Meet Ashley Smith

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Smith. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.

Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump right into something we’re very focused on here – improving our ability to make decisions. Everyday, we’re faced with decisions that can impact the future of our careers, businesses, relationships and more and so one of the most impactful areas for personal development, in our view, is decision-making. Can you talk to us about how you developed or improved your decision-making skills?

Q: How did you develop your decision-making skills?

My decision-making muscles were built in the trenches, first in the music business, then in sports. When you’re working with artists like Mötley Crüe or Blondie, you learn fast that there’s no “let me think about it and get back to you next week.” Things happen live, in real time a sound issue, a media opportunity, a last-minute change and you have to make the right call *right now.* That environment taught me how to trust my instincts, read a room, and make decisions that balance creative vision with business reality.

When I transitioned into sports marketing, that same rhythm followed me. There’s always a season launch date, a game kickoff time, a live broadcast the clock is always ticking. You can’t hesitate when millions of viewers (and dollars) are on the line.

That’s really the DNA behind my company’s name, GSD Advisory – “Get Sh*t Done.” It’s not just a slogan; it’s a reputation I’ve earned. My clients know I’ll make smart, strategic decisions quickly because in this business, speed and clarity are everything.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

After more than three decades building powerhouse brands across music and sports, Ashley Smith has taken the lessons she learned under stadium lights and arena spotlights into the boardroom. As founder of GSD Advisory short for “Get Sh*t Done”, Ashley is helping companies redefine their marketing strategy, reorganize their teams, and evolve from mid-sized players into global threats to their competitors.

Ashley’s career began in the music industry, where she learned to make high-stakes decisions in the blink of an eye. “When you’re working with artists like Mötley Crüe, Blondie, or LeAnn Rimes, there’s no luxury of time,” she says. “You have to think fast, pivot faster, and always deliver.” That instinct for smart, timely decision-making later became her signature in sports marketing, where she led groundbreaking marketing campaigns for ESPN, including *College GameDay*, *SportsCenter*, the *X Games*, and the *Nissan Heisman House*.

Today, she’s channeling that same passion, speed, and strategic precision into industries that don’t always get the glam treatment – healthcare, staffing, recruiting, and professional services. “Marketing skills are transferable,” Ashley explains. “Whether you’re launching a music tour, a TV show, or a national staffing brand, the fundamentals are the same: define who you are, identify what makes you different, and tell that story in a way that connects with your audience.”

GSD Advisory’s approach is unapologetically hands-on. Ashley and her team embed within an organization to evaluate its current marketing structure, assess brand positioning, and build strategies that align with growth goals. Often, that means reorganizing marketing teams modernizing outdated structures, eliminating redundancies, and layering in specialized talent across digital, brand, and communications functions.

Her focus isn’t just on “more marketing.” It’s on **smarter marketing**the kind that creates measurable traction and long-term brand equity. “A lot of mid-sized companies hit a ceiling because their marketing was built for where they were five years ago,” she says. “They want to scale, but they don’t have the systems, story, or structure to play at a global level. That’s where we come in.”

Ashley’s process starts with a simple but powerful question: *What do you want to be known for?* From there, she helps companies articulate their **brand foundation** the core story, tone, and differentiators that define their presence in the market. Then comes the target audience work: understanding not just who the audience is, but where they spend time, how they make decisions, and what emotional triggers drive engagement.

From there, Ashley and her team develop an integrated marketing strategy that blends traditional and digital channels leveraging tools like CRM optimization, paid social campaigns, thought leadership content, and brand storytelling that feels authentic to the industry. “In sports and entertainment, you learn that every audience wants a front-row seat,” Ashley says. “In healthcare or staffing, that might mean creating trust through transparency or using storytelling to humanize the service. The tactics change but the strategy is always about connection.”

Clients turn to GSD Advisory because Ashley’s approach is direct, data-informed, and refreshingly no-nonsense. She’s known for her ability to cut through clutter, align teams around a clear vision, and execute with urgency. “The reason companies hire me is in the name,” she laughs. “We Get Sh*t Done. Period.”

That reputation has made GSD Advisory a sought-after partner for companies in transition whether they’re entering new markets, merging brands, or shifting from founder-led operations to enterprise scale. Ashley’s sweet spot is helping those organizations move fast without losing their authenticity.

“At the end of the day,” she says, “great marketing isn’t about buzzwords, social media or pretty decks. It’s about defining your purpose, empowering your people, and showing up in the market with clarity and confidence. When you do that consistently, you don’t just compete. You lead.”

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

If I had to narrow it down to three, I’d say curiosity, decisiveness, and emotional intelligence have been the biggest game changers in my career.

Curiosity is the foundation. I’ve always believed that the best marketers and frankly, the best leaders are lifelong learners. Whether I was working with rock bands or running point on major sports campaigns, I made it a priority to understand everything about the business: how the money moved, what the audience cared about, what trends were emerging, and where the opportunities were hiding. Curiosity keeps you adaptable. It’s what allows you to pivot from music to sports to healthcare and still add value.
My advice: never assume you “know” your industry. Read outside your lane. Ask the questions no one else is asking. Stay curious enough to be surprised.

Decisiveness is the next one and that skill came straight from the music and sports world. When there’s a live show or a kickoff time, indecision isn’t an option. You learn to make smart, informed calls quickly and own them. That ability to process information fast, trust your gut, and keep moving has defined how I lead clients today.
For anyone early in their career, I’d say: practice making decisions. Big ones, small ones it doesn’t matter. You’ll never have 100% of the information, but leadership is about momentum. The more you practice deciding, the more confident you’ll become in your instincts.

And finally, emotional intelligence because strategy and creativity only take you so far if you can’t read people. Understanding how to motivate, communicate, and collaborate is everything. In my world, that means knowing when to push, when to listen, and how to build trust with teams, clients, and audiences.
If you’re early in your journey, focus on this as much as your technical skills. Pay attention to body language in meetings. Learn how to give feedback gracefully. And remember that everyone you work with is a person before they’re a title.

Those three – curiosity, decisiveness, and emotional intelligence – have shaped how I built my career and my company. They’re not things you master overnight; they’re muscles you build. But if you commit to developing them early, they’ll carry you through every pivot, every opportunity, and every “what now?” moment in your career.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

It’s never been just one person for me – it’s always been what I call my “board of mentors.” A small, trusted circle of people who are genuinely invested in my success. They’re the ones who will tell me the truth, not just what I want to hear, and who cheer the loudest when I win. Over the years, that mix of honest feedback, encouragement, and accountability has shaped how I lead, make decisions, and keep growing. Everyone needs their version of a board—people who both challenge and champion you. That balance has been the secret ingredient in my career.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: gsdadvisory
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleysmithmarketing

Image Credits

Erin Rose Photography