Spotlight On: Monica Smith, Founder & CEO, Marketsmith

Key points:

• Marketsmith is shifting from a traditional agency model to data-driven growth consulting with its new MSIGenerate™ platform.
• AI, automation, and private equity pressures are pushing brands toward predictive intelligence and measurable ROI.
• The firm is focusing on midmarket growth, human-centered strategy, and diversity-led innovation rooted in New Jersey.

February 2026 — “Monica Smith, founder and CEO of Marketsmith, spoke with Invest: about adapting innovative strategies in marketing and advertising, and what the landscape for the industry looks like. “Marketsmith pivoted a few years ago and is releasing our first version of an innovative, on-demand intellectual data product that will change the way marketing is done today. I am looking for a way to develop an advancement that will create a benefit for the economy in the United States,” Smith added.

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Over the past year, what internal or market changes have had the greatest impact on Marketsmith?

Marketsmith operates as a full-service advertising agency, but our foundation has always been rooted in growth consulting. From the start, our mission has been to help brands grow intelligently through data science, strategy, and innovation. Over time, we added creative, media, and performance marketing services, but consulting remains the heartbeat of who we are.

Our strength lies in using data to drive measurable growth. That is why, even in challenging climates like the one we are experiencing nationally and here in New Jersey, our model continues to thrive. We are built for times of complexity. When markets tighten, businesses look for partners who can deliver results rooted in intelligence, and that is where we excel.

How would you describe the advertising and consulting landscape in New Jersey and the broader United States?

The landscape has shifted dramatically. In the United States alone, there are more than 65,000 digital agencies — and nearly 90% of them are small firms. For years, the model was to build an agency and hope a private equity group or holding company would acquire it. But that’s changed. The holding companies are now moving downstream to work with smaller brands themselves just to feed their own models. It’s a highly competitive, low-margin business.

We’re also seeing the next major transformation: algorithmic and AI-driven tools will replace about a quarter of existing firms within the next few years. Companies are bringing work in-house or shifting toward platform-centric marketing — more AI, less humanity. Seeing that change was coming, we pivoted years ago to lead innovation rather than be replaced by it.

That pivot has culminated in the release of our first on-demand intellectual data product, MSIGenerate™, which will fundamentally change how marketing is done today. We see this platform as an advancement that benefits the broader economy by giving businesses across the country the right tools for growth at the speed at which data is coming in.

What economic or market forces are most influencing client strategies and expectations this year?

Private equity is the primary economic driver right now, not the consumer. Over the past decade, a flood of private capital reshaped industries, influencing how companies think about scale, innovation, and ROI. The tightening of public markets has made growth more expensive, while consolidation has reduced the number of brands agencies can serve.

The result is a market where competition is fierce, the cost of entry is high, and the velocity of change fueled by AI and automation is relentless. For many, that’s destabilizing. For us, it’s an opportunity. Data-driven intelligence is the bridge between financial and brand success. The companies that will win are those that can turn data into enterprise value by using AI and predictive insight to drive quicker, human-centric decision-making and smarter go-to-market strategies, ultimately culminating in shareholder growth. 

How is Marketsmith helping clients adapt their omnichannel strategies for today’s fragmented audience landscape?

We’ve developed MSIGenerate™, a predictive intelligence and market activation platform that unites full-funnel strategy with business intelligence, attribution, and data visualization. It helps brands see their performance more clearly, make faster and smarter decisions, and ultimately transform information into action.

The platform operates on two levels. The first is a visual layer that makes insights intuitive for users of all skill levels. Beneath that are dynamic mini-models that drive prediction, optimization, and risk mitigation. By merging AI with human understanding, we give our clients enterprise-grade intelligence that’s still deeply accessible and human.

Our goal is to help brands, particularly those in the midmarket, find balance in an age of automation by using technology to empower people, not replace them.

How do you find a good balance between AI tools and data analytics without leaving the human side behind?

Right now, much of the industry is racing to automate, and in that race, humanity is often left behind. We see things differently. The most successful strategies will be those that merge data precision with human insight.

At Marketsmith, we focus on the middle of the economy — organizations searching for their next stage of growth. We help them formalize data-driven decisions and turn those insights into prioritized, actionable strategies. Our goal isn’t just to help companies compete with larger enterprises — it’s to give them the intelligence and confidence to grow sustainably, with humanity at the core.

How does Marketsmith continue to champion diversity and inclusion in both its workforce and client strategies?

It starts with where we choose to operate. Keeping Marketsmith headquartered in New Jersey is a statement of purpose. This is one of the best states in the country for women in business, a place where innovation meets equality.

New Jersey’s geographic and demographic diversity gives us access to perspectives and patterns that wouldn’t be visible elsewhere. That diversity drives our innovation, our hiring, and our community engagement. The state provides women entrepreneurs with proximity to policymakers, investors, and the global financial community, and even though it’s an expensive place to operate, the quality of life and inclusiveness are unmatched.

We will continue to champion women-owned businesses, women in the C-suite, and women entrepreneurs. Our ecosystem here is built for it.

Looking ahead, what are Marketsmith’s top strategic priorities, and how do you plan to maintain your leadership in innovation and performance marketing?

Our priority is the launch of MSIGenerate, but the vision extends far beyond a single product. It’s about introducing a new way to think. We believe MSIGenerate will change how business is done and, more importantly, it will change who gets to win. Our mission is to make innovation accessible, helping companies scale intelligently, attract investment, and deliver shareholder value through data-driven intelligence.

For us, leadership means redefining what’s possible and continuing to build the future of marketing as its architects, not just its participants.

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