Obviously Dorothy Hamill’s hair from the 70s Olympics was still trending among the mothers/hair dressers in our town. Population nobody. And my mom thought the ‘bowl cut’ really did something for that round face of mine. All of the little girls — not boys — ended up with a similar haircut at some point between 3rd and 4th grade. What can I say? I was a trendsetter.

I’m also a storyteller.

The truth? Headlice. I have ridiculously thick hair and there was no way in hell my mom was going to take that comb through all of it. Out came the clippers. The dog clippers. My dad was pissed.

That particular summer day, I was supposed to go out with my best friend and her dad. We were going to ‘ride truck’. My heart was crushed because I couldn’t go. For those who did not grow up in a town tucked between rolling fields of some kind of agriculture, every summer the farm families harvest their grain/veg of choice. Where I grew up, mostly wheat, barley, alfalfa, and peas. We weren’t farmers. I lived in town … inside the tracks, a couple of tiny town blocks from the school. The kind of school where the elementary was connected to the high school. Everybody knows everybody … and everyone in their family, including pets and extended relatives.

During the summer time, I swam, ran amok in town with my brothers, played outside, and invented my own little worlds wherever I went. In the backyard, my dad built a fortress out of old power poles from a power line replacement project. We loved when it rained. It was better than any treehouse would have been. When I went over to my friend’s house, we would play school. Obviously I would be the principal or teacher, depending on how many students I could recruit (ie. our little brothers & sisters — I always found enjoyment in assigning homework and helping them learn the stuff I knew that they didn’t.)

And then, there was a hair salon.

Because where I grew up, when you grow up, you are a farmer, teacher, hair stylist, lineman, or stay at home mom. Because that’s what I knew. That’s what I saw. The kids who graduated ahead of me, those in my class, and those who, to this day, have never left. The legacies of their family farms and the lifeline of rural communities — to this day — depend on those very people who stay, or come back, in order to preserve the towns they grew up in.

When I initially discovered this photograph, I was glad to have been able to see where my roots began as an entrepreneur. I am a huge believer in entrepreneurship being part of DNA vs. a Degree. It’s why some of us play house, and some of us play business, when we’re kids. Some kids tinker with building blocks (or Minecraft worlds), while others paint or read. They love it and it comes natural. It’s part of who they are, and lays the foundation for who they will become as a grownup, giving back to society and chasing fulfillment in their professional life.

Today, this photograph is so much more than an embarrassing photo of my brother. There is a fierce, natural, foreshadowing of what my adult career will lead me to. It is a reminder that not every idea is destined to be the only thing you do, or even a “good one”. Example — I should never be a hair stylist. (You can ask my once per year hairdresser). It’s a reminder that underneath the external layer of what we do, both intentionally and subconsciously, there is a layer of Why. Life frays apart when we resist the thing we’re pulled towards, and ignore. Frustration and dissatisfaction seeps through the nooks and crannies of our lives, careers, and families when we’re not “staying true to ourselves”.

In order to be true to yourself, you have to remember where you came from, where you find ‘play’ and what you like to do when nobody is telling you what to do. And you have to go easier on yourself.

I keep this photo near my desk now, sometimes tucked into my day planner. Most recently, it’s a reminder of how grateful I am for my family’s tolerance of my dabbling and pushing to invent/produce/try/sell/launch a variety of ventures all over the country, specifically my older brother (pictured here). Without his support, I absolutely wouldn’t be where I am today, reaching for the scale and dream that I am.

Every time I see it, I see me. I don’t see the failures, noise, distractions, and ‘bad idea’ — I see the forward progress. It keeps me going, it keeps the momentum, it keeps me reaching, and it keeps me trying. The lessons and stories we pick up along the way are the most valuable part of the journey. We need them. Because tomorrow needs us. And all of the supposed failures we’ve had along the way — including my Salon — aren’t failures. They were just there to teach us a lesson.

That was 15 years ago. And today, my ‘salons’ are tech products, data projects, and high impact social ventures that will change the world. And some day, my own ventures, will be the full-time job that nobody told me about when I was debating farmer, hair stylist, and teacher. Someday, one of these ideas will stick.

In the meantime, I will continue to fuel the imagination of a certain eight-year old boy, play with possible as he wonders, tries, dabbles, tinkers, and help guide him towards his own journey of potential — all while keeping a little reminder close that this life of entrepreneurship (creating something from nothing) is a calling, not just a career path.continue to fuel the imagination of a certain eight-year old boy, play with possible as he wonders, tries, dabbles, tinkers, and help guide him towards his own journey of potential — all while keeping a little reminder close that this life of entrepreneurship (creating something from nothing) is a calling, not just a career path.

Entrepreneurship isn’t a degree program — its DNA.

This site is for these stories, the people with the questions, the quiet grit tinkering with possible. This is about the reality of building a startup — from side hustle to success — through the doubts, debt, divorce, and devotion.

A devotion and vision to a dream.

