At the heart of every good story, the reader becomes committed to it, eagerly embracing the plot to learn more about the characters and to join in championing their causes, their passions and their missions. I've reached the heart of my own story with a unique career that spans more than 25 years of writing, photography, entrepreneurship, public relations, marketing, fundraising and relationship-building. My chapters include interesting adventures within the coffee, tourism, culinary, building, education, healthcare, government and non-profit industries, among others.
In 2019, I moved from Georgia and opened a coffee shop in my hometown of Shelbyville, Kentucky, just six months before the pandemic. It survived, thrived and made a difference in the community. In 2021, The Paddock Coffee + Eats + Gatherings earned the Tourism Business of the Year award and became a source of hope and an example of perseverance for thousands of guests. In December of 2022, I sold the coffee shop to a non-profit which is continuing my hospitality model and brand while pursing its mission to serve and inspire others. (To learn more about that incredible story, check out the Instagram feed @thepaddockexperience from 2019-2022.)
In 2023, I launched an initiative through Stronger Girl to encourage women to embrace challenges with strength, faith and boldness. This mission is fueled by subscriptions to Stronger Girl, the digital magazine and online sales of coffee and candles, as well as retreats and experiences geared toward inspiring women. Additionally, I’m in pursuit of launching a podcast and publishing a memoir.
Click here to link to Stronger Girl digital magazine
I hold a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism with a minor in creative writing from Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. My previous job titles range from director of communications and public relations for a liberal arts university to marketing director of a tourism agency. Over the years, my freelance writing clients have included book authors, restauranteurs, associations, real estate agencies, and numerous tourism destinations in the Southeast. For a glance at my LinkedIn profile, click here.
CONTACT:
STACYSMITHROGERS@GMAIL.COM
(859) 445-8319
FOUNDER OF STRONGER GIRL COFFEE
CLIENTS & EMPLOYERS
LoveNotes! produced by Heather Christie
The Paddock Coffee + Eats + Gatherings
WinShape Foundation/WinShape Marriage
Wrens Nest Center for Wellbeing
Berry College
Building Industry Association of Louisville
Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky
Go Outside + Now Then by Alton Lee Webb
Thomas More University
Bowling Green Convention & Visitors Bureau
FSA Public Relations
Land Between The Lakes
Paducah/McCracken County Convention & Visitors Bureau
ShelbyKY Convention & Visitors Bureau
City of Louisville
Baptist Hospital East
My diverse professional background includes a range of assignments, from photographing a greased pig-catching contest to ghostwriting for government, college and corporate administrators to hosting my own cable talk show, writing and editing books and shooting a summer fashion spread in the Cayman Islands.