Jennie Smythe To Release Memoir, ‘Becoming Girlilla,’ In Spring

/by

Jennie Smythe. Photo: Matthew Simmons

Jennie Smythe, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Nashville-based firm Girlilla Marketing, will release her memoir on April 15, 2025 via Resolve Editions, an imprint of Forefront Books (Simon & Schuster).

Titled Becoming Girlilla: My Journey to Unleashing Good – in Real Life, Online, and in Others, the book tells Smythe’s story as a digital marketing trailblazer, detailing her unique journey through career highs and lows, personal challenges and her recent breast cancer battle.

Smythe’s experiences at Elektra, Disney’s Hollywood Records, YAHOO! Music, Warner Bros. Records, Clear Channel and more led her to launch her own Nashville-based firm, Girlilla Marketing, following a deathbed conversation with her estranged father. Becoming Girlilla aims to highlight how resilience, authenticity and passion can make a meaningful impact both online and in real life.

“I’ve been embraced, ignored, yelled at, fired and rehired. I’ve been told I am worthless, I’ve won awards, I’ve been blamed for shit I wasn’t responsible for and given credit for things I didn’t deserve. I’ve had disgruntled employees, I’ve had slim years and I’ve had fat years,” Smythes says of her story.

“I have heart. I care. I will outwork you and I try not to repeat mistakes. I bleed passion for what I do, who I represent and who I stand next to. And here’s the secret: there’s no secret. To be successful, you must go to work every day like it’s your first day on the job. When you don’t get out of bed with your ass on fire, you need a change. I hope with my own story that I can save you some hassle. I hope that I can make you think, laugh and see your own story in mine… because we are all connected, online and offline.”

With Smythe at its helm, Girlilla Marketing has become an award-winning firm renowned for its work with world-famous entertainers, including Willie Nelson, Dead & Company, Darius Rucker, Blondie, Brooke Shields, Iliza Shlesinger, Terry Crews, Kristin Chenoweth, Vince Gill and more.

In addition to her work with Girlilla, Smythe serves as President Elect of the Country Music Association and is on the boards of the CMA Foundation and Music Health Alliance. She has been recognized by Billboard, Fast Company, The Tennessean and People for her inspiring personal story and innovative approach to digital strategy, and is multi-year recipient of Nashville Business Journal’s Women in Music City Awards and is a MusicRow Rising Women on the Row honoree.

Pre-orders for Becoming Girlilla are available here.

LB Cantrell
Latest posts by LB Cantrell (see all)