My name is Samantha, and I am the proud, humble founder, writer, editor, creative director and catalyst behind this site, SecondShiftDaily.com.

note. “site” — not “blog. “writer” — not “blogger”. “editor & creative director” — because this is not a ForFunProject.

As I reflect on 2016, and begin to lock-in my commitments and intentions for the upcoming year, I am reminded of how long I’ve been daydreaming about brining this to fruition, how painful it is to admit the years it has taken to actually write the “Hello World” of this site.

The Excuses. Distractions. Delays. All with decent justification.

I’m proud to push live a solid vision — with SO much potential, and promise. A voice that is missing, needed, and genuinely, well — genuine.

I’ve realized that just because I wasn’t publishing yet, doesn’t mean that I haven’t been working on this all along.

At my core — soul, being, and dreams, I am a writer. I always have been.

And all of our stories, days — from monotony to adventures, highs to deepest regrettable lows, transitions and potential, stagnation and hyper-momentous — we are who we say we are.

At any moment in our lives, every single day, we are always once choice away from shifting the trajectory of everything.

When I started SecondShift, LLC in 2014, it was a rebrand for a side hustle that I launched the previous year under a different name, as a digital and creative agency, trying to improve an outdated model. (NOTE: As I originally wrote this article, I noted that this was my first entrepreneurial venture. The truth is, in writing this, I also realized, entrepreneurship showed up for me as Sassy Sam’s Salon in my parent’s living room, forcing my brother through a ridiculous hair ‘do, at age 9ish. See Photo. Don’t tell Tim. I’ve made a note to go back and track my ventures for the real timeline and real story. To Be Cont.)

As I continue to write and finish the little details for my simple, quiet launch — of a site nobody even knows is coming, I want to be clear about what it is NOT: brain dump. political platform. complainer’s corner. advice column. gossip.

In the gap between private ideas of innovation and the “traditional” way and path of an entrepreneur, there are Real People, Raw Questions, Steep Learning Curves, Deep Pain, Serial Struggles, Broken Hearts, Ripped Families, Shattered Dreams, Lost Hope — before Wild Success.

We’re going to unpack the “Overnight” in the disillusion of “Overnight Startup Success”. We’re going to talk about the real road of balancing Side Hustles with Full-Time Life.

Maybe it comes from my Middle Child reality, (we’re certainly a unique breed), but in the gaps between Opportunity and Fear, there is untapped potential and tomorrow’s Cream of the Crop.

I believe in a not-yet corralled community that needs each other and the honesty. If we open up about the real things inside the lives of thinkerers, wanderers, innovative nomads, the curious, brand new founders — and those who haven’t even realized their untapped potential, and that they have the greatest gift inside themselves… This is not the thing we learn in school. The gift of experience and wisdom of those who came before us instilled this in us, but now, we are in new territory. This is a new day, the Third Wave.

Everything is transforming and being disrupted. And we must be wary of the advice the older generations continue to pass along.

If there is anything that I can do to advise my own child in how to best prepare for his future — educationally, financially, professionally, and personally — it’s going to come out of the questions we ask here.

With humility, hope, and curiousity, welcome to the Second Shift Daily blog.

— s

this was originally published on December 6, 2016 on SecondShiftDaily.com. since then, content has been migrated to the Medium platform.

fire starter & founder of secondshift | impact ventures
a data-driven and editorial-led lifestyle company with massive ambition, and a resolve for action.

we are a publisher — predicting tomorrow, preparing our community, understanding & advocating,
digging in with intention & integrity, asking the questions, understanding the truth behind the answers, with the heart of a journalist

we are a tech & data venture firm.
we are makers, too — we play with math uncover patterns, opportunities, build things
deserving of super hero capes.

i am an advocate and visionist.
my mission is to be somebody who makes everyone feel like a somebody -
and show them where to find their own possible.
i build things that help you move yourself forward, and i seek out the people, communities, and challenges that need us most.

i do marketing and planning things, especially with business teams in transition or startup teams trying to accelerate.

i move ideas and spark action.
ignite the nudge a market needed or
the extra attention your prospect craves.

high level strategic planning & alignment
innovative business visioning
tiny campaign bursts of impact for niche target audiences
blazing traction & acceleration for startups looking for velocity
collaborative partner for investor/founder teams

i use data to connect dots to insight that real people need, for their jobs, their development, their impact — which serves everyone

i am bootstrapping my way towards strategic investment opportunities, authentic collaborations, and a community of business partners who feel like family.

it’s a pleasure to meet you.

— s

It CAN be a revenue stream, but I don’t WANT it to be my revenue stream.

Just because it can, doesn’t mean it should.

It’s most difficult to be diving into something completely foreign.

I want to not be what I already know.

I want to be a totally new version.

People who are in the industry can evolve.

I’m not here to test the waters with an iterative version.
I’m here to make waves with an untested concept, because it’s the right thing to do.

I’m not here today with the right answer.

I’m not here with absolute resolution of what we need to build.

