Meet Sam

Named one of 2021’s 100 Women of Impact by Entrepreneur Magazine, Samantha Ettus has devoted her work to guiding and motivating women toward ultimate career success. She is the Founder and CEO of Park Place Payments, a women-run fintech company that she built over five years and recently sold to a public company.

Sam is a best-selling author of five books, a renowned speaker, and was co-host of iHeart’s leading women in business podcast. Sam is best known for her positive and comprehensive take on living a thriving professional and personal life as well as her Experts’ Guide series of how-to books. Sam spent eight years as a Contributor to Forbes, was a syndicated columnist for Scripps Howard News Service, and now writes a popular weekly work/life newsletter. Sam hosted 75 episodes of the leading Internet talk show Obsessed TV, which she created and produced with Gary Vaynerchuk.

She makes regular appearances on shows including the TODAY Show, Access Hollywood, NBC News, Dr. Phil, The Doctors, Cavuto: Coast to Coast and Good Morning America. She has been featured and quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, USA Today, Fast Company and Inc. She has spoken on hundreds of stages across America from TEDx to Fortune 500 companies and every leading women’s conference.

Sam earned both her undergraduate and MBA degrees from Harvard. She is passionate about women in politics and co-founded the Los Angeles Women’s Collective, aimed at supporting women to run for office and win. She currently serves on the advisory board of the Forbes School of Business and Technology and Sparks and Honey. She is a member of The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Sam lives in Los Angeles with her husband and three children.

SAM’S PHILOSOPHY

After working with thousands of the busiest professionals on the planet, Sam saw a common theme. The happiest ones were the most fulfilled. Happiness is not the goal, fulfillment is. With fulfillment comes happiness and greater productivity and better relationships.

What makes a fulfilling life? It is one that plays in six or seven slices rather than one or two, some combination of career, health, relationship, children, community, friends and hobbies. When we overfocus on one slice at the expense of the others, we hurt that one slice rather than hone it. What makes it easier to play in multiple slices? It is letting go of the guilt that drags us down and letting go of perfection. When you embrace the idea that the most fulfilling lives are going to be messy, it is easier to manage the bumps. Think of your favorite pie. It probably isn’t the perfect one, it is more likely the gooey messy one that is most delicious.

Life is like pie. Dig in!