Becoming Girlilla

A May 2025 Reading Is a Lifestyle Subscription Book Pick

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.

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