnings while also holding the record for the largest single payout in a live tournament at the Triton Million event.
But there’s so much more to his story. In fact, the Long Beach, N.Y., native’s journey to fame and fortune began in his teen years as he developed the skills and characteristics to not only thrive in poker — but also walk a unique path in life. As Bryn tells the story, his poker prowess has as much to do with his family’s work ethic and skills they instilled in him at a young age as it has to do with the gaming smarts, positive outlook, and mental resilience he developed along the way.
From his early roots mastering the card game Magic: The Gathering to developing his entrepreneurial chops by running poker tournaments in his later teen years, Bryn’s story is unlike any other we’ve told on Brand Story. It’s about the power of mental toughness and intuition, finding true balance in the storms (and the pandemic), and having his family as the driving force behind his pursuit of excellence.
Whether your competition is on the poker table, in the boardroom — or in the game of life — Bryn’s approach to handling stress under pressure includes showing up as his unique self despite the obstacles that come his way. His distinctive approach has the power to teach us a thing or two about being calm under pressure and facing life with a contagious brand of positivity that ultimately touches everything around us.
