Trish Smalley, MBA

Meet Trish

I’m the person you call when you’re not quite sure what’s wrong but you know it could be better. Whether it’s a business that’s lost its footing, a team stuck in analysis paralysis, or a blank page that needs to become a roadmap, I help people find clarity and move forward.

I’ve been a business owner, a consultant, a marketer, a researcher, and yes, even a wedding DJ. (It turns out, reading a dance floor and reading a room aren’t all that different.) What connects it all is my drive to understand people, untangle problems, and build thoughtful systems that actually work.

My background is both wide and intentional:
→ An MBA from LSU Shreveport and a Master of Applied Arts & Sciences from UNC Greensboro.
→ Experience across multiple industries from real estate, events, startups, ecommerce, and the messy, beautiful world of small business.
→ A pattern of showing up, figuring it out, and helping others do the same.

I don’t care about shiny titles or corporate theatrics. I care about momentum. About the moment someone sees a path where there wasn’t one before. About building something that feels right and runs smoother, because people matter and chaos doesn’t have to.

Things I’m Especially Good At:

Asking better questions than “what’s your biggest pain point?”

Turning insight into action when the stakes are high or the path is fuzzy

Helping founders, teams, or idea-havers get out of their heads and into the next version of their work

Making smart feel accessible, and complex feel clear

Soundtracking a dance floor or a brand brainstorm (I do both)

Right now, I’m open to:

Strategic roles where research, insight, and execution matter

Consulting or project-based work with teams doing good stuff (but needing a little help)

Creative collaborations where curiosity, clarity, and connection drive the work

If you’ve ever thought, “We need someone who just gets it”, you might be looking for me.

Let’s build something that moves.