“Failure is nothing more than a chance to revise your strategy.”

Mackenzie Kastl, Founder and CEO, is an accomplished entrepreneur, consultant, and leader with deep expertise in strategic organizational planning and human capital. 

Her career spans the corporate, nonprofit, and private equity sectors, with a focus on aligning talent strategies with organizational objectives to drive growth and resilience. Her expertise includes executive search, human capital strategy, crisis planning, and organizational alignment.

Mackenzie began her professional journey in global corporate public affairs, supporting strategic alignment with the Olympic Games. She honed her communication and leadership skills in public universities and later served in a senior public relations and fundraising role at a private business institution. Her transition to C-suite leadership marked a pivotal point in her career, where she brought a strategic focus to workforce development and community impact. She introduced transformative operational processes, championed capital-raising initiatives, and enhanced brand visibility. 

Mackenzie later joined a private equity fund in the energy sector, where she built an investor relations strategy from the ground up for a $200M fund with over 1,500 investors. Her ability to identify and develop top talent enabled her to establish standard operating procedures for stakeholder management, communications, marketing support, and sales operations. Mackenzie’s strategic approach ensured seamless integration of investor platforms and data synchronization, driving operational efficiency and trust among stakeholders. 

She founded Black Swan Strategy Group LLC in 2022, inspired by her own experiences with unanticipated challenges and a desire to help organizations thrive amidst uncertainty. The firm helps organizations to optimize their operations, strengthen leadership teams, and plan for the unexpected. With a reputation for driving results and fostering alignment, Mackenzie is dedicated to empowering businesses and leaders to achieve their full potential.

Mackenzie holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Michigan State University. She is a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association and competes with her horses, London and Paris, nationally. She resides in Dallas, Texas, with her German Shepherd, Frenzy.