I’m here with the relentless pursuit of a concept that must become reality.

We have to protect our founders.

And in that protection, I will find mine.

So that I can pursue the real work of my startup,

Unless this is exactly what I’m called for.

— s

originally published on January 7, 2018 on the Second Shift Impact Ventures blog.

And when I think back to what made a day like today incredible, I’m terrified about what amped me up.

I’ve always said that it’s much scarier to know exactly what you’re supposed to do versus not having a clue — because then you’re accountable to a dream. You don’t have the excuse of “not quite knowing what your passion/calling is”.

Life gives you signs. Life says “yes” to things, and “no” to others. If you pay attention, and let it, life will lead you. You will learn to be patient in seasons of surface level-action, but that’s because the season is working inside of you.

You will learn to be agile in how your dream takes form.

For all of this, hyper-self awareness, vulnerability, self-respect and accountability, and openness are the key.

The manifestation of the self-work you do on a regular basis, just like you brush your teeth, has a ripple effect that trickles all of the way out to your investors, your customers, your family, and your ultimate success.

“YOU CAN’T DRINK FROM AN EMPTY CUP.”

If you look at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, it tells us that first, we must take care of our Physiological Needs (food, water, warmth, rest), then Safety Needs (security, safety), etc. Following that, Belongingness and Love Needs (including intimate relationships and friends), Esteem Needs (prestige and feeling of accomplishment), followed by Self-Actualization (achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities).

I’d argue that for a founder, or entrepreneur, the foundation of what we need to have rock solid, would actually flip his diagram upside down. We have to have hyperSELF, so that we can attack these big visions… THEN we figure out the rest of these things. This is just how it works. You have to be so sure of your vision to even begin conversations with others about your big idea. There is nearly a delusional-ness to us, that allows us to completely justify our reprioritization of not just values and responsibilities, but true needs. Everything gets shuffled around and we do what it takes to get by, just enough, with everything else that isn’t our startup. It’s why our personal finances are trashed, our personal relationships take the brunt of the hit, and our obsession level is off the charts. Our vision both empowers, and traps us.

Going through a transitional life change down a road like entrepreneurism can be likened to a soldier going on deployment, without the standardization established by the military in prior bootcamp or training.

The question I’d pose, is there a way to reshuffle the pyramid in a way that is tailored for the founder? We need to put founder wellness at the core of the pyramid. I’m not proposing that this is the most selfish audience segment on the planet — but what I am proposing is that if we start looking through the filter that has to be looked through for priorities for entrepreneurs, we would be having a different conversation.

We’re not going to change the lense that these founders are living through. But we can adjust the pyramid and how we tackle the real needs of these founders and personal struggles.

Imagine …

The overall success rate would go up.
The failure rate would go down.

And the ultimate failure rate — suicide — would finally be something we could impact.

The sole purpose of our venture is to run programs and initiatives that support Founder Wellness.

We only care about folks who identify as an entrepreneur, founder, owner, co-founder, etc. or any other name that evolved into in the future.

We’re here to reset the standard of what balance looks like, so that the folks who are literally changing the world, have a better chance of making it all the way.

The success of our impact will be measured by the ripples of theirs.

Such that, our business model focuses on all of our profits going back into the founders it supports, and the next generation of social impact entrepreneurs.

We aspire to be a proud B Corporation, but that will take a little time.

In the near term, we are:

1. Driving the conversation
2. Collecting vulnerable data from anyone who identifies as a founder
3. Connecting with future potential partners that want to be involved in this program.

Our ultimate goal is to be a program that investment firms leverage as part of their diligence practice, with both prospective and currently funded founders.

In addition, we are looking to partner with existing hubs of founders to provide this solution to their members.

More to come soon…

— sam

originally published on January 12, 2018 on the Second Shift Impact Ventures Blog.

I have my solo seat ticket to the premiere in New York next week, I bought it immediately. I knew I would have to figure it out—there was no way I was going to miss this.

Because we both know, the true impact of what you’re doing is about the parts that can’t be seen in the film. Its the subtle undercurrent of awareness that maybe that huge dream, goal, fight, calling, mission… that work you can’t NOT do, is just a little more possible. There are alot of us who have made the climb already, and have earned #Girlboss status. There are a lot of us who are en route … head down, doing the work, fundraising, protecting our equity, figuring out growth and success and how to find our momentum. And there are some who are mid-freefall. They are terrified. There is no map or money yet, the game plan is still fuzzy, they haven’t met women like you, and they don’t have the examples of possible in their lives. But they know that where they are, isn’t it.

But we know is when a woman listens to that nudge, that inkling of self-awareness aligning her capability with an unmet demand, the fire is lit. And when that quiet, authentic fire starts to burn, we’re all going to feel the impact of her chasing her potential. The work you’re doing, and I hope you continue to do, is putting more wood on the fire. You’re capturing the stories and shaping the voice we need to hear when we want to throw in the towel, or think we’re not good enough to do this. We all have to go through this journey and find what IT is, at our own pace and on our own terms. That sometimes takes awhile. And with the speed of transformation across all industries now, it’s just going to get harder for us to protect that ambition, keep the fire burning, and keep each other in the game.

