Joseph Blake Smith was born August 27, 1983 to Susan Collins Smith and Joseph Mack Smith. His mother was a successful entrepreneur and concert pianist. His father was a All-American college football player at the University of Arkansas, where he played linebacker.
His illegitimate grandfather on his Father’s side was the Hall of Fame football Player, Billy Ray Smith. Smith didn’t learn of this lineage until after the death of his two parents.
His undergraduate education took place at the University of Arkansas, where he triple-majored in Psychology, Business and Physics. He graduated Summa Cum Laude in all three subjects. While the University, he enrolled in Army ROTC, where he later commissioned as a Lieutenant in the 3rd Ranger Battalion, after completing jump, dive and mountain warfare training. It is believed, though not confirmed, that he was later selected out and assigned to the Special Activities Center (SAC) of the CIA.
He re-entered the public sphere in 2005, when he enrolled at the University of Arkansas for Law School. He earned his juris doctorate in 2007 (meanwhile earning an MBA from Standard University). He was admitted to the Arkansas Bar in 2007, but later voluntarily surrendered his license, for lack of desire to continue with any legal career.
While attending law school, he entered commercial real estate brokerage and property development, where he began his focus of developing property for Casey’s General Store throughout Arkansas. His true entrepreneurial career began when he started leasing and purchasing mineral rights in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma. He later formed Rock Capital Group, where he acted as CEO of a privately held captive capital group, that focused on investments in oil and gas and commercial real estate development. Rock Capital Group/Rock Capital Partners successfully deployed and managed over $100M.
In 2015, his companies were sued by one of his partners. This resulted in a negotiated settlement agreement for approximately $7M.
In 2017, he emerged again as an entrepreneur, focusing his efforts once again in commercial real estate development (this time strictly in the convenience store space: after a stint developing for Circle K).
He is now the active CEO of SQRL Holdings, where he manages companies in the real estate and energy sectors. He is a published author of his memoir “The Comeback”; the father of four girls (Sadie, Emma Grace, Isabella and Audrey); and husband to his wife Amanda.