Joye Smith
I started my career on property in hotel sales, then got recruited into the companies building competitive data, demand intelligence, and revenue management software for hotels. My clients have included Hilton, Hyatt, Best Western, IHG, and even Disney, and I’ve sourced and managed conferences for enterprise organizations like Microsoft and Coca-Cola. After TravelClick (now Amadeus) and Rainmaker (now Cendyn), I moved to the other side of travel, working in sourcing for American Express Global Business Travel. Every one of those roles scratched an itch I’ve had since I was a kid flying and staying in hotels while my dad worked for Eastern Airlines a billion years ago. I still love the smell of jet fuel (weird, but true). I’ve been a flight attendant (I can set up a cart like nobody’s business—strange that they won’t let me do that anymore). And I love the smell of clean hotel linen, though I promise mine will never smell that bleachy. I met my co-founder, Brian Ng, through Y Combinator’s co-founder matching platform, and we clicked immediately. Brian spent 10 years at Meta, rising to Director of Partner Engineering, and has since served as technical co-founder and CTO for multiple startups—bringing exactly the depth Gather needs to build for scale. I fell in love with entrepreneurship at 14, working in my dad’s commercial insurance business. It exposed me to every kind of business and business owner imaginable—but I knew from my very first hotel stay that whatever I built had to involve hospitality. Travel changes people. We’re our best, most adventurous selves on a trip: trying new foods, chasing new adventures, meeting other people chasing theirs. Outside of building Gather, I’m a full-time caregiver to my 81-year-old mom, and a proud dog mom.
Location
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, US
Company
Gather
Industry
Technology
Top Skills
Joye Smith
I started my career on property in hotel sales, then got recruited into the companies building competitive data, demand intelligence, and revenue management software for hotels. My clients have included Hilton, Hyatt, Best Western, IHG, and even Disney, and I’ve sourced and managed conferences for enterprise organizations like Microsoft and Coca-Cola. After TravelClick (now Amadeus) and Rainmaker (now Cendyn), I moved to the other side of travel, working in sourcing for American Express Global Business Travel. Every one of those roles scratched an itch I’ve had since I was a kid flying and staying in hotels while my dad worked for Eastern Airlines a billion years ago. I still love the smell of jet fuel (weird, but true). I’ve been a flight attendant (I can set up a cart like nobody’s business—strange that they won’t let me do that anymore). And I love the smell of clean hotel linen, though I promise mine will never smell that bleachy. I met my co-founder, Brian Ng, through Y Combinator’s co-founder matching platform, and we clicked immediately. Brian spent 10 years at Meta, rising to Director of Partner Engineering, and has since served as technical co-founder and CTO for multiple startups—bringing exactly the depth Gather needs to build for scale. I fell in love with entrepreneurship at 14, working in my dad’s commercial insurance business. It exposed me to every kind of business and business owner imaginable—but I knew from my very first hotel stay that whatever I built had to involve hospitality. Travel changes people. We’re our best, most adventurous selves on a trip: trying new foods, chasing new adventures, meeting other people chasing theirs. Outside of building Gather, I’m a full-time caregiver to my 81-year-old mom, and a proud dog mom.
Location
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, US
Company
Gather
Industry
Technology
Top Skills
Top Skills
Sales Tactics
Business Intelligence
Sold and serviced business intelligence products for a hospitality software brand.
Demand Generation
Developed leads and strategies specifically for demand generation efforts.
About Joye
Bio
JOYE SMITH
7463 Saint David Street, Fairburn, GA 30213| C: 404.270.0759 | joyejohnson55@gmail.com
Professional Profile
Deeply passionate entrepreneur dedicated to creating travel technology that helps people experience places—and themselves—more memorably.
Experience
2026-Present Gather Technology Atlanta, GA
CEO/Founder
Founder of event-tech startup
• Planned and managed the deployment of new technology brand
• Raised over $250,000 in pre-seed funding
• Female Founder in Hospitality and Founder Institute alum
2024-Present HelmsBriscoe Atlanta, GA
Global Account Manager
Source and service events for international brands.
• Source and service group rooms for corporate, association, and religious organizations
• Manage events from 200 to 8,000 attendees including Coca-Cola, Hilton Hotels, Microsoft, and Sunbelt Rentals
• Coordinated event logistics, registration, gifting, travel, and off-site experiences
2016-2025 Gather TV Atlanta, GA
CEO & Founder
Built the first streaming network dedicated to travel & events
• Managed a team of 8 to 12 employees
• Established strategic direction and overall vision
• Oversee team of employees and contractors across all units/functions, including HR, finance, customer service, and business development, as well as sales, marketing, and R&D/engineering.