Keep going. Because we know that this is so much important than just a dream, or a film. You are going to make a lot of amazing things. Your future is bright, and you GetIT. You get Human. Protect that.

But like you, I understand our role on a much deeper level. This is our responsibility. We can’t not do this. This work is not about our story, dream, or entrepreneurial venture. THIS is the Bigger Story.

We are bridging generations of professional women, who are all in the workforce at the exact same time. We are raising babies. And taking care of parents AND grandparents — keeping our potential in a quiet side hustle. Or notebook. We do the right thing, try the right way, try to make them proud, get the promotion, get the time…

But there’s no time. The time is right now.

It’s time to publish the scrappy drafts on a new blog without an audience, get their notes and ideas out of their heads and off the Pinterest boards. it’s time for an unapologetic braindump, and heartdump, into whatever medium that comes natural, and bring that messy effort into real life. Because it’s that tiny decision to give your inkling just a little chance at life, a breath, an outline, a napkin drawing or full-out business plan — it doesn’t matter. We just have to get it out of US. We have to get out of our own way.

So many women are doing such amazing things — but the truth is, we’ve barely scratched the surface. There is so much self-censoring of unrealized dreams, potential, and we need them so badly. We have an entire generation of children, adolescents, and young adults to raise — who will not feel or know a time of inequality, of limits, or tolerance of corruption at the expense of our families, livelihood, and future.

We have incredibly big, complex systematic issues that need a lot of creativity. We have fresh ideas, innovators, and creative thinkers that need to be protected. Because the old system, and the thinking inside it, doesn’t guard or grow the mindsets, nurture the people, or push the boundaries of what is possible from each of us. The possible of individual potential is unknown. And it is our duty, to fuel that possible. Pour it on thick. And stand up to Them, with BOLD, AUDACIOUS CONVICTION. We can use our art, talent, tools, and together — we can eliminate the unnecessary sources of resistance while continuing to build beautiful spaces and places where everyone can thrive. Where they can strive to work on reaching their own potential, on the things in this world that matter most to them. We can live for our causes — real causes that stand a chance of winning. We can be tough, strong leaders with warm hearts, living with intent.

This world is so hungry for heart and effectiveness together. We have to keep telling the stories. We have to keep getting the great work, the real people, and the real stories in the Spotlight, with the louder voice. Through that inspiration, execution, and momentum, we will make change through inspired action.

And that’s the ripple of a network effect that matters. That’s exponential. That’s the power of a community. That’s how we expedite Global Good.

And it only takes One. And you did it.

So again, Thank You. Keep it burning …

I hope to see you next week — I still have to figure out how I’m going to pull off a trip to NY from Dallas. But in case I don’t, when you’re ready to talk big dream scope, I have an epic follow up project for your team — obviously my only choice, intentionally.

xo, sam

there isn’t a template for this kind of job.

there isn’t an algorithm for innovation.

there isn’t a system for separating the wheat from the chaff … the ones who will “make it”

or a predictability index for the ones who will prove them all wrong.

the only ones who will win, are the ones who probably don’t even know what they’re going to write when they actually show up, pour their heart out, and hit submit before editing the goddamn form.

there are so many things i forgot to add. but i’m a finalist.

a finalist for hitting submit. for showing up. for stepping up.

my scrappy draft plan is proving to be effective.

i went back into the app to pull out what i said, so it could get a timestamp.

Because the truth is, you can only plan so much. At early stage, innovation stage, inkling stage, you can only keep drafting what you’re trying to pull together, the parts that are gnawing and hungry, and the correlations that can be made within your own life, experience, and how you chose to live.

Because its always a choice. And there’s only so much time.

Submit, or keep waiting. Refine another draft, or hit publish. Apply, or think about it. Weigh the pros and cons, or own what you stand for. Do it for them, or do it for you. Get out of your own way, or stall.

New York — or Silicon Valley.

— -

Here’s my scrappy draft application answers to the worlds premier startup launch program (subm 5/28/16).

1. Write 2–4 paragraphs on why you want to be an entrepreneur:

There is no other option for me — it isn’t want to, it is GET to. And I’m applying for this fellowship because I have to train and learn from the best in the world, the fastest, because we only have a little bit of time.

I only am applying to Founders Institute because I need to trained from an employee, into a prepared, backed, understood and supported entrepreneur that can attack. I have done my part to prepare for this, mentally, emotionally, and have unwavering conviction that this is what’s next.

This will be the most impactful, widest reach, most influential and powerful startup to not only come out of FI, but to continue to breed the legacy in the years to come.

