My Story

I started my first business at 24 years old, two years after graduating from my Masters in Organisational Psychology.  That business started my entrepreneurial journey and lead me to the point I’m at today, delivering social media training to organisations for the past 13 years.

With my first business, an employee survey provider, I quickly realised that I needed to get marketing savvy to grow the business.  I went on marketing courses and found them pretty rubbish!  In fact, I ended up telling them this down the line and being invited to deliver the courses myself!

I became a self-taught success on LinkedIn, growing my first business by building relationships with the right people on the platform.

This lead to many a conversation about social media.  I decided to pursue it as another business to run on the side, and went on courses to learn more about the world of social media and how I could use it to grow my business, and help others do the same.

Sam Flynn Social Media began in 2010.  Since then, it has become my main business.  I deliver training all over the UK to marketing and sales teams predominantly.

My speaking career began soon after starting Sam Flynn Social Media, progressing quickly from networking groups to conference stages, including talks at The Excel London, and in Lesotho, Africa and Berlin.

Both my training and talks focus a lot on the psychological aspect of social media and using it to build relationships with your audience and converting them in to customers.  I also help organisations understand how to stand out in the busy world of social media and do what their competitors aren’t.

In 2020, I founded membership site Planet Social Media.  I really to launch an affordable way for small businesses to learn how to grow using social media.  Planet Social Media is made up of a training video library, action lists to move you towards success, a community for asking social media questions and fortnightly live calls.

During the Covid pandemic, I found myself using my phone more and more, to the point where my middle daughter started calling me out on it.  I decided it was time to change, and researched the impact our phones are having on our lives and how to reduce their use.  My screen time is down 75% and I now help others reduce their phone use, though short courses and coaching programmes.

I also work with businesses on improving their digital culture to increase output and employee wellbeing.  I help them learn about creating a positive digital culture to improve employee wellbeing and productivity, and also help employees manage their own digital wellbeing, reduce their own smartphone use and improve their overall wellbeing.

I’m also a mum of three girls and a westie, a wife, a nightly reader, a crocheter and a lover of wine at the weekend!