Rising Stars: Meet Samantha Cormier of Smyrna

Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Cormier

Hi Samantha, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been in Nashville for over a decade but I am originally from a very small town in central West Virginia. After graduating college and getting married my husband and I decided we needed a change and uprooted our lives and moved to Japan. We taught English on the island of Shikoku for a year, decided we wanted to continue teaching, and chose Korea as our next adventure. We taught in Busan for the next two and a half years and migrated to Nashville in 2014. While in Asia, I grew a deep love for both global travel and photography, and I knew they were things I wanted to morph into a job.

In 2017, I started my travel brand and Instagram, @samanthas_suitcase, which is where I started to post travel content and hone my photography skills along the way. I’ve grown my community over the years to 164k and I’ve worked with some amazing hotel properties and huge brands around the world creating content for them.

Once I settled into my knowledge of content creation, social media, and photography, I decided to branch out and I started Nash Bash Snaps, my bachelorette photography business here in town in February 2020 (yep…right before the world shut down). Once people started traveling again by the end of the year, I started to see photography clients roll in and it hasn’t stopped since. I’ve had the most amazing girl groups over the years and I even started doing proposals, engagement and couple sessions, and event photography like baby showers.

With all that as a great base, I also am a social media manager for local businesses. I decided this was also a good branch of my business since I know Instagram inside and out…and let’s be honest, people really don’t have the time to run their social media accounts but it’s absolutely essential for businesses to have them anymore.

My most recent endeavor has been creating a HUGE 120 page Nashville travel guide eBook. It’s called “Nashville: The Ultimate Guide to Music City” and it’s downloadable on my website. It took months to complete, I worked with some fantastic hotels downtown to make sure I was getting a first hand experience staying at properties before recommending them in my guide, and so far it’s been a nice success! I am also in the process of writing a book. My agent has it out on submission and it’s going to be a tongue-in-cheek travel guide about disliking outdoorsy activities like hiking and camping but still loving actually being outside. So how to find waterfalls right next to the road, beautiful mountain lakes you don’t have to hike to, etc. My agent found me based on a mega-viral Instagram Reel of mine (33 million views) about how I’m not “outdoorsy” I’m “outsidey” and so we have turned it into a full book concept. Fingers crossed for a 2025 release!

While my work is a bit all over the place, it does all come down to the two things I love: travel and photography.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest challenges was certainly starting a new business in February of 2020. I couldn’t even believe my bad luck. I don’t think I got my first bachelorette group until October!

Another challenge is finding businesses who want a social manager. I’m always running across local places like boutiques, restaurants, etc. who desperately need help with their socials but don’t always see the importance of it.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m really proud of my photography business getting started in the middle of the pandemic! I feel like there are a few of us around who do similar things, but I’ve kept my prices affordable and I think the quality of my photography and editing style helps me stand out.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
I like: The Authentique in East Nashville, Ophelia’s restaurant, and Little Gourmand. I like all the music that comes to town, I know I’ll likely never have to travel for a concert! I like that BNA has a direct flight to LHR!

I dislike: That Nashville drivers are allergic to their blinker, the lack of a light rail system (it would be a game changer), and the roads desperately need attention! I’d also love some more international direct flights but I hear they’re working on it.

Pricing:

• NBS shoots start at $45 per person
• Social Management starts at $1250 per month
• Content Creation starts around $1200

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.samanthassuitcase.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/samanthas_suitcase & www.instagram.com/nashbash_snaps