Monica C. Smith: Believer of “Diversity Drives Innovation”

If you fear the unknown, you can’t find success. That, at least, is one definition of what separates the entrepreneur from everyone else. And it perfectly sums up the driving spirit of Monica C. Smith, Founder and CEO of i.Predictus, an award-winning advertising analytics platform that continuously breaks new ground in the optimization and utilization of marketing data.
Unapologetically driven, zealous about results, and obsessive about making a difference in the world around her, Monica formed her first start-up, Marketsmith, Inc, citing the need for marketers to connect customer data with the path to purchase. Today, 15 years later, Marketsmith, Inc. is one of America’s fastest-growing woman-owned marketing services agencies.
Not one to sit still, Monica recognized a new need that her clients faced: collecting and analyzing data from multiple channels was taking too long to be utilized in the timely manner that modern marketing required. It was this insight that led her to develop the original i.Predictus platform in 2011. Two U.S. patents later (and more pending), i.Predictus continues to set the pace for data optimization, bridging media and sales.
i.Predictus, ‘Helping Cleanse the Data’
i.Predictus cleanses and automates data to allow for custom data visualization, marketing optimization and omni channel attribution, helping agencies and brands interpret and apply data for the greatest return on investment. Monica elaborates, “i.Predictus consolidates data: we ingest, we cleanse, we correct for human errors and we automate the data. This means we give our clients a view of their data and performance quicker than ever before.”
i.Predictus is the only platform which cleanses that data. “We are marketers at our core, so we have seen firsthand what human errors can exist in marketing data and the machine keeps learning every time we encounter new errors. Our data governance system means that not only can you see what is going on with your marketing more quickly than ever before, you can feel confident that the view you are seeing is not just pretty, but it is accurate. Our predictive algorithms show how your media will perform, which media to move out of, which media to expand, and where you have risk in your media buys from testing,” asserts Monica.
Marketsmith, The Best Marketing Professionals in the Field
Marketsmith’s hand-picked talent pool is the strongest collective of full-time, multi-disciplined, data-driven marketing professionals in the field. Each employee brings to the table an impressive tenure of successes in catalog, retail, advertising and multichannel companies and agencies.
Journey with Challenges
Maintaining that level of achievement and continuing to push boundaries are not without challenges. Monica is quick to mention two big hurdles that today’s entrepreneurs face: recruiting and keeping great talent, and keeping pace with ever-increasing pace of technology.
To attract people with a true sense of passion, Monica has built a culture on the principal that doing good work for the community is as important as doing great work for clients. “We do great work so we can do good things,” is just one of the many sayings printed on the walls of her companies.
Another saying on those walls: “Technology is the new creativity.” With the understanding that technology is truly the core of innovation, and therefore new solutions, Marketsmith, Inc. fosters technological advancement with continuous education, technology improvements, and teamwork. Her employees embrace Monica’s own sense of exploration, knowing that they will be supported in their own risk-taking in pursuit of innovation.
‘Creating the Perfect Life Balance’
When asked how she keeps the perfect balance between personal and professional life, Monica shares, “My objectives and aspirations are not limited to commercial venues. I am equally committed to driving opportunity to disadvantaged communities and individuals. Whether it is putting a holiday dinner on the table, assuring the success of an after school program or granting “One Simple Wish,” I will always find time to use my experience to empower others to define and achieve their own personal success. And I will forever seek the inner strength to do great things, every day. All the time. For me, there is no ‘extra’ mile, it is all a part of the journey forward.”
When asked, “What if you were given the chance to start your career over again?” Monica replied, “I wouldn’t. I am an entrepreneur. I have both tried and failed and tried and succeeded – many times. These trials and tribulations guide the way I do business, and the way I advise my clients. It’s a remonstration to think smart, with agility, speed and flexibility.”
Monica’s View on the Role of Women in Business
For Monica, there is added meaning to being a woman entrepreneur. “There is no doubt that women are still playing an unequal playing field in the world of business,” she said. “American women who work full-time, year-round are paid only 80 cents for every dollar paid to men — and for women of color, the wage gap is even larger. However, Marketsmith is W/MBE certified, and I believe that we will become the world’s largest, independent, women-owned agency by our unique and innovative approach to creating and executing data-driven campaigns to improve your bottom line.”