Katie Gailes owns SmartMoves International, a marketing strategy consulting and coaching firm that helps small and growing businesses to aim their products and services into their sweet spot in the marketplace. She delivers her services in one-on-one coaching sessions, company or product specific strategic planning sessions, face-to-face workshops and webinars.

Katie is a product of North Carolina having been born, raised and educated in the state. She is the ‘knee baby’ (that means next to second youngest) and youngest girl in a family of twelve children.

Katie received her undergraduate Degree in Business Administration from Bennett College for Women in Greensboro, North Carolina and earned an MBA from the Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business’ Weekend Executive MBA Program (WEMBA). In fact, she made history when her daughter was born during mid-term weekend of second semester, becoming the first child born to an active female student in the history of the WEMBA program.

Katie continues to be active at the Fuqua School by participating as an advisor, mentor, and evaluator for the Senior Communication Project. She also partners with the Fuqua School’s Small Business Consulting program to increase applications from women and minority entrepreneurs. And each summer she manages the business planning track of the Duke LEAD program, an entrepreneurship camp for high performing high school students from across the nation.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Katie enjoyed a long career with IBM and held management roles in small and growing startups.

She serves on several non-profit Boards and is the founder of a local Writers Group that helps current and aspiring authors to be successful as artists and entrepreneurs.