We’ve been working with Sam for years and hope to be working with him for years to come. He’s a ‘whole-mind’ strategist who blends exceptional creativity with sheer analytical horsepower in a way that’s quite rare. This allows him to conceive and develop remarkably innovative solutions to the challenges facing his clients. A lot of consultants in the market talk about innovation and creativity, but Sam is somebody who has pioneered important trails. More importantly, he’s able to do things that are brand new and get results like he had a library of best practices to guide him.
ANDERS GRONSTEDT, GRONSTEDT GROUP

Strategic thinker, wordsmith, thought-leader and new media wizard, Sam brings something to the party that no one else can. That is why, when my partner and I decided to start a business, Sam was the first person I called.
ELIZABETH GAZDA, EMBR LABS

Sam is a great guy, absolutely brilliant—wonderful writer, very thoughtful and nuanced, broad and deep toolkit, especially skilled at content strategy, social media and cutting edge comms techniques.
SAM HILL, FTIC CONSULTING

I worked with Sam at US WEST Communications and Accruit. He has a good eye for compelling design on all marketing vehicles; open-minded creativity and imagination; fluid mapping of features to benefits in context; and an engaging flair for showmanship without showboating. He can grasp the emergent relationships between the moving parts and optimize the dynamics of the whole.

Sam is also one of the best marketing/PR writers I have ever known. I have worked with the top agencies in the country, and managed some of the biggest commercial brands. Sam ranks in the top 3% of those undeniably brilliant creative minds. Not only is he a talented writer, Sam has an extremely knowledgeable set of skills in employee-based strategy and organizational issues. It is difficult to find areas where Sam can’t contribute, if no less than to direct the outcome.
MARTI SMITH, SMITH BRAND GROUP

Sam has the uncanny knack for capturing the essence of the communicated word in a way that’s global in its thinking, no-nonsense in its approach and laser-like in its focus. He is a rare commodity in today’s skill-specific corporate environment. He is a gifted strategic thinker who understands marketing from both a conceptual and practical perspective. Bring him your most daunting challenges and he will provide you with exhaustive analysis, fresh yet sensible solutions and thoughtful execution. You need superfluous drivel? There are plenty of other places you can go for that.
JOHN CAVANAUGH, BELGRAVE ASSOCIATES

Sam was instrumental in driving client successes for every one of the 20+ accounts he was leading. I never had to worry about if those clients were happy, because Sam was on top of every aspect of the research, analysis and execution of our complex content strategies.

Every day, Sam made our team stronger by always being willing to support, troubleshoot, brainstorm, and strategize for his teammate’s clients. He took the initiative in driving internal communications and PR efforts to evangelize our team’s market capabilities. Sam’s organization and communication strategies were unparalleled, leading to solid connections with key internal stakeholders resulting in new business.

Sam is an exceptional marketer. He was able to connect with the essence of a brand and their target consumer, then attribute data driven analysis to capitalize on digital marketing demand – leading to marketing opportunities and gaps that generated significant results.

Leader. Brains. Talent. Strategy. Communication. Team. Sam has a marketing instinct and acumen that is unrivaled. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with him.
JOHN NEGRAU, PHOTON

Sam is a talented writer with a sharp eye for business strategy: what works, what doesn’t, and what just plain doesn’t make any sense. He understands how communications need to work together across multiple media, as well as what it takes to develop and execute a plan to create and deliver those communications. It’s always a pleasure to work with someone as intelligent as Sam, and I hope I have the opportunity to do so again in the future.
DEBORAH LEVINSON, DEBORAH A. LEVINSON UX DESIGN & CONSULTATION

I worked directly under Sam while working at US West Communications in Denver, CO. He’s a true professional who personifies the term “grace under pressure.” When describing Sam, two incidents stand out that truly defined his character. First, he stood out as a leader when the company was fractured by a strike, and remained calm and professional when our company covered the Columbine tragedy. Since then, Sam has established himself as one of the top critical thinkers in the realm of mass communications.
JOSEPH LOPEZ, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF BANKING

I have known Sam for more than two decades — as fellow student, then faculty colleague, and now friend and mentor. I have watched him become an intellectual force. He has pursued this through the due diligence of reading widely, of listening intently, of entertaining opposing views and of questioning intelligently. His attention to detail, common sense and discipline leave him remarkably equipped for tasks requiring intellectual and creative leadership. It is this skill set that he used to found a well-regarded online journal keeping the peace among its creative staff of smart, independent-minded writers. He understands what so many never do: that the hardest people to manage are volunteers. If you don’t have the leverage of job security or money to wield, you have to do it with vision and pure people skills. If you can manage in these circumstances, you can probably manage anywhere.
DENNY WILKINS, ST. BONAVENTURE UNIVERSITY

Sam Smith is a rare breed. Possessing both a keen intellect and creative flair, Sam has more than delivered on numerous projects. His ability to observe and rapidly analyze human behavior is brilliant. His ability to codify content and produce compelling written accounts is even better. Add in that he is a great all around personality and you have one heck of a business partner.
DAVID TAMBLING, BROADSTREET PARTNERS

I had the privilege of attending a workshop Sam Smith presented at the Angel Capital Summit 2010 in Denver and came away extremely impressed with his effective marketing strategy. Sam focused on the alignment of overall business strategy to drive marketing instead of tactical implementations. The overarching brand message is the anchor of all marketing implementations. Sam encouraged the attendees not to buy what is good for the vendor. He shared with us an illustration of a successful client who selects the right tool for the right purpose to achieve the ultimate business goal.
CHIA-LI CHEN, CHIEN ASSOCIATES LLC

Sam’s breadth of knowledge and his expertise in so many areas make him a rarity in today’s world of ‘specialists.’ But if I were forced to offer his strongest point… it would have to be his writing. Sam’s ability to take a complex subject, or a simple topic, and craft a strong, interesting, easy-to-read – and grammatically perfect – piece is not only amazing but, more importantly, it’s consistent.
STEVE HAMMACK, US WEST & DAVITA