Benjamin Smithee

Ben’s entrepreneurial journey began when he created one of the first and most respected Millennial-focused research and strategy firms in 2009, where he served as CEO until he exited in 2014. In 2015, Ben launched The Smithee Group, a Digital Growth Agency whose mission is to empower entrepreneurs and businesses to dream bigger and achieve multi-generational integrity. He has consulted some of the largest and most well-known companies around the globe including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Comcast, Del Monte, EA Games, Disney, General Mills, Kroger, Salesforce, Cox Automotive, and hundreds of small businesses. Ben has spoken to audiences around the world in over 20 countries, across 6 continents. He’s the recipient of the American Marketing Association’s Marketer of the Year Award and has hosted top-rated weekly TV segments on WFAA’s Good Morning Texas, and The Broadcast. He is passionate about the work he does as the Executive Vice President of the Board of Trustees for Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC where he currently resides with his equally-ambitious wife, Nicole. He has been matched with his Little Brother, Evin, since 2015. Additionally, Ben is on the Board for Liberty Church in NYC and serves as the Director of Visionaries – their Professional Development Ministry. He is an Advisor for the Black in Jewelry Coalition, and sits on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Jewelry Association, as well as Gem Legacy, which supports the artisanal mining communities in East Africa with education, training, childcare, healthcare, and business opportunities. When not in the business and non-profit worlds, you can find Ben on the track racing cars, on the mountain snowboarding, or on the links playing golf.