Humans of 3Q: Meet Sam Huston

Published: July 6, 2020

Author: Phoebe Martell-Crawford

Our Humans of 3Q series continues this week with Sam Huston, Chief Strategy Officer based in Denver! Get to know Sam below:

What were the factors that made you decide to join 3Q?

There are always a number of factors, both personal and business-related, that contribute to a decision like this. The factors that weighed most heavily for me were:

People and culture. We spend more time with the people we work with than our friends and family, so finding a group of people that I would enjoy spending time with and a culture that was open to new ways of working were very important to me. Everyone I have met through this process has been amazing, and the conversations I’ve had have been fun and engaging. There was clear alignment on what the 3Q culture means among everyone I met with, which I found to be very exciting.
Vision and values. Many agencies operate quarter to quarter and year to year. 3Q has a powerful vision for the future, and the team is actively putting the pieces in place to achieve that vision. It was also exciting to see how the values were featured prominently in the conversations I had with the team as well as throughout the work being delivered to clients.
Opportunity. Agencies are momentum businesses, so it was important for me to join a strong team with a history of success. 3Q has achieved an unbelievable amount over the last 12 years, and I saw this as a great opportunity to join a powerful group of individuals doing really strong work.

I’ll also say that every single review on Glassdoor has a response from 3Q, and I think that demonstrates a dedication to continually building a great work environment.

Where did you work before 3Q?

Most recently, I was the Chief Strategy Officer at iProspect. Prior to that, I worked for a number of different agencies across traditional media, creative, and innovation. However, the job where I learned the most about life and hard work were the summers I spent working at a cement factory mixing and stacking bags of Quikrete.

What’s one thing visitors have to do in your city when things open back up?

There is so much to do in Denver, but the one thing everyone should do is attend a concert at Red Rocks. There really isn’t any place like it.

Tell us about your morale associate (pet: if you have one).

Yes! One of the great things about working from home has been spending more time with our Bernese Mountain Dog, Scout.

What sets 3Q apart from other agencies in the industry?

There are a number of factors that separate 3Q from other agencies, not the least of which is heritage and history of the agency, but I think the biggest differentiator is the client base. Working across a wide variety of clients from start-ups to fully scaled enterprise clients provides a unique perspective on the role media can play in building long-term success. As a result, 3Q is better positioned to offer unconventional solutions to the challenges our clients face, and those solutions are more likely to offer sustained value.

How do you spend your free time?

I love to spend as much time as possible outdoors and every year try to learn a new activity. Last year I took up motorcycle riding and since have been riding dirt trails all over Colorado.

What’s the best trip you’ve ever taken, and what’s the first trip you’ll take when it’s safe to travel?

I’ve been fortunate enough to see a lot of interesting places in the world. The trips I cherish the most are the surf trips I’ve taken with friends to Mexico.

The first trip I’ll take will be with my wife to Paris. I’ve been promising her for years that we will go, and I don’t want to miss another chance to take her.

What’s your favorite TED Talk?

TED talks have been an amazing resource for me throughout my career, and there are a number of TED talks that I find myself watching repeatedly, but right now I am relying on TED talks to help confront my own privilege and become actively anti-racist and a stronger advocate for justice in all aspects of my life.

Kimberle Crenshaw’s talk on the urgency of intersectionality, Damon Davis’ talk on courage, and Dr. Phillip Atiba Goff’s talk on the actions we can take to end racism and police brutality are some of the ones that I have found to be inspiring and helpful.