We’ve got an eagle eye for scroll-stopping visuals and a knack for creating really engaging content.
About Sam
I’ve been a personal brand manager since January 2020, and a marketing nerd since I was a child.
Before that, I trained as an art historian and curator, and wrote copy for best-selling travel guides. After spending my days writing and putting on exhibitions in galleries, it seemed like a natural career progression to take those skills online and share my passion for putting words and pictures together with others.
I work primarily with start-up entrepreneurs and founders who come from diverse backgrounds, because I want to put all of my efforts into helping people have their voice heard and thrive on their own terms.
I understand the challenges you face when trying to put yourself out there, and I know how hard it can be to juggle work and life without having to remember to post on Instagram or share that article on LinkedIn too.
I’ve always LOVED social media, from those early (see: cringey) Myspace days to now, and love the challenge of finding new ways to help people like you show up consistently.
About Tom
I’m a personal brand manager that hates the falseness of social media and advertising. I don't like or believe in the art of manipulation as a way to separate people from their finances. Instead, I believe in kindness and authenticity. I strive to stay true to my own values, and encourage others to do the same. I'm here to support you in navigating the digital hellscape while remaining honest, thinking outside the box and helping you to foster a genuine connection with your audience, just by being you.
I have a romantic vision of what people are. I want to bring out the best in people, and I love to tell a story. I’m at my most creative when an idea makes me laugh, or makes me feel something.
We’re all drawn to something that reminds us of our own journey, aren’t we? That gives hope for people like us. So I’m not here to tell the stories of the Insta-successful people that drive convertibles and earn six figures every day, because that's not us, is it? I’d rather work with the people who have had to deal with life’s challenges, revealed their eels, and still manage to get out of bed and do something interesting and fun.
Our Achievements
Samantha and Tom are the hosts of The Backbone, a personal branding podcast for people that don’t fit in the box.
Vertebrae Social has been part of the Natwest Accelerator, Barclays Eagle Labs x Steamhouse Digital Direction programme, Hatch Incubator and LinkedIn’s first ever Creator Accelerator programme.
Samantha Has hosted talks and workshops on personal branding and community building for organisations such as Virgin Money, University of Birmingham, West Midlands Combined Authority, Wolverhampton Business Week, Natwest, TAG Network Midlands, Founders Collective, BCU, University College Birmingham, and more
She was also the host for Inspired By, a series for TAG Network Midlands
Get to know us
In his spare time, Tom plays drums in The Big Hell, and is also qualifying to become a personal trainer.
Samantha is on the TAG Network Midlands Women In Leadership board, co-hosts community networking events in Wolverhampton for Style Stories, and in her spare time, is a background artist for film and TV shows.
They both love unlistenably heavy music, Mexican food, going to gigs, and hanging out with their twin daughters.