I’ve only invited one other person to take part in this journey — Mark Susta. He invests with the soul, fire, and grit that I need on my dream team. I knew it was him, because of this article he just posted called How I Invest, here is my reply: https://medium.com/@secondshift_sam/mark-my-name-is-sam-bammes-fc758bbf22fc#.1quh83uyi

2. DESCRIBE YOUR IDEA/IDEAS. If you do not have a final startup idea, then describe an industry or customer problem that you might want to build a business around.

There will never be an exit for the startup I’m founding right now. This will be the Legacy, that is bigger than all of us.

This is the new model of an association, or watchdog, that keeps a balance of public, private, and people. We are a hybrid thinktank, ally, agency, and incubator. We move ideas, and scale authenticity, keeping the human in tech and the knowledge flowing. We make sure the bottlenecks of bureucracy and red tape don’t hold up progress ever again. We need the systems that are in place, but it’s time for an a 4th body of truth — a voice that carries an unstructured, valuable power — the one of the people, determined by the market, across all industries, generations, and

We are everywhere, and belong to nobody. We are a private entity, but not tied down by regulation.

We are an example of equal pay, activism, and what one person can do when they just take the initiative.

We are the ultimate catalyst for individual capacity, speed to impact, and alignment with the right intentions. Maybe this is lean association. But we can’t change them — we have to work together, with them, and we have to rise up and speed up, so we can take care of the next generations best interests, so they too, can thrive. We need to establish the foundation for community, human connection and speed. The people need this.

Simple. 2 People from every community-driven organization (association, union, alliance, etc.). One man, one woman — for balanced gender equality. And one of them must be under 30. This can be a paid or unpaid position, and the appointment or election can happen every 1–2 years, but we must maintain momentum. They will revive their community. They will drive change. And nothing lasting will ever work, unless they decide to take action themselves.

We will leverage the budget typically used for marketing/sales, and shifting 50% into our program, and 50% into member acquisition and retention. We will work with them as a business, community, and be their partner in providing client services as a marketing agency typically would do. But with the resources and backing of the private market, the people, and our own power.

This will shift every industry, every community, every person — and become the new standard for a balanced organization. We are going to breed businesses, innovation, but most importantly — this is a model for designing organizations that can think together. This isnt up to the government, board members, or any one group. This is my mission. And I am the CEO of this path, and I know FI will set me up right.

Here are the other alliances/partnerships/relationships/topics I am interested in and either have or will have:

California | New York | Dallas | Colorado | Seattle | DC
tech — media — makers — independent

Fellowship — Founders Institute
Singularity University
TEDFellow
XPrize/Mindvalley
Deloitte — Leadership and Research — GrownUpIntern
Starr Conspiracy — B2B Agency — Fort Worth
Change Agent — http://changemakerchat.com/
Start My Own Chapter
Innovation Enterprise — Site Contributor, then Board Member
Dialexa — b2b, rapid innovation, cool product
Meltwater — International Media Intelligence
Mattermark — Trusted, balanced datahouse
FiscalNote — Industry Director
Neuroscience/Marketing — medical/advertising
Development/Education — everyone
Global Drug Policy/Legalization of Cannibis/Global Market

TECH STACK: Action IQ — stealth startup building the next gen of data driven busn apps. Based in NYC. Funded by Sequoia and First Mark — founder — Tasso Argyros

Intentionally aware, friendships across the country, in all industries, close to the heart of the problems, trusted advocate by all, discipline and patience for the long term vision to stay steady and trust the market during the speed, hype and ambiguity of tomorrow, fast, fluid, independent, global reach while maintaining local roots and low profile, maintain personal brand and tell the story along the way, but ultimately my role is to be a firestarter and ally for the whole.
Our project work is distributed so these membership-driven organizations can transition and the members can revive themselves.
Thus, kickstarting the entire industry into momentum.
They have to help themselves. We have to help that.

Everyone is moving on the tech.
My startup is to be the first and only independent
association that bridges the interests of public, private and the poeple, with integrity, balance and simplicity. Keeping the human in tech.

strategy set, without bias.

We help watchdog industry verticals so everyone
can be great at their great. And do a little more possible

we set the strategy for global impact
starts at home, with seeds of impact

3. Write 2-­4 paragraphs on why YOU are the person that can execute on your startup idea (or ideas).

I am the only one that has the balls to take the BOLD steps, with the humility and relentless conviction to complete. I can dominate and command, without arrogance, set new standards like an editor with traditional values, I can build the relationships with the best in each domain and light the spark they need, and maintain the friendship for the long term. These will be mastermind teams, unshakeable, because we have self-selected. We’re in this on purpose, because as a true millenial, we know we are up to us. But it doesn’t have to be the free fall that it has been. We can be fluid, and safe. And someday buy a house.

I am an amateur in all areas, and I need to protect that. I can float, scout, blend into any group. With that said, I can see what each of those groups is missing. Its very simple, but allows me to push beyond the limits of known function & design, because I don’t know it. My insatiable curiousity keeps my hungry in a wide spectrum, and I have the perseverence to persevere to envision, plan it, act fast, but actually build the right thing. With the platform and relationships I have networked, facilitated, and given back to, my human capital is unmatched. Nobody else has the ability & patience to communicate and awaken people to that — a need they haven’t even felt before, and pull into a group that doesnt yet exist. I’m always on the offense, proactive about strategy and people, not the cash cow. That is a separate venture.