• Spearheaded small sales team as well as developed own pipeline of hotel leads and accounts
● Managed negotiations with partners, large clients, production companies, vendors, and sub-contractors
2016-2018 American Express Global Business Travel Atlanta, GA
Business Development/Meeting Consultant
Sold and sourced group rooms for national software brands.
● Established and manages ongoing pipeline of new software brands in the US and Canada
● Negotiated hotel room rates, event space, catering and audio-visual services for groups of 100 or more
● Managed on-site event registration, books group recreation, transportation, and dining experiences
● Served as primary point of contact for vendors and attendees
2015-2016 The Rainmaker Group Atlanta, GA
Business Development Representative
Developed leads and lead strategies for Demand Generation & Marketing team.
● Partnered with Hospitality Product Marketing Manager to create positioning statements, value propositions, product differentiators and lead development strategies
● Served as primary liaison between independent hoteliers and the outside sales team
● Qualified prospective leads; converting hotel operators with no knowledge of Rainmaker solutions to enthusiastic warm leads
● Managed Pardot and Salesforce lead queues and created integration requirements and documentation
● Tradeshow manager coordinating on-site presence at technology events
2013-2015 Independent Contractor Atlanta, GA
Lead Generation Consultant
Developed and nurtured leads for hotel and travel software brands including The Rainmaker Group, Kessel Run Travel, and Imagine Business Development
● Created annual sales plan including personal goals and forecast
● Executed sales plans through cold-calling, lead nurturing, email marketing, and online demonstrations
● Managed a pipeline of inbound and outbound leads for various companies
● Consistently met or exceeded monthly and quarterly goals partnering with in-house sales team to close larger deals
2012-2013 TravelClick Atlanta, GA
Business Intelligence Specialist
Sold and serviced national B-to-B accounts for hospitality software brand
● Consistently met and exceeded sales goals for hotel sales, revenue management and reservations solutions to C-level executives in the US, Canada and Mexico
● Performed online product demonstrations, conducted training and prepared presentations of Business Intelligence and Travel Advertising products
● Partnered with the revenue management and sales leadership at national brands including Marriott, Walt Disney World, Intercontinental Hotel Group and Hilton to develop long term revenue strategies
Education
03/1997 - 08/1998 Bachelor of Arts Degree
Public Relations Major/Marketing Minor
Georgia State University
07/1993 – 12/1996 Advertising Major
University of Georgia
Company
Gather
Elevator Pitch
Hotels & destinations spend $18 billion a year selling spaces to meeting planners who never truly see them. Today, planners send RFPs to venues they've never seen, piecing together static photos, wonky virtual tours, and costly site trips to brief stakeholders who weren't in the room. Gather is a video-first sourcing platform that replaces static marketing with on-demand and live tours, allowing planners to build instant trust and shortlist venues in minutes instead of weeks. Suppliers turn their content into a planner-facing channel and see exactly what's resonating, so they're present when the decision is forming. Planners use Gather free; hotels and destinations pay.
Industry
Technology
Location
Atlanta, GA, USA
Website
Team Size
Just Me/Co-Founders
Company Stage
Prelaunch
Funding Stage
Pre-Seed
Funding Raised
$0 to $100k
Annual Revenue
$0 to $100k
Skills
| Skill | Strength | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Tactics | ||
| Business Intelligence | Sold and serviced business intelligence products for a hospitality software brand. | |
| Demand Generation | Developed leads and strategies specifically for demand generation efforts. | |
| Hospitality Industry | Deep expertise in the hospitality sector through hotel sales, revenue management, and event sourcing roles. | |
| Travel Industry | Dedicated her career to the travel industry, from airline experience to travel technology startups. | |
| Product Marketing | Collaborated with product marketing managers to define product differentiators and strategies. | |
| Online Product Demonstrations | Proficient in performing online product demonstrations for business intelligence and travel advertising solutions. | |
| Travel Software | Extensive background in developing and working with travel software brands. | |
| Startup Management | Managed the deployment and operations of multiple startups as CEO/Founder. | |
| Negotiation | Managed negotiations with partners, large clients, production companies, vendors, and sub-contractors. | |
| Venue Sourcing | Expert in sourcing group rooms and event venues for diverse organizations. | |
| Branding | Managed the deployment of new technology brands and established brand identity for startups. | |
| Hospitality Software | Deep experience selling, servicing, and developing solutions for the hospitality software industry. | |
| B2B Sales | Skilled in selling hospitality software and services to C-level executives and national brands, consistently exceeding sales goals. | |
| Strategic Planning | Established strategic direction and overall vision for startup ventures. | |
| Operations Management | Managed overall business operations across multiple functional units in her CEO roles. | |
| Account Management | Managed global accounts for international brands, sourcing and servicing their event needs. | |
| C-Level Engagement | Successfully sold and serviced solutions to C-level executives in the hospitality industry. | |
| Streaming Technology | Built and managed the first streaming network dedicated to travel & events. | |
| Lead Nurturing | Developed and nurtured inbound and outbound leads for hotel and travel software brands. | |
| Marketing Strategy | Partnered in creating positioning statements, value propositions, and lead development strategies. |
Experiences
JOBThe Rainmaker Group
Title
Business Development Representative
Position Description
Developed leads and lead strategies for the Demand Generation & Marketing team, partnered on product positioning, and served as a liaison between hoteliers and the sales team.
