The Philosophy Behind Us
Why Squid X?
Squid X was born out of need. A need to disrupt product pushing ad agencies that are cemented in a lack of adaptability.
Marketing has become fragmented. Brands juggle agencies, freelancers, and platforms – each optimizing for their own lane instead of the whole picture.
We built Squid X to eliminate that fragmentation.
Our mission is to leverage our 17 years of marketing expertise to deliver flexible, data-driven, top-tier creative solutions that adapt to our clients’ evolving needs. We are committed to innovation and excellence across all channels, from digital to traditional. Our approach is rooted in transparency, offering monthly reporting, personalized meetings, and the freedom from long-term contracts, ensuring that our clients always receive tailored strategies that drive results in a low risk / high reward environment.
All-in-one advertising powerhouse
Flexible Engagement Model
Performance Accountability
Transparent Partnership
Dylan Connors
Founder + CEO
Dylan is the strategic force behind Squid X Media. As Founder & CEO, he brings more than 15 years of marketing leadership experience spanning media, performance strategy, creative execution, and growth architecture. Over the course of his career, he has worked with brands including The New York Times, Raycom Media, Verizon Wireless, Marcoa Media, Ashley HomeStore, Disney, OrangeTheory Fitness, and others – helping organizations navigate both enterprise complexity and fast-moving growth environments.
Dylan founded Squid X after witnessing firsthand how fragmented the marketing landscape had become – too many vendors, too many silos, and not enough alignment between strategy and execution. His approach is grounded in integration and accountability: unify brand, performance, and production under one cohesive growth partner. He believes marketing should drive measurable business impact, not just activity.
The ocean-inspired identity of Squid X reflects Dylan’s lifelong connection to the coast and marine biology – symbols of depth, adaptability, and forward motion. That philosophy informs how the agency operates: agile, data-driven, and built to scale with its clients.
Outside the office, Dylan brings the same competitive energy to his personal life as he does to business. He’s an avid cyclist, gamer, fantasy sports champion, and pickleball enthusiast. Together with Kristina, he shares a passion for travel, community involvement, and life with their two senior dogs, Verde and Robbie.
Kristina Connors
Founder + COO
Kristina is the heart and hustle behind Squid X Media. As Founder & COO, she brings over 15 years of experience in strategic communications and operations, partnering with organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the United States Congress, Gannett, USA Today, the National Retail Federation, and the National Restaurant Association. Whether she’s collaborating with startups or steering enterprise-level strategies, Kristina’s leadership is rooted in delivering results while keeping people at the center of it all.
Her career has taken her from shaping policy initiatives on Capitol Hill to creating high-performing, inclusive cultures that thrive on emotional intelligence and adaptability. At Squid X, she’s the steady hand that turns bold visions into actionable vibes.
Together with her husband, Dylan—an industry veteran known for driving market growth and managing multi-million-dollar campaigns—they’ve built Squid X Media as a transparent, results-driven agency that redefines ethical advertising. Dylan dreams big, and Kristina makes it all happen (with a side of squid puns).
When she’s not leading the charge at Squid X, Kristina is likely cycling through Tampa, on a pickleball court, or curled up in her home library of 900+ books. She and Dylan love giving back to their community, discovering the best eats in the city, and strolling downtown with their two senior dogs, Verde and Robbie. A passionate traveler, Kristina treasures opportunities to immerse herself in diverse cultures, which inspire her personally and professionally.
Joey Hranek
Partner & Chief Sales Officer
Joey is the growth engine behind Squid X Media. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran and seasoned sales leader, he brings more than 15 years of experience in business development and B2B strategy. His military service instilled discipline, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to accountability — principles that define how he builds client relationships and leads the agency’s business development efforts.
Throughout his career, Joey has built a reputation for earning trust through transparency and follow-through. At Squid X, he focuses on aligning the right strategy with the right partners, ensuring that every engagement begins with clarity and long-term growth potential. His ability to connect strategic vision with practical execution makes him a driving force in the agency’s expansion.
Joey and Dylan first connected over a shared passion for entrepreneurship and competition, long before Squid X was formed. That early vision eventually became reality — building a firm rooted in integrity, performance, and genuine partnership.
Outside of work, Joey is a devoted husband to Amanda and proud father of five. Family is his foundation, and he brings that same sense of loyalty, purpose, and leadership into everything he does — both at home and at Squid X.
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