Meet Sam Church

Sam Church is a member of the Winter 2026 Develomark Cohort, where participants learn digital marketing by working inside real agency workflows—building websites, collaborating as a team, and presenting work directly to clients.

In Sam’s spotlight, he highlights a core theme of the program from day one: shifting your mindset from commodity work to value-based marketing—understanding why you’re doing something, how it connects to a client’s goals, and how to communicate that clearly.

From Commodity to Value: The Core Lesson

Sam explains that early in the cohort, the team focuses on the difference between being commoditized versus being valued. The point isn’t just to complete tasks—it’s to connect every deliverable to what the client is trying to accomplish in their business.

That mindset carries into discovery and planning, where cohort members learn to ask stronger questions, including:

• What is the client’s bigger business goal?
• What does success look like beyond “a new website” or “more leads”?
• How should messaging, structure, and design support that goal?

Hands-On Website Building With Real Data

A big part of Sam’s work so far has involved building websites from the ground up using operational tools and structured data, including:

• Dynamic pages
• Airtable-based organization
• Turning provided content and inputs into a site that’s usable, polished, and built for real customers
  
  

He also mentions how the cohort uses SplashDash data to support informed decisions—helping the team justify why content is placed where it is, and why the homepage especially must be “up to par” as the business’s first impression.

The Skill Sam Didn’t Expect: Communication

One of Sam’s biggest takeaways is how much communication the cohort requires.

He contrasts the experience with more traditional internships where people are handed tasks with minimal interaction. In this program, it’s more hands-on and collaborative—designed to make members feel like part of an agency team.

That includes:

• Client-facing communication
• Internal collaboration and feedback loops
• Presenting decisions clearly (not just showing work)

Real Client Example: Handyman Express

Sam shares a specific example of how listening drives better results.

While working on a project for Handyman Express, the cohort uncovered a meaningful detail during discovery: the client’s Ukrainian heritage.

Rather than treating it as a throwaway note, the team incorporated it as a design and brand element throughout the site—supporting the identity the client wanted to convey: family values, heritage, and trustworthiness.

When the client reviewed the site, Sam describes the reaction as immediate and positive—proof that the team listened and executed based on what the client was trying to communicate.

View the Handyman Express  website here: https://www.handymanexpressct.com/

Interested in the develomark cohort program?

The Develomark Cohort is a 12-week paid program designed to build real skills through real client work, mentorship, and deliverables you can show. Want to apply? Click the button below to get started.