With a BBA from Baylor University, specializing in Information Systems and Management, I started my career in IT and application development. After six years, I realized that my true calling lay elsewhere—where my personality and love for communication could truly shine. So, I earned a Masters in Marketing from the University of Texas at Dallas and dove headfirst into the world of marketing. Eighteen years later, I’ve discovered my talent for content and product marketing, with a strong focus on sales enablement, especially in teaching storytelling.

Storytelling:

With 8 years of experience, I’ve honed my skills in storytelling, teaching both sales and marketing professionals how to craft compelling narratives. Additionally, I teach humorous storytelling to a broad cross-section of people in my community, having developed my own custom curriculum to make these concepts accessible and engaging.

Product Marketing:

I have 5 years of experience in Product Marketing, where I’ve developed and executed GTM strategies for technology companies. My work includes successfully launching and managing several products, ensuring they resonate with the target market and achieve desired business outcomes.

Content Marketing:

Over the past 5 years, I’ve specialized in creating content strategies that drive organic top-of-funnel growth. I’m a master of messaging and positioning, ensuring that every piece of content aligns with the brand’s voice and connects with the audience on a meaningful level.

Public Speaking & Consulting:

Beyond my marketing expertise, I’m an excellent public speaker, known for my ability to engage and inspire audiences. I’m also a strong collaborator and a dedicated consultant, helping organizations and individuals achieve their goals through strategic storytelling and marketing.

Additional Skills:

I hosted an MMA podcast for almost 10 years, bringing my voice and passion for storytelling to a dedicated audience. My experience in voiceover work further showcases my versatility and ability to connect with listeners.

I love sharing the power of storytelling and personal branding with others, and I’m also excited about developing new topics to speak on. My approach is simple: I meet the audience where they are. By setting a baseline and building from there, I ensure that my presentations are both accessible and memorable. And when things get too academic, I sprinkle in fun analogies and examples to keep it engaging.

Extreme Networks: 

• Spearheaded corporate message promotion for product launches, campaigns, and major events, refining cross-team efficiency and accelerating successful market entry 67%.

• Initiated “Rise Above” Wi-Fi 6/E campaign, generating $20M+ in pipeline to sales during 6-month North American run.

• Implemented verticalized content strategy across multiple industries, achieving 107% YoY increase in organic traffic to industry solution pages, exceeding expectations.

Mitel

•  Delivered Sales Enablement Storytelling curriculum to 250 channel managers and sales engineers around the world remotely during the pandemic, maximizing sales effectiveness.

• Refined message development process, shortening new message formation from 8 weeks to 3 weeks.

• Formulated Go-To-Market (GTM) plans with strategic partners like AWS and Google, magnifying Mitel's market reach and strengthening partner relationships.

• Designed and instituted promotions and sales incentive programs, achieving 32% YoY growth in Cloud Sales.

• Reducing time to launch by 25% through utilization of best practices for Cloud Product Launches.

• Drafted messaging and positioning platforms for global customer base, enhancing competitive win rates 30%.

Active Network

•  Launched first-of-its kind data analytics tool for endurance market with 500 adoptions in 3 months and $56K in sales.

• Led product marketing efforts across three product lines, Endurance, Swim, and Team Sports.

• Developed messaging and positioning strategy to guide lead generation, digital marketing and sales teams resulting in $2M in new opportunities.

• Created sales enablement tools to ease conversations with customers and shorten sales cycles.

• Developed eight city roadshow that produced $238K in sales.

See my full profile on Linkedin >>

Reading:

Outside of work, I’m an avid reader. For fun, I dive into high fantasy novels, with The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan being my all-time favorite series. For professional development, I’m currently reading Never Split the Difference by Christopher Voss, which has been an insightful addition to my skill set.

Writing:

Writing is another passion of mine. To enhance my experience with A.I., I embarked on a world-building exercise for a novel I’m planning called The Ascension Saga. My website, PlanetEstra.com, serves as a repository for all the world-building I’ve done, complete with maps, flags, histories, and cultures.

Sports:

Growing up in Texas, I’m a die-hard football fan. However, despite living in Dallas, I’m not a Cowboys fan—I proudly support the Philadelphia Eagles. In baseball, I cheer for the Houston Astros, and I’m a hometown supporter for all other sports. I also have a love for Australian Rules Football (Footy), and my son and I are devoted fans of the Essendon Bombers.

Music:

While I can appreciate music from almost any genre, I spend most of my time grooving to Funk, Hip-hop, and what’s now considered Oldies—80s and 90s Rock and Pop. My favorite band is Mingo Fishtrap, whose music never fails to lift my spirits.

Gaming & Anime:

I’m also a fan of video games and anime, which keep my creativity flowing. Currently, my family and I are Nintendo Switch gamers—or as I like to call it, “Gamer-lite”—but as my son gets older, I’ll be upgrading to mainstream systems. I have a particular fondness for fighting games, with Soul Calibur being my favorite. As for anime, my top pick is Code Geass, a series that I recommend to anyone who thinks Anime is for kids.

Comedy:

Recently, I checked off a bucket list item by performing 5 minutes of stand-up comedy. I wrote my own jokes, braved the open mic scene for practice, and eventually performed for a sold-out live audience. Beyond stand-up, I’m also a founding member of an improv comedy troupe called "The Artenders." Looking ahead, I hope to dive into sketch writing and join a local writing team.

Here's a photo of the Smith clan.  I've been married for 22 years to my wife, Christina.  I have three children (Katherine 18, Olivia 15, and Mitchell 11) and a dog, Reese.

Imagine working on a project with your best friend. Collaborating with me is like doing your group project back in college—we’ll work hard, have fun, and build a relationship that lasts long after the project is completed.