Whit Whitley

About

Whit Whitley is an afab non-binary singer-songwriter, creative mentor, and founder.

Current projects include:

  • The Artist’s Way Workshop for Ages 50 and Beyond – Whit is currently hosting a 12-week online workshop that started January 29, 2026. The next class starts May 7. Register here!
  • Blessed Be The Peacemakers Documentary – Whit is the Executive Producer of a documentary about Trinh Mai’s mural on The Vault Warehouse in Long Beach, CA.
  • Live Music Performance – Whit’s next show is on Saturday, March 28 at NK3, The Bluff at Bixby Park, 11am-2pm.

Whit also runs East Broad Records, a small indie music label for artists returning to their musical pursuits later in life.

Whit’s founder journey started with Start Smart Now, a digital marketing agency started over 25 years ago to help impact-driven founders build the business of their dreams.

Whit Whitley Profile Photo

Upbringing

Whit was born on January 7, 1969 in Houston, Texas and grew up in Spring. Inspired by their “PawPaw” Pete Glenn Whitley, Whit started playing the guitar and writing songs at 8 years old. 

In middle school, Whit began studying the trumpet and earned 1st Chair Symphonic Band, 1st Chair All-Region Band, and by age 16, Whit held a coveted spot in the Houston Youth Symphony and studied privately with James Austin, Principal Trumpet of the Houston Symphony.

Whit attended the University of Houston on a music and academic scholarship, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors. For many years, Whit was a high school teacher by day and singer-songwriter by night.

In 2000, Whit founded Start Smart Now, a boutique web design outfit which quickly grew into a full-service digital marketing agency.

Whit returned to school and earned a Masters of Science in HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) at the University of North Texas and completed their doctoral coursework in Rhetoric & New Media at Texas Tech University but stepped away from academia to keep growing their agency.

During the pandemic, music came roaring back into Whit’s life as they dealt with a personal upheaval that shook everything up.

At age 52, Whit started an indie music label and starting writing songs that would become their first solo studio album, Love Is The Revolution.

Today, Whit is promoting the release of their album, running East Broad Records, and mentoring impact-driven founders through Start Smart Now.