Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam O’Brien.
Hi Sam, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I didn’t discover design until after college. At the time, a friend and I had started a bottled water company after taking an entrepreneurship course together, and for a couple of years we were out selling water all over Austin. Through that experience, we were exposed to the creative side of building a business—developing a brand identity, designing packaging, and creating marketing materials.
I became fascinated by the process. Every time our designer sent over a new round of concepts, it felt like opening a present. I found myself just as excited about the branding as I was about the business itself.
When the water company eventually fizzled out, I started asking myself what I wanted to do next. I kept coming back to design. Rather than going back to school, I enrolled in a program called Job Propulsion Lab, which helped aspiring creatives build professional portfolios in a condensed timeframe. From there, I became completely obsessed. I taught myself the design software, studied the creative process, and spent countless hours practicing.
That work led to an internship at a local Austin advertising agency, McGarrah Jessee. I spent five years there, growing from an intern into a senior designer while working on brands like YETI, Whataburger, Costa, Shiner. and Case Knives.
Eventually, I left to travel the world. To help fund those travels, I took on freelance projects along the way. What started as a way to fill the gaps gradually evolved into a full-time business and the launch of my studio, SAMPLE.
Today, I work with both local and national brands like Tecovas, Titos Vodka, Duck Camp, Mañana, Zilker Brewing Co., and more. I specialize in brand identity, packaging, apparel graphics, and typography. More recently, I launched SAMPLE TYPE, a type foundry focused on handmade display fonts. Typography has always been my favorite aspect of design, largely thanks to my former creative director and mentor, David Kampa, whose passion for lettering and type design had a lasting influence on my career.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been shockingly smooth and the growth has been steady and organic. The real challenges come with operating your own business– doing the administrative, financial, and tax side of things. It’s a time suck and I’ve learned a lot along the way.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Today, I work with both local and national brands like Tecovas, Titos Vodka, Duck Camp, Mañana, Zilker Brewing Co., and more. I specialize in brand identity, packaging, apparel graphics, and typography. More recently, I launched SAMPLE TYPE, a type foundry focused on handmade display fonts. Typography has always been my favorite aspect of design, largely thanks to my former creative director and mentor, David Kampa, whose passion for lettering and type design had a lasting influence on my career. This new venture has injected a lot of creative freedom and energy back into my daily workflow, and I’m pretty excited about it.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was an athlete and obsessed with soccer. My parents say I always had a ball glued to my feet. Like design, I spent countless hours honing my craft. I did, and still have, a pretty obsessive personality. Once I find something I like, I go all in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sample.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sample_co?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
