Hank Smith is an international marketing and biz dev leader with 15+ years of experience growing brands across the US, Germany, Japan, and the UK. Currently Director of Strategy at DC-based agency SmithGifford, he leads new business and is helping position the agency for the next era of brand marketing.Before that, he spent a decade in Germany at ZDF Digital and Streamwerke, launching TV series, streaming platforms, and campaigns with major networks and streamers.

A University of Colorado Boulder alum, Hank is now traveling the US in a camper with his wife Suz and their dog Ziggy, exploring National Parks, halfway decent cortados, and a place to call home (at least for a few years). He’s passionate about rock music, the horror genre, cooking, and—unironically—cleaning.

Tunc, and his two daughters volunteer with CISV, a global organization dedicated to educating and inspiring action for a more just and peaceful world. We are active global citizens building intercultural friendship, cooperation and understanding, with chapters in over 60 countries worldwide. Available to kids as young as 10, CISV is non-political and non-denominational, evolving from a firm conviction that lasting peace is possible.

Over the last decade, the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has reshaped the conversation. And it’s not just about money — though money is the mechanism. At its best, FIRE is about reclaiming time, autonomy, and alignment. It’s about front loading effort and intention so that, sooner than expected, you can step into a life that feels deeply your own.

​I recently had the chance to speak with Jason and Daravy, a couple who retired in their 30s. They didn’t do it through flashy investments or lucky breaks — they did it by making thoughtful trade-offs, living below their means, and steadily building a life that matched their values.