Becoming Girlilla: My Journey to Unleashing Good—in Real Life, Online, and in Others

Jennie Smythe

Simon and Schuster, Apr 15, 2025 - Business & Economics - 272 pages

Becoming Girlilla is an unfiltered, inspiring memoir of Jennie Smythe’s rise from unlikely beginnings to digital marketing powerhouse, showing readers how resilience, authenticity, and passion can make a real impact both online and off.

“Jennie’s story is a master class in what it means to have your hard work pay off.” —Kristin Chenoweth, Recording Artist, Performer, Actress, Author & Philanthropist

What would you do with your life if you knew it was half over?

It was the question that faced Jennie Smythe during a pivotal point in her early adult life. Becoming Girlilla answers that question and more, as this digital marketing trailblazer candidly shares her path to success, full of sometimes surprising and oftentimes laugh-out-loud moments.

Jennie’s career in music started with a job interview set up by a stripper in Los Angeles. Her experiences at Elektra, Disney’s Hollywood Records, YAHOO! Music and beyond evolved into a high-powered role as CEO of her own Nashville-based firm, Girlilla Marketing. Along the way, she navigated an industry that often underestimated her, fought through personal and professional hurdles, and rose to the top of her field.

Jennie’s inspiring journey, full of raw grit and humor, unfolds through—

• Her battles with career uncertainty
• The loss of her estranged father
• Her courageous fight against breast cancer
• The challenges of entrepreneurship, including the lean, early days of Girlilla Marketing and the path from acquisition to regaining control of her company
• Lessons for young professionals, including how who you know can often be more important than what you know
• Practical insights for creating a digital presence with purpose and authenticity
• Discovering new ways to use social media for good

Becoming Girlilla isn’t just about one woman’s resilience—it’s a call to embrace change, unleash potential, and make a positive impact in your world.

About the author

Jennie Smythe is a groundbreaker in the digital marketing field and the founder and CEO of Girlilla Marketing, 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. A Nashville-based industry leader, Smythe also serves as 2025 Chairperson of the Country Music Association Board of Directors and is on the boards of the CMA Foundation and Music Health Alliance.

With more than two decades of experience, she’s been recognized by Forbes, Billboard, Fast Company, The Tennessean, and People for her inspiring personal story and innovative approach to digital strategy. Smythe is a multi-year recipient of Nashville Business Journal’s Women in Music City Awards and a MusicRow magazine Rising Women on the Row honoree. Her upcoming memoir, Becoming Girlilla, shares her unique journey through career highs and lows, personal challenges, and her recent breast cancer battle, inspiring readers to create meaningful connections online and offline.

Smythe lives in Nashville with her husband, fellow entrepreneur Shannon Houchins, and their two children.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Becoming Girlilla: My Journey to Unleashing Good—in Real Life, Online, and in Others
• Author: Jennie Smythe
• Publisher: Simon and Schuster, 2025
• ISBN: 163763398X, 9781637633984
• Length: 272 pages
• Subjects: Business & Economics / Personal Success; Business & Economics / Women in Business; Self-Help / Motivational & Inspirational