In the early 1970’s Samuel’s grandfather and grandmother, Sam (Samuel) and Ruth Valencino owned a cafe in downtown Greenville, Mississippi called Johnny’s Log Cabin. It was the best eating place downtown where all of the business people ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner (when a good cup of coffee was 10 cents). This is where I got my entrepreneurial spirit coupled with the beliefs and values of my parents. I remember when I was very young, I sold plastic fruit and items to my family in my grandparent’s home from my cardboard box storefront with my own play money. Those were some good times. My sister and brother and I were always taught that we could do anything we set our minds and hearts to. And we did just that. My sister earned her master’s in social work from the University of Southern Mississippi, my brother owns a law firm and I earned the Eagle rank with the Boy Scouts of America, class of 1979. We were always determined to be successful.

During my tenure as a rising graphic designer, I fell and rose to the ever-changing economy. I had quit, lost, and got fired from my job eight times in my short term of employments, mostly because of the economy. But I also feel that most of the jobs I lost were because of my entrepreneurial spirit and that they knew I could always spring back into the market. When I lost my job, I felt like it was an opportunity for a better job and a raise in pay! It gave me opportunities to show what I was made of. I usually had a job before the paperwork had a chance to go through at the state unemployment agency. One Monday morning in 1991, I lost my job at Signet Bank during an inflated economy and was at a marketing trade show that same day talking to people and touting my resume. Nothing could stop me (FYI: It took me 7 months to find a job in that economy). At my last employment in 1994, I was fired from West End Printing Company. At the time it was the best thing that ever happened to me and Samuel Little Graphic Design, Inc. was born in 1995.