Courtney Herda
Founder and CEO
Courtney Herda, Founder and CEO of Smarter Searches, is a digital marketing expert based in Knoxville, Tennessee with more than 15 years of experience in online marketing. With a genuine understanding of how people utilize the power of search and interact online, Courtney grew Smarter Searches rapidly from the ground up. She has a laser-sharp focus on developing groundbreaking strategies to unite the search process, user experience, and customer engagement.
Courtney has earned numerous prestigious accolades including the Greater Knoxville Business Journal’s “40 Under 40,” and was one of the only women to earn the Pinnacle Award for “Young Entrepreneur of the Year.” Earlier in her career, Courtney served as the search engine marketing manager at E.W. Scripps and for financial talk radio host and TV personality Dave Ramsey. Today, Courtney also teaches Digital Marketing Strategy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, one of the only courses of its type that educates future marketers about how to utilize digital marketing in a truly practical way.
When she isn’t working, Courtney enjoys cooking, watching Game of Thrones, traveling (especially to Disney!), and spending quality time with her husband and two kids.
Enneagram type
3
DISC Profile highlights
Courtney shows a strong ability to take command of a project or situation. She is forward-thinking on planning ideas and activities related to the big-picture and is seen by others as a mover and shaker and one who loves to compete with the best. She shows a need to be responsive and move quickly to maximize results. She has the ability to motivate others on the team, instill a higher sense of urgency, and help to get the project done on time and on budget.
Myers-Briggs Type