Be You Be Great is an attitude & a way of living.
It is a power rooted in our conviction to work together & see realized a society that embraces us all for who we are in our diverse greatness.
What is the newsletter for? Everyone is always so busy, and the news is always so overwhelming. In the spirit of “Be You Be Great,” I want to make it a little easier for you.
Every issue offers:
1) a story that’s not trending but should
2) a short #SWOsound playlist
3) a random something for you to enjoy
4) a brief trending topic breakdown
If you’re interested, you can subscribe here. Issues are released every other Wednesday.
Sometimes folks will ask me where Be You Be Great came from. Here’s the story:
I was on a call with my team back in late 2015, and we were talking about how to tie together all the work I do. How do we communicate a narrative that makes sense and that brings into focus all of my passions? It was a bit of a daunting task because, to some people (myself included sometimes), my work can feel scattered. I always have to remind myself not to spread myself too thin.
Prior to the call, I had jotted down a bunch of ideas for different digital campaigns. I saved “Be You, Be Great” for last not because I was confident about it but because I was sure it was a throw-away. After all, plenty of ideas are throw-aways en route to a really great idea. That’s a part of the process.
So we’re on the call, and I say, “The last one I’m not too sure about. It just kind of popped into my head. Be You Be Great. But I think it’s probably too corny to stick.”
“Hold up. That’s perfect.”
“Really?”
“Sam, you’re corny.”
“I mean ok but–“
“That’s it. That’s the one.”
“Are you sure? I just kind of threw it out there…”
“Sam. It’s the one. I’m telling you.”
And they were right.
For me, Be You Be Great has always been about embracing a life that, despite all the twists and turns, is fundamentally built on a sense of balance and practicality. I believe we can, even though it’s corny, work to build a society in which we can be ourselves and thrive not in spite of our multiplicity but because of it.
I believe we can do it.
I believe we will do it.
Together.
I hope that BYBG gives you a little nudge to keep going and a reminder that you are fully capable of whatever you set your mind to.
Even when I’ve doubted myself or my work and get into my own head with second-guessing thoughts, it is y’all who’ve reminded me about the value of BYBG. For that, I will always be grateful.
BYBG is about a community of people. We are folks who lift as we climb, who believe our differences bring us closer together, and who are always down to put in the work.
