art, identity James Samana art, identity James Samana

Authenticity, Influence, and the Art of Connection

I write to influence, but true influence comes from authenticity. As a transformative coach, I help leaders uncover insights that let them stay true to themselves while navigating complexity and change. If you’re on the path to deeper self-awareness and want to explore how coaching can help you find your authentic voice, reach out. Let’s talk.

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art, identity James Samana art, identity James Samana

Art lives in all of us

In this post, I reflect on a powerful experience I had while on an approximate 5,500-kilometer solo walk across America, searching for purpose. One of the standout moments came in Sully, Iowa, where I encountered a 60-foot-tall sculpture made from over 200 welded wagon wheels, created by 90-year-old Leonard J. Maasdam. His untrained, intuitive approach to art inspired me to think about the nature of creativity—how it can live in all of us, regardless of formal training. This post explores how art, like Maasdam’s wheel tower, is not confined to galleries or schools; it’s something universal that can be experienced and created by anyone.

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Entrepreneurship, identity James Samana Entrepreneurship, identity James Samana

Dressing with a purpose

There’s a quiet, often overlooked truth about how we show up in the world: what we wear profoundly impacts the way we approach the tasks, challenges, and relationships that shape our professional lives. For many of us, the office, even if that office is at home, is more than just a physical space; it’s where we cultivate ideas, solutions, and contributions that reflect our values and sense of purpose. But before any of that can happen, we first need to prepare ourselves. And one of the most important ways to do that is by carefully considering what we wear.

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Entrepreneurship, identity James Samana Entrepreneurship, identity James Samana

Shifting from numbers to meaning

For the longest time, I viewed networking through the lens of numbers. I was told as a beginning entrepreneur, that it was a ‘numbers game’. It was all about accumulating connections—more people, more possibilities. I was told that the larger my network, the more impact I could have. It was a game of growth, one I thought was measured in metrics: followers, connections, messages sent, and posts posted. The problem with this approach, however, is that it subtly drove my communication style in a direction I hadn’t fully realized. It became transactional, impersonal, and it just felt less valuable.

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