I have never called myself an entrepreneur, I’m just a single mom that has been working in marketing, who keeps getting fired. So instead of going back into the broken system, I put my head down, came up with a plan, and committed to it. This is happening.

I’m radically clear, going to beat Jeff Weiner to 3 billion knowledge workers, and bring my own table.

— -

I don’t think what matters is acceptance into the program, or any program/funding round/group … I think what matters is that, since Thursday, I’ve done more to move my own ass into gear than ever. A powerful clarity driving momentum to be excited about … only forward from here. And will make for a wicked storyline in #SkippingSmall.

This is one of those models that is totally fucked up still. In October 2015, I wrote on a sticky note that I would never update my resume again. I’m sticking to that. Howevvvvver…. I’ve got a lot going on. And because it would be a waste of time to fight the “system”, as usual, I can modify the approach and still win the game. I need to work on the personal “brand” and lay it out. It’s really important for me to find the people who align with what matters most to me, which is a complex, messy pile of notes and words and sites and open tabs.

I know patterns and I know what ties it all together. One document wont do me justice. BUT. One landing page will work.

Its Just Sam

Bucket 1: The Ol’ Worn Out Resume: link to the last one that got me the last job, that let me go because I needed to be in a “thinking” role — this will be sufficient for those who require it (i can play by the rules), but will also lead to a space where I can tell the real story, they can explore on their own. And my brand. And the little empire of one.

Bucket 2: The “New” Resume — This is today, top level. And the statement of where I’m great, What I’m Looking to Contribute to, and The Type of Work I’m Seeking

Bucket 3: A Letter of Intent — I think everyone needs a maniffesto of sorts. I hate that word. And there are so many great statements out there already. For now, I’m borrowing the ones that got me here. I need to do more work, meet more people, and try what works first, then maybe someday I’ll have my own. I’m not qualified yet to make rules — I’m just mashing up what I like about what already exists.

Bucket 4: All of the Problems + The Players — There are SO many challenges that need thinkers and initiative. If we have a choice in the work that we do and the type of clients we serve, I chose the missions with the most impact. These are the hot spots I’m focused on, but always aware and interested in exploring, meeting people who really need help, and doing whatever I can to serve.

Bucket 5: All the Missions + Initiatives: These are my missions. In a truly integrated life, work for others/personal projects/personal interests/lifelong learning/events/vacations/etc — with a little bit of coordination and initiative, we can live whole lives. In this modern day, anyone can do anything. So this is just how I’ve organized what I chose to do, where, and how I can strategically, intentionally, and with joy, recklessly attack my ”Clouds” while doing the dirt.

Bucket 6: Bio’s + Titles: blurbs about me at varying lengths and a list of things they call me.

Bucket 7: Ultimate Pursuits — the Whys. Before the strategic action plan of attack. A little more abstract, ultimate, and bigger than us. It needs its own bucket.

Bucket 8: My Side Shifts — I will always have a side hustle. These keep me active in getting shit done, wherever my curiosity leads or opportunity that shows up. I can lean into whatever without justifying to anyone. These are the little inklings that turn into ideas then action then projects then value. And if they’re valuable, they will grow up and move out. Never my full attention, but always something cookin. My little incubator maybe.

MY PRODUCTS: Planners | Industry Guides | Tiny Tech | Swag | Home

MY CLIENTS: We move ideas by driving conversation & impact by working on projects with Startups, Community-Driven Organizations, and Boring Industries. Project Acceleration, Organic Growth.

Bucket 9: My Day Shift — (get quote from Kate Bolick book) I’m in love (ie. obsessd) with the work that I do. I don’t need to reinvent a successful business model, but I have learned that alignment of values, priorities, and impact are critical. I’ve often been hired into new roles without job titles because my value or “ness” was needed. But as a twenty-something in the professional world of advertising, media, and technology, I always have one foot in traditional business while stretched and racing against the forecasted future. Afterall, I was doing strategy for their business, I can certainly anticipate my own needs in career and place in society. But we see it in every industry, nobody can keep up. As a strategist, problem finder, systems lover, and innovator, it is incredibly challenging to sit down and shut up — we don’t have time to “earn our stripes” with old models of thinking. We aren’t being proactive when we “jump ship” from the cubicle, out of emotional frustration or onto the coat tail of a trend. And that goes for the naive new grads or dropouts, but also for the experienced board members who have lost their conviction for disciplined investments and long term planning. I think there is too much to learn from our seniors about leadership, communication, and the overall complexity of business.

Business exists to serve society — period. There are so many places where that philosophy is an option, not conviction. This is broken. And those are the places, people, and projects I pursue, and hope to be pursued for.

