Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Johnson
Hi Samantha, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
From a young age I always had a passion for event planning and marketing. Whether it was hosting the neighborhood tea parties or planning my high school prom and booking DJs – I always loved when people came together to enjoy my experiences.
In college, I relocated to Miami, and immersed myself in the nightlife scene to gain hands-on experience in the hospitality industry. This period was not just about learning the ropes but also about forging invaluable connections with celebrities, athletes, and thought leaders in the city.
Right out of college I sold my car to move to LA and got a job working as a Marketing Assistant for the SVP of Promotions & Digital Media at FX Networks. I did what any 22 year old normally does when they first move to LA, would work by day and party by night (this included many car naps). I soon learned that one of the first questions when meeting people would be “what do you do”, and when you said you worked at an entertainment company the door opened with endless people wanting to connect. I would be working at my desk as an assistant and have one of the lead actors from FX’s series Snowfall, Damson Idris come to the office looking for me to say hi – my colleagues were very confused. It wasn’t long before I realized I was here to do more than just to be an assistant, I wanted to leverage my relationships, utilize my creativity, and have a better opportunity to grow. This is when I transitioned to agency life.
After a few years working at big agencies, Before The Know was born. My career had always been about organically building powerful relationships while being able to identify trends before they were publicly known, so I set out to create a company that would bring this vision to life.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I am sure every founder can relate that starting a new business is never a smooth journey. There are many highs and lows along the way. Some of the biggest struggles at first was being a one man show for everything. You’re the business development, the social media director, campaign manager, design team, accounting, and the overall face all in one. You have to have tough skin as a business owner to deal with over promisers, time being wasted, rejection, and much more. Once you can get past all of that and learn to keep a positive a mindset, the challenges turn into motivation.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Before The Know is a Talent & Events marketing agency that weaves brands into the fabric of culture through influencer marketing, strategic partnerships and bespoke experiences in LA, NYC & Miami. We are known for being your go to source for everything Influencer Marketing. We are unique because we create moments that are only talent focused. This includes red carpet premieres, influencer activations, brand trips, and customized seeding opportunities. We operate as an extension of our brand partners teams and bring our culture expertise to the forefront.
Within the first year of launching BTK, we have been able to partner with some very successful brands in a multitude of industries such as entertainment, beauty, lifestyle, and spirits. Our work has showed amazing results for our partners and has allowed us to continue to maintain strong relationships.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
This sounds so cliche – but do not give up! If you have a passion and know you are good at something keep going. When you are feeling rejected and not seeing immediate results – take a break, reset, and then pick yourself back up again.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.beforetheknow.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/before_theknow/?hl=en
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@beforetheknow
Image Credits
Photographer – Cory Grimes
