Where Purpose Meets Practice

At Stoneforge, we exist to help business leaders turn complexity into clarity—and vision into results. We believe that great strategy is both designed and earned: it starts with intention, and comes to life through hands-on execution.

The name Stoneforge holds deep personal meaning for us.

“Stone” is a family name—James’ grandmother’s maiden name before she married a Walls. For us, it’s a tribute to legacy, resilience, and the belief that the past shapes us in ways that should be honored.

“Forge” carries two powerful, interconnected meanings:

First, to forge is to intentionally shape and create. It speaks to the way we build strategy—with insight, discipline, and action. Strategy isn’t just about ideas; it’s about doing the work to bring those ideas to life.

Second, to forge ahead means to keep going. It’s about choosing a path and committing to it—even when the road is steep or unclear. Our clients don’t come to us because everything’s easy. They come to us because they want clarity, traction, and a partner who won’t flinch when things get hard.

We started Stoneforge because we’ve lived the realities our clients face. We’ve sat at the executive table. We’ve built companies. We’ve weathered storms and led through change. And we know how powerful it is to have someone beside you who understands the weight of leadership—and can help carry it.

We’re in this business because we believe better businesses build better futures: for teams, for customers, and for founders. When your numbers tell a clear story, when your strategy is aligned, and when your people know where they’re going—things move.

Welcome to Stoneforge Consulting Group.

Read on to learn more about our founders.

Kristina Walls

Co-Founder & Chief Financial Officer

Kristina Walls is a strategic financial leader and the CFO of Stoneforge Consulting Group, where she specializes in building resilient financial systems that support long-term business growth. With over 20 years of experience, Kristina partners with leadership teams to align financial strategy with business objectives—driving sustainable performance without dependence on outside capital.

Her expertise spans:

Strategic Financial Planning & Forecasting
Capital Efficiency & Cash Flow Optimization
Business Model Development
Sales Strategy Integration

Kristina is known for turning financial complexity into clarity—helping business leaders make smarter, faster decisions rooted in actionable insight. She brings a strategic lens to every engagement, ensuring that financial infrastructure not only supports but accelerates growth and transformation.

Before co-founding Stoneforge, Kristina was the Founder and CEO of Estmere, a financial consulting firm focused on providing strategic financial management and advisory services to growing businesses. She also held leadership roles at Concur Technologies and Philips, where she delivered measurable value through strategic finance and operational insight.

Kristina holds a Master’s Degree in Economics and a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, and has studied Transactionalism—the philosophy of building successful, reciprocal business relationships. She is fluent in English and Russian and brings a global, strategic perspective to her work.

As co-founder of Stoneforge, Kristina is not only a financial expert—she’s a trusted strategic partner to founders, CEOs, and executive teams committed to building enduring, high-performing businesses.

James Walls

Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer

James Walls is a distinguished business strategy and management consultant, recognized for driving transformative growth across diverse industries. As CEO of Stoneforge Consulting Group, James leads with a powerful blend of strategic foresight, analytical insight, and operational discipline—helping organizations unlock their full potential.

With over two decades of experience, James brings deep expertise in:

Strategic Planning
Operational Efficiency
Leadership Development
Market Expansion

At the core of his consulting philosophy is the Five I’s Framework—Instinct, Insight, Intention, Implementation, and Inspection & Improvement—a practical, results-driven methodology designed to solve complex business challenges and accelerate meaningful progress.

James is known for crafting tailored strategies that deliver sustainable results and long-term competitive advantage. His collaborative leadership style and commitment to continuous improvement foster strong partnerships and high-performing cultures.

Throughout his career, James has worked with Fortune 500 companies, fast-growing startups, and non-profits, navigating complex business environments with clarity and impact. His hands-on, client-first approach consistently delivers measurable success.

In addition to his consulting leadership, James has studied and taught Transactionalism, the art and science of building successful and reciprocal business relationships. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management.

Prior to founding Stoneforge, James served as Co-Owner and COO of Estmere, where he led business strategy, sales strategy, and pre-acquisition analysis. His earlier executive roles took him across New Zealand, Singapore, and the U.S., where he helped design and scale advanced IT service offerings tailored to global markets.

James is not just a strategist—he’s a builder, an operator, and a trusted advisor dedicated to helping businesses grow, adapt, and lead in an ever-evolving marketplace.

Results are our hallmark

Peter Pike - Owner, Pike Law Frim

Kristina Walls was giving a talk when she said the words that are changing my life. “Do you work too hard, make too little money or have no time for yourself?” I answered yes to all three and recognized that I was running my law practice wrong.
Two months later, Kristina and James have helped me to institute protocols allowing me to see where my time is being wasted, how I can leverage technology and people to do the jobs that I should not be doing, and how to set up my marketing to reach the people that can help me grow my business. If this is what they have accomplished in just two months, I am excited to see where I am in one year!
Kim Kraemer - Founder and CEO, Waterhouse Brand

Waterhouse engaged Kristina as a fractional CFO and financial planning and analysis advisor at a critical juncture in our professional service firm’s life cycle. Beyond instituting financial controls and a more rigorous revenue and expense forecasting process, Kristina has served as an invaluable thought partner guiding hiring, compensation, benefits and other strategic planning initiatives critical to scaling our firm. I recommend her without hesitation!
Ryan Porter - Founder & Co-Owner, Nai'a Naturals

Kristina works with me on the financial development of our business and our conversations are something I always look forward to – collaborative and insightful. The information they give me is great and the dashboards are fantastic.
Prof. Moira Clay - Owner, Moira Clay Consulting

I reached out to Kristina to help me with cash flow and financial strategy for my consultancy. Kristina took the time to understand my enterprise aims. She guided me through a process that has demystified the financial management of my business. The positive impact of this has been immediate.
Abed Husseini CEO, Fotofetch

“Kristina has been supporting FotoFetch as CFO for the past 4 years and has been critical to our daily operations and management. I highly recommend Stoneforge for any businesses financial and business management needs. The experience set of Kristina's financial knowledge paired with James GTM and business acumen will be a significant asset to any operation looking to expand its brain trust in those areas.”
Craig Hauser - Owner, WindowWorks

James and Kristina’s holistic approach to business, sales, and and financial strategy has proven to be a fundamental cornerstone of my business. James has a unique ability to help me manage and navigate the emotional waves that comes with small business ownership. Feeling like I have an iron clad support system has given me the confidence to make informed decisions for the business in stressful times. Furthermore, he excels on helping you to create real distinction in your business and find your unique voice and message that speaks directly to your customers and creates a clear vision for you and your team to rally behind. Without the guidance, support, and strategy of Stoneforge, I would still be stuck in neutral. Instead, we've been able to grow by 25% so far this year! Thank you James and Kristina!