Jack or Johnny?

What started as a funny pseudonym for TikTok covers quickly turned into a personal aspect of songwriting for one SAM employee. Jack Meadows, known to us as Johnny Mangini, released his first EP on Spotify and Apple Music on March 7, 2023. The EP has two songs in the folk and indie style, a genre he enjoys and hopes to be discovered in.

The first song, “Savior,” is a story of hope. Johnny said he wrote it for people to relate to when they feel stuck and tied down – to know that there’s always hope when they are aching for something better. “I wanted to use Jesus as someone who is personable, but not necessarily as a spiritual or religious figure,” Johnny said. “I wanted to mention his life and what happened in it so people could see the story, relate it to themselves, and know that there are many things you can rely on for hope.”

The second song, “The Dam,” is about a love story gone awry. “If you’ve ever been in a relationship before, or have a close relationship with a friend or family member, it’s hard to lose that connection,” he said. “Throughout the song, you understand the connection is being lost, and the dam is a metaphor for the heart being broken by one of the people in the relationship.”

Johnny has been writing songs for around three years, but he decided to take his hobby more seriously in 2022 when he began writing for the EP. He soon connected with Justin Miller, a producer with Five Points Recording Studio in his hometown of Huntsville, Alabama. He began recording in January of this year, and it took around 10 hours for two other musicians and him to record both songs. Ethan Shattuck, the violinist, and David Cowart, the drummer, are two of Johnny’s close friends from childhood. “I was really glad to have both of them; they’re really cool dudes.”

On the EP, Johnny recorded the vocals, rhythm guitar, lead guitar, and bass. However, as a child, he never played any instruments. “I tried to learn when I was about 11 years old,” he said. “On Christmas Day, I tried playing with a Home Shopping Network guitar… I gave it up after the first few days. It was just too hard.” Around the time he started writing three years ago, he picked it back up.

Johnny draws his inspiration from a variety of bands and musicians in the folk, indie, blues, rock, and alternative genres. “Kaleo, The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Nick Drake… they all shaped my sound and how I write,” Johnny said. The first year of writing was a small stepping stone compared to where he is now. “It took me a while to get a good grasp on it – trying to figure out what I like to write, how I write, and how to find my voice.”

Johnny shared that he would love to book a few gigs to perform his EP and future songs. “I’ve been going around to bars, breweries, record shops, and coffee shops in town with promo cards and posters to promote the EP,” he said. He has sent his songs to some of the hotspots across the country for indie music, as well as submitted them to playlist curators on Spotify.

When asked who his biggest supporters are, Johnny said it would have to be a three-way tie. “My mom, dad, and sister – they have supported me through the music process since day one. They’ve never stopped, and I appreciate everything they do for me.”

Scan the QR codes above to start streaming Johnny’s EP!

Beat the Buzzer – Teambuilding at SAM

Starting in 2023, SAM transitioned from monthly squad challenges in the office to quarterly team outings in an effort to allow each department to bond in a different environment. For the first quarter, each team went to Breakout Games and participated in an escape room. There were nine possible scenarios, including a museum heist, bomb squad, and island escape.  Each team attempted to break out together and beat the buzzer in under 60 minutes.

Our Graphics department did a fantastic job in the escape room. Both teams escaped with over 10 minutes to spare!

While everyone values time spent together in the office, a change of scenery was welcomed for the teambuilding activity. “I really enjoyed getting to know how each person thought about different challenges in the room,” said Hallie Guinn, one of our Graphic Designers. “In a completely different setting, we were able to learn more about each person on the team.”

“I enjoyed it because we were not given the option to talk about work,” said Casey Boltz, Accounting Specialist. “I know we all enjoy our jobs, but when we eat together, we still talk about work. This gave us a chance to let our brains move away from the office.”

One person felt like certain aspects of being in the office carried over into the action. “We enjoyed each other’s company, but we still felt the time pressure,” said Andrea Kring, Traffic Manager. “In all, it still felt like the office because we were in hustle mode.” The production department created 255 jobs in March – the most jobs produced since pre-pandemic numbers in 2020 – so they definitely know something about “hustle.”

Things got a little sideways as the accounting and co-op team banded together to escape!

Andrea also noted that collaborating directly with her department was not something she was used to. “Most of our work in the office is done individually, then passed to the next person,” she said. However, since the breakout room requires everyone to collaborate on the same tasks in order to escape, it brought her team together in a positive, yet unexpected way.

Participating in an activity like this also allowed each team to rely on each other’s individual abilities and problem-solving skills. For some, it was no surprise that they were able to succeed. Misty Bivens, one of our new Co-Op Specialists, said, “It showed how well we already work together and communicate. We were able to feed off each other’s ideas, and that led us to come up with solutions or more ideas to work with.”

Suann Hunter, Accounting Director, said she felt like the whole experience fostered camaraderie and trust. “The most rewarding part was being able to listen to and trust my team,” Suann said. The escape room also gave departments an opportunity to grow closer in a more personal setting. Bethany Alexander, Accounting Specialist, said she was glad to work with people in the department that she normally doesn’t spend much time with. “It was nice to have a shared victory with my teammates,” she said.

Great job to our Production team for breaking out before the buzzer! Way to go!

Most department teams were able to break out and feel the relief of a calculated escape. However, Andrea thought it must be too good to be true. “I didn’t feel like we broke out,” she said. “I thought there must be something we forgot to do. It was almost like a constant feeling of ‘What’s next?'”

What’s next for our second quarterly outing at SAM? We’re waiting for it to be unveiled, but one thing is for sure – there will definitely be an opportunity for connection and teamwork!