Sweet Spot: On a team with a mission and hard problem or objective to work on. Project based. Complex. Someone else is better than me at tactical production/doing and another is the politically correct. I’m great at connecting the dots, and providing solutions/ideas for what’s beyond the dots. Answers to questions the competitor or leaders haven’t asked yet. I am scrappy, fast & slow, relentlessly resourceful, and always wandering with Why. I love to work with boring industries that need to catch up.

Not Good: Tactical Administration/Production Roles.

Story- The last underqualified mid-level manager I worked for said I couldnt keep up with the workload. She had her boss let me go after I provided a workflow audit, analysis of process, and recommended solutions for expediting. Self-directed in an effort to figure out how I could do better (obviously feeling that I was drowning — along with the company). She had assigned the workload 3x the hours, and I was looking for her feedback and direction. The VP told me I don’t belong in administration — and would happily recommend me for thinking/strategy roles.

Current Status // Opportunities I’m Looking For

Bucket 10: Put Me To Work

Bucket 11: SecondShiftDaily — oh the site. I am not a publisher. But maybe. Maybe all of the categories and the branding and this content site, is just for me. With the guts of a journalist, a true, civic duty, I should just write my own. Maybe it will get picked up. Maybe it will have spin off brands — the ones I’ve already planned out .. but start here. SS is me right now, and daily, is every day. New habits. Committed consistency, around the topics and ideas and problems that is, you. Stop thinking about it, just write there first. Figure the rest out, execution wise, later.

Bucket 12: My Own Principles for People of Purpose — we need a framework to come back to, especially in this modern day of unstructured data, wanderers and anything goes.

Bucket 13: Editorial Intent + Content Map

Bucket 14: Shop + Product Map — get the money in the bank. Sell stuff people want. Cash is king. Turn earned value into capital that turns into impact. Period. Bootstrap sales. Sell yours, help them sell theirs .. Grow.

Bucket 15: Contact — Make it easy for them to contact you.

Bucket 16: Events — The ones you gave your eye on, want to go to, and want to someday be part of.

think it, write it, be it.

make second first.

— — okay. hitting publish on this draft. and going to finish the site. and a “good enough” resume.

You are probably the only person I’ve never been able to ignore very well. I hope that I have something to share soon, because I have a lot of apologies to make and downtime to spend with very important people. It’s getting harder to walk away because everyday I’m closer, more committed, and more sure that everything has lead to this, and it is what I am made for. But I’m pragmatic, hyper-sensitive to time, and not oblivious. I haven’t lost touch with reality :) I’m trying to go fast, but right, and its a lot to go through. And I only have this one chance to do this.

With all of the noise, the uncertainty, the indecision, the unknowns combined with infinite possibilities, opportunities for success, commitment levels and choices, I know I’m not doing a great job at being smooth with people, conversations, or spending any time on personal relationships. It is this. And Cole. And that’s it. I know that I suck at “using my words” and explaining what I need. And I wish that I was more cognizant of other people right now, but I can’t, and it feels terrible. I am usually thoughtful and I miss the connection. I can see the missed calls, and texts. I know people get annoyed and sad and mad and frustrated with me, and it feels terrible. But I also know that if I continue to let all of the feelings and distractions pull at me, I’ll never make this happen. I’ll never finish this start. And I guess this is what “all in”/behind the scenes looks like. It feels worse, and less predictable than labor. Its like, you know this thing growing inside of you is your fault, you’ve been preparing and getting ready, and the only answer I have to anyone who asks me “How’s it going?” — I want to say, “right now we’re at early contractions.”

I haven’t made up my mind about “meant to be”, like in terms of a God/fate/horoscope thing, like it was going to happen no matter what … a calling? Or if there is something else. When people align with where their true strengths are, where they’re good, valuable to others, and fulfilled internally, without the veil of trying to meet anyones expectations or perceptions — what is that called?

It’s not about the tech, or the data, or the book. It’s not about becoming some trendy new startup or busting a pro-women movement. It just is what I need to do. It’s on my to do list, right next to “dont get evicted” and “lunch money for kid”. It’s getting the foundation solid, so I know where I stand. Maybe it’s because I am acutely aware of how rapid these things can stand up, and how exponential they get when it works. I just know it will, and I want to be ready. Maybe my “ready” is different than what people expect. But those are the same people saying “start before you’re ready” and “you’ll never be ready”. Which I think is terrible advice. There should be more due diligence. It would save a lot of wasted time and shitty investments. It would also be easier to separate the wheat from the chaff… or see the soulmate amongst the frogs, or strippers. Whatever you’re into. I’m just grateful that I was born the year I was, and aware of what the hell is going on. And hungry enough to chose the “build wealth” option vs. “start complicated nonprofit”. Thankful that social business is getting trendy. And I’m grateful that I’ve waited to launch. There are too many who are in the game that aren’t ready.

