Meet Samantha

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Samantha a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Samantha, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I pull from my own life. I actually keep a running note on my phone full of random ideas—some are half-baked, some are just one-liners, but they all come from little moments I notice day to day. I try to draw, design, or animate something each month that’s just for me. It usually involves a cartoon version of my husband and my dog. I love taking something small—usually funny or weird—and turning it into something other people might relate to.

For example: My husband and I are originally from NJ. We just recently spent the summer in Italy. I thought it would be hilarious to draw this overexaggerated but true scene:

We were visiting Puglia, Italy. The water was crystal blue. The kind that you can see straight to the bottom at the toes you wish you painted. My long-haired husband laughs because I plop myself into my black tire tube. He then disappears underwater and flips his hair back as he comes back up to make it look as though he was George Washington.
Caption: You can take them out of Jersey, but you can’t take the Jersey out of them.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I worked as a Motion Designer at Major League Baseball. I was lucky enough to be part of an All-Star design team—literally and figuratively. We pushed each other to level up every week, constantly learning and collaborating. During my four seasons there, I was a total sponge. I contributed to campaigns for Opening Day, All-Star Week, the World Series, and the Postseason Times Square billboards. I helped create award-winning YouTube series for MLB TV, made commercials for YES Network and Fox Sports, and produced hype graphics that ended up as the #2 top-performing content of the year—only beaten by the World Series win itself. I loved that job. Really loved that job.

But I wanted freedom. I wanted to travel, explore, and take on new creative challenges. Now, I’m the Brand Marketing Director for Jerome Alexander Cosmetics, a makeup brand infused with skincare. I help lead everything from product concepting to final design, including paid media ads and commercials. I work from Philly, NYC, Florida, and Italy—using the flexibility to soak in as much inspiration as I can.

M next big dream? I’d like to design and animate the credits in movies or TV.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Three Most Important Qualities, Skills, and Areas of Knowledge

1. Know the Core Tools
If you know Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects, you’re in a good place. These programs cover a wide range of creative needs—design, animation, photo editing, layout—so once you’re comfortable with them, you can adapt to most types of work.

2. Don’t Say “I Don’t Know” Befor You Look It Up
If you don’t know how to do something, search it. YouTube, forums, quick tutorials—there’s no excuse not to try. A little research can help you solve a problem, gain a skill, and maybe even book a job you wouldn’t have taken otherwise.

3. Make Time for Personal Projects
Once a month, make something that’s just for you. No brief, no feedback, no client. It’s the best way to develop your style and stay excited about what you do.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Professionally, my team at MLB played a huge role. They constantly pushed me to learn new programs, sharpen my skills, and step out of my comfort zone. We collaborated a lot, which gave me the chance to learn directly from some incredibly talented designers. That environment helped me grow fast.

Personally, it’s 100% my husband. He’s basically my muse. Any time something funny or ridiculous happens, I immediately picture it as a Looney Tunes-style scene—and I have to draw it, animate it, or add some over-the-top VFX to bring it to life. He’s where the ideas spark.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.itwassam.com
• Instagram: @sam_inataor
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthaomalley/