Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Curtis.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
In order to understand how and why I started blogging, there’s a little backstory needed!
I met my husband in August 2010 and we started dating the following month. I learned he’d be heading to Basic Training (Army) in November but already knew he was “the one”…so I was in it for the long haul! He left in November and came home in December for 2 weeks. We got engaged and then he headed back to Basic Training. When he graduated in March and I finally saw him again, we got married. In April, I joined him at our first duty station and immediately got pregnant! And in May, he deployed to Afghanistan for 10 months.
It was A LOT to handle and I didn’t know how to process everything happening. I was pregnant and sending my husband away to war. So, I started writing. It was the best way I knew to get everything out of my head and work through everything I was feeling. It also gave him a chance to read what was happening back home and how my pregnancy was progressing. “The Adventures of an Army Wife” was born in 2011, and that was the beginning.
A network of Army wives helped me get through deployment and about a year into blogging (which was just a hobby at that point), one of the wives told me that there were brands that would pay me to write about their products. In 2012 I rebranded to “Hooah and Hiccups” and began working with brands, networking with other bloggers, and diving headfirst into a new field and career.
In 2014, I rebranded (again) to The Samantha Show. I felt that the Army content wasn’t encompassing of who I was and what I wanted to share, and began to share more about me and my life. I was married to a soldier, not the one in the military, and I wanted to break away from that stigma. It was then that I really started to discover who I was as a person, what made me happy, what kind of things I wanted to create, and what direction I wanted to go with my business.
This May marks 11 years as a blogger. I’m super proud of how far I’ve come, not only the growth I’ve had as a person through my career but also the way I’ve grown my business. I created my own path when there wasn’t one for me; I’ve been on press trips, gone to New York Fashion week, built my own business from $0 to six figures, worked with thousands of brands, and most importantly, shared parts of my life that have helped women feel less alone.
I absolutely love what I do and through all of the changes that have come with this field, I’ve continued to learn, grow, and hopefully inspire women to look and feel their best.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not! Because blogging was such a new field (and continues to evolve) there’s always going to be changes and things to adapt to. I’ve faced negativity from other bloggers and followers. and had to learn to toughen my skin. When my husband would leave for trainings and deployments, I’d struggle to hold down the fort while also working and keeping my business afloat. I’ve worked with some not-so-nice brands or met some people along the way who just wanted to use me. I’ve also questioned my own worth and many times, wanted to quit because I felt like I wasn’t good enough. But there was a lesson to be learned through all the adversity and led me to where I am today.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I say I’m a content creator because to be honest, the term “influencer” kind of makes me cringe and can have a negative connotation. So, I create content to help inspire women to look and feel their best, share home decor and travel inspiration, and the ups and downs of parenting. If I can help another woman or mother feel less alone by sharing my honest journey, then it’s all worth it. I share a lot about my mental health struggles, my recent POTS Syndrome diagnosis, and the real and raw parts of motherhood. I pride myself on my honesty and can’t even tell you the amount of messages I get thanking me for keeping it real. Instagram can be such a thief of joy and a highlight reel and while of course there are things I don’t share about my life; I always share my truth.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My husband, first and foremost. He’s always encouraged my dreams and lifted me up with love and support. He’s helped me edit posts, take my photos (best Instagram husband ever), and just supported my career in general. There’s not much of a work-life balance being in this field and he’s never complained when I’ve had quick turnarounds, been on my phone sunrise to sunset, or had deadlines to meet. He’s the ultimate hype man and I would have none of this without him.
My kids, who know that when I’m on my computer or phone so much, I’m working. They help out when a campaign involves them and they’re always willing to pause for a photo when I ask! With minimal complaining…
I’ve also met a ton of amazing women (my internet friends haha) and they’ve helped me with various things over the years. Advice when I needed it. A shoulder to cry on when things got tough. A travel buddy for press trips. Engagement on my posts. Just the best cheerleaders.
I’ve also had virtual assistants and now a manager and they truly help the business run behind the scenes. I’m very lucky to have a great team!
Contact Info:
- Email: samantha@thesamanthashow.com
- Website: www.thesamanthashow.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/samantha_show_
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thesamanthashow
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/thesamanthashow