Accomplishment Notes
Partnered with Hospitality Product Marketing Manager to create positioning statements, value propositions, product differentiators, and lead development strategies; Served as primary liaison between independent hoteliers and the outside sales team; Qualified prospective leads, converting hotel operators with no knowledge of solutions to warm leads; Managed Pardot and Salesforce lead queues and created integration requirements; Coordinated on-site presence at technology events as Tradeshow manager.
EDUCATIONGeorgia State University
Title
Bachelor of Arts Degree
Position Description
Completed studies for a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Public Relations and a minor in Marketing.
Accomplishment Notes
Earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Public Relations and a minor in Marketing.
EDUCATIONUniversity of Georgia
Title
Advertising Major
Position Description
Studied Advertising at the University of Georgia, gaining foundational knowledge in the field.
Accomplishment Notes
Completed studies with a major in Advertising.
JOBHelmsBriscoe
Title
Global Account Manager
Position Description
Responsible for sourcing and servicing events for international brands, managing group rooms, and coordinating comprehensive event logistics.
Accomplishment Notes
Sourced and serviced group rooms for corporate, association, and religious organizations; Managed events from 200 to 8,000 attendees for major clients including Coca-Cola, Hilton Hotels, and Microsoft; Coordinated event logistics, registration, gifting, travel, and off-site experiences.
JOBAmerican Express Global Business Travel
Title
Business Development/Meeting Consultant
Position Description
Sold and sourced group rooms for national software brands, managed ongoing client pipelines, and negotiated event services.
Accomplishment Notes
Established and managed an ongoing pipeline of new software brands in the US and Canada; Negotiated hotel room rates, event space, catering, and audio-visual services for groups of 100 or more; Managed on-site event registration, group recreation, transportation, and dining experiences; Served as the primary point of contact for vendors and attendees.
JOBGather TV
Title
CEO & Founder
Position Description
Built and managed the first streaming network dedicated to travel & events, overseeing strategic direction, team management, and all functional units including HR, finance, customer service, business development, sales, marketing, and R&D/engineering.
Accomplishment Notes
Built the first streaming network dedicated to travel & events; Managed a team of 8 to 12 employees; Established strategic direction and overall vision; Spearheaded a small sales team and developed hotel leads; Managed negotiations with partners, clients, and vendors.
JOBIndependent Contractor
Title
Lead Generation Consultant
Position Description
Developed and nurtured leads for hotel and travel software brands, executing sales plans and managing lead pipelines.
Accomplishment Notes
Created annual sales plans including personal goals and forecasts; Executed sales plans through cold-calling, lead nurturing, email marketing, and online demonstrations; Managed a pipeline of inbound and outbound leads for various companies; Consistently met or exceeded monthly and quarterly goals, partnering with in-house sales teams to close larger deals.
JOBTravelClick
Title
Business Intelligence Specialist
Position Description
Sold and serviced national B-to-B accounts for hospitality software brands, performing product demonstrations and training.
Accomplishment Notes
Consistently met and exceeded sales goals for hotel sales, revenue management, and reservations solutions to C-level executives in the US, Canada, and Mexico; Performed online product demonstrations, conducted training, and prepared presentations of Business Intelligence and Travel Advertising products; Partnered with revenue management and sales leadership at national brands including Marriott and Hilton to develop long-term revenue strategies.
JOBGather Technology
Title
CEO/Founder
Position Description
Founded an event-tech startup, responsible for planning and managing the deployment of a new technology brand, securing funding, and participating in entrepreneurial programs.
Accomplishment Notes
Planned and managed the deployment of a new technology brand; Raised over $250,000 in pre-seed funding; Recognized as a Female Founder in Hospitality and a Founder Institute alum.