When I’m done, you can red pen my metaphors. Which, is the whole reason I am writing this. This afternoon, I got the book you sent. I don’t know when you sent it, and I know I’ve missed you a few times. It was a total surprise, drew unexpected tears — and was immediate reassurance to keep going, and the perfect nudge, inspiration, at the exact moment I needed it. It was a goddamn Hallmark moment, and probably the only way to catch me off guard — old school mailbox. You would do well in advertising.

But most importantly, you reminded me this is human. This is people. People need their people, they can’t always be hunkered down. And this goes full circle. In my work, in our world, whether it is one to one, or one to the world, it’s a delicate balance between personal and professional, planned and spontaneous, innovative and automated, inspiration and conversion.

The true battle in all of this is fighting off the little fuckers. The nags. The “are you sure, are you sure, are you sure, are you sure”… its on a loop. But, every single day, the balance tips a little heavier towards less unsure. Clear? It’s not “hard” in the way you have felt before, expect, or plan, or can really explain. Right now, I’m doing what I know. I’ll get the right pieces in front of exactly who need to see what I have, when it’s ready. It’s definitely not an “if”, and is only a matter of time. Does anyone else startup with a full manuscript, tech startup with validated products and traction, AND a think tank? I’m just saying, I’ve had worse clients with more work.

My “ready” is fluid, adaptable and wide open for opportunity and eager for the next chapter. This is not a creative outlet or hobby, and is so much more than my career and security. There certainly wasn’t a Career Track Plan for this at the job fair — and no wonder I didnt really career advice/direction growing up. But I’m not sure anyone that is playing at this level, this early, is seeing this big. Maybe it’s that I’ve had just enough experience in all the right places, the right combo of curiosity and interest, and just ballsy enough to pull it together. To WANT to pull this together. And to really be trying. Today it looks like a blog post, but we both know what’s in it.

Everyone has their thing … Not the thing that they are doing, or have been doing for a long time. But their thing where they’re working/living/being in that sweet spot that is all of it at once. I wish there I am certain that I won’t be able to do this by myself.

I wouldn’t have been able to tell you that I needed you in the ways that you’ve helped, inspired and encouraged. And not only has that made me more aware to be more appreciative in my own life, its a reminder of truly what moves people. Which is what this whole thing is about, right? The marketing and advertising is just the platform, but the science and data? That’s for good. That’s so we can work on big problems, do hard things, and do the kind of work that is worth getting up for.

Last week I opened a book from a journalism class I took the year I was at WSU. I don’t think I ever have actually read it — there were zero highlights. But something came together. For me, there is something unjust about how things happen. We have the freedom to make the choice, but not all of the tools to do it well. We have the access to anyone in the world, but aren’t aligned with those and struggle with the wrong advice. We have SO much information in our pockets, and cant even make a decision. The incredible amount of resources being poured into non-profits and the progress that those organizations can make with whole countries, but we can’t even keep up with our litter. Or literacy. Or recognize that we’re becoming machines.

The media used to play that role. And the journalists used to be the trusted resource. They would do the digging, vetting, and filtering of noise. It was their duty to not only make sense of the world, but also make sense of the flood. Reporting, self-governance, that was easier then.

Now, it’s all aggregated, jumbled, and provided the same way you get a Netflix recommendation. And some of that content looks like a real article. Doesn’t that completely go against everything that journalism and media are supposed to be? How are we supposed to know how to make decisions? We can’t even pick a movie on our own, or do our own work.

That’s what I’ve been doing. Paying attention, and doing my own work. All of the notebooks, all of the index cards, all of the things I wrote down and haven’t done anything with. That’s everything. I didnt realize the connections I made, were in fact the blueprints of the next generation of journalism.

My sticky note idea of “keeping human in data” isn’t a cute tagline. It’s kind of the core. And the reality is that I am a writer. And an advocate. And a publisher. And data person. And an entrepreneur. And a parent. And a creative. And a marketer. And a strategist. And a business professional. And everything lead to this. And it’s time.

Thank you for thinking of me. Thank you for the book. Thank you for understanding.

• sam
• PS. I’m really going to hit publish before editing. Which is killing me. And This may or may end up in the book. Sorry, not sorry. And I have no audience, so its not a big deal.

My name is Samantha Bammes and I am seeking funding and support for Second Shift Impact Media Ventures.

Through targeted projects and partnerships in the cities that need us most, with the leaders and communities who need the support, we will accelerate impact, influence and the future.

Through a revolutionary data-driven, predictive model for resolution, we are planning, connecting, and forecasting for impact. We’re the wranglers of chaos and trusted source for a balanced point of view, enabling YOU to make smart decisions, so you can be the best you can. And we’ll be there from now on … whether you change your mind or the whether the impact of world issues trickles down.

• Students
• Career Development
• Media Planning
• Startup Modeling
• Investor Insight
• Market Observations
• World Leaders

It’s time for a new foundation to begin from,

We are tomorrow’s trusted foundation, an anchor — a place to innovate from. We are the new starting point. This is a dream coming to life. This is where we start, and build our tomorrow. This is work that matters. And this changes everything.

What is your possible? “

-sam