Conversations with Sami Cone

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sami Cone. 

Hi Sami, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
It may interest you to know I’ve never held a job I applied for. That’s not to say I’ve never applied for a job, but everything I’ve ever done I’ve either created for myself or someone has sought me out for the position. For example, I started blogging over a decade ago before any of us really knew what a blog was (or that it could be a business). When I first moved to Nashville, I was told I should be on TV, so I called a producer and convinced her to give me a shot. Thanks to that risk, I’ve been a regular on CBS’ “Talk of the Town” since 2009 and launched my own 30-minute TV show, “The Sami Cone Show” in 2019. I once even gave an elevator pitch to a radio executive IN AN ELEVATOR. That 30-second encounter landed me on nationwide radio with my own segment and led to me developing and hosting my own nationally syndicated radio segment that was heard in over 200 markets across the country. Oh, and I also wrote a best-selling book in 2016, “Raising Uncommon Kids”. 

The moral of the story is that I’ve always surprised people, but I’ve never underestimated myself. I graduated high school at 16, taught at the undergraduate level when most of my students were older than me, and even traveled the world as a tennis pro after I earned my master’s degree from UNC-Chapel Hill. 

After a brief stint working with MLB in Florida, I found myself back in higher education as both a professor and Director of Cultural Arts. But after having my first child and getting pregnant with my second less than a year later, I knew I couldn’t continue to have a traditional day job. Couple that with a pending move to Nashville and that’s when I started to get creative. 

My best friend originally encouraged me to start a blog as a way to keep friends and family informed of our growing family and to help them find great deals. I was also the resident Disney expert, so I offered a lot of Disney travel and savings tips. Shortly after moving to Nashville, all of the above got kicked into high gear. 

It was at the beginning of 2010 when my mindset really changed. I’d been doing regular TV segments for about 6 months and I attended my first blog conference. It was then that I discovered what I thought was a hobby and a service for my friends could actually be a business. Back then you would have called me a “deal blogger” or “mommy blogger”, both terms I cringe at now, but represent an era that made my business what it is today. There were so few of us doing what we were doing (and Instagram didn’t even exist yet), so we were truly paving the way for future influencers all while learning how to code, market ourselves and work with brands. 

Fast forward to today and my blog remains my home base. I still write but prefer video (the longer-form, authentic storytelling as opposed to short-form humor and dances). My TV show brings alive everything important to me and my audience: helping women, in particular, become the best versions of themselves by showing them how to maximize their time and money. I also love highlighting people and organizations doing good in this world and helping others. And I also finish with a dose of inspiration. I like to say my show is for “women who know enough to know what they don’t know but want to be in the know”. 

And staying true to my talents and passions, I continue to teach, consult, speak and write. All while raising two teenagers in high school! I’m thankful for the relationships I forged in my early blogging years, many of which continue to this day, both with individuals and brands. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I don’t know any entrepreneur who’s had a smooth road. But it’s failure that refines us. Being at the beginning wave of online content creators, it seemed like we were making up a lot of what we were doing on the fly. If something worked, I’d do my best to replicate and refine it. If it didn’t, I’d reassess and revise. 

Back then, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. Other content creators and brands would steal everything from intellectual property and content to images and proposals. I learned that if I was going to take this seriously, and expected other people to take me seriously as a businesswoman, I had to create my own LLC. I learned about NDAs and how to give brands enough to make them want to work with me, but not too much that I’d see it on a commercial three months later without my involvement (yes, that happened). 

Most importantly, I learned to value myself and my time. I used to work a lot of hours for not a lot in return. In the old days, we’d get excited over a free bottle of lotion or free movie tickets. I quickly realized I couldn’t feed my family on either. I had to stop comparing myself to others, compute what I needed to earn to make my time worthwhile, provide statistics to justify the ask, and then learn to say no without being afraid I’d never see another opportunity come my way. 

Finally, I learned to diversify my income without spreading myself too thin. At one point in the middle of my online career, a financial advisor determined I had 17 different income streams. I cried when I saw it on the conference room screen in front of me because it was the wake-up call I needed to realize I was stretched too thin. I couldn’t possibly keep up that pace and give my family what they needed from me. I cut back on saying yes to things that either didn’t reflect what my time was worth or didn’t have any long-term gains. I put a little more time into developing partnerships that could bring me recurring work and that helped me feel like I was making a difference in the world around me. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Unlike some bloggers and online entrepreneurs who focus on one platform, I embraced video early and enjoy creating videos to this day for both traditional and social media. 

I love being able to be a conduit, taking the attention off myself and pointing people to other people doing great things. Nothing brings me greater joy than to introduce my audience to amazing people and causes. My mentor once said we’re supposed to be like the Red Sea, not the Dead Sea; if something flows into us it needs to flow out of us. I never take for granted the experiences I’ve had or the wisdom that’s been poured into me and I strive to share it each and every day. 

A few years ago on my birthday, I was bold enough to ask my audience why they chose to listen to and watch me. Over and over again, I heard them talk about my authenticity and transparency. Others mentioned my openness and honesty. What I didn’t expect them to talk about were my strength and perseverance. 

For years, I mistakenly believed that sharing the not-so-beautiful parts of my story was shameful. Now I realize that the difficulties I experienced not only help others going through similar struggles, but it allows us all to relate to each other, even when we don’t know one another. People aren’t looking for perfection, but connection. 

A lot has shaped me over the years, from my parents’ divorce (& my own) to sexual abuse. At the end of every show, I always want to take the opportunity to encourage and uplift my audience, giving them hope that their past difficulties or present circumstances don’t have to determine their future. We all have the power to stop identifying as victims and begin to rewrite our own stories. 

If I’m proud of anything, it’s that I didn’t wait for an opportunity to be presented to me. I’ve created my own path in life and I’ve found a way to make a living that not only provides for my family but allows me to go to bed each night knowing I’m doing something that encourages others and points people to God’s love. 

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
At the age of 12, I was in the eighth grade. My mom was on vacation and a college-aged friend was staying with me. I found out from my half-brother in LA that there was an opportunity for me to be on a TV show his wife was working on. As someone who wanted to be an actress from a young age, I jumped at the chance. 

I don’t remember asking permission and still don’t know exactly how I pulled it all off by myself, but I managed to get all the necessary forms filled out by my school, booked a flight, and got myself out to LA for the opportunity. When my mom found out, she was furious! I did return to Chicago eventually, but it was a thrill to be on a real Hollywood set, even if just for a few days. 

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: SamiCone.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesamicone/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamiCone
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesamicone
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SamiCone
• Other: http://www.pinterest.com/SamiCone