Today we’d like to introduce you to Samuel Phanor.
Hi Samuel, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story is a mix of discipline, creativity, service, and a lot of figuring it out in real time.
I started my career in service — first through the Army Reserve, where I served for over 20 years with two tours in Iraq, and later in law enforcement. Those experiences shaped how I lead, how I handle pressure, and how I show up for people. They taught me structure, resilience, and the importance of staying grounded when things get chaotic.
At the same time, I always had this creative and entrepreneurial side. I was drawn to branding, storytelling, community, and building things from scratch. That eventually led me into the craft beer world, where I founded Savage Lyfe Brewing and became involved in the South Florida beer community. Brewing taught me a lot about culture, loyalty, events, and how powerful a brand can be when people feel connected to it.
From there, I leaned deeper into marketing. I founded Belēv X as a boutique digital marketing agency focused on helping local businesses grow through strategy, content, websites, SEO, and paid ads. What started as me trying to help brands look better online became a full agency built around one mission: helping local businesses become the go-to name in their market.
Over the years, I’ve had the chance to work with breweries, medical spas, healthcare brands, construction companies, real estate groups, and community organizations. Every chapter added another layer — military discipline, law enforcement perspective, creative strategy, entrepreneurship, and now agency leadership.
Today, after Belēv X joined forces with Vacancy Brands, I’m continuing that mission on a bigger level as Marketing Director. The goal is still the same: help brands tell better stories, build stronger systems, and grow with purpose.
I’m also stepping into a new creative chapter with the upcoming launch of my podcast, IRON & SALT: HOLD THE LINE, coming this summer. The podcast is built around honest conversations about life, business, pressure, resilience, brotherhood, and the moments that shape us. It’s not about pretending to have it all figured out — it’s about creating space for real conversations with people who are still building, still learning, and still holding the line.
I don’t think my path was traditional, but every part of it prepared me for where I am now. From the military to law enforcement, brewing, marketing, and now podcasting, it all connects back to the same thing: storytelling, service, community, and helping people build something meaningful.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Not at all — it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.
My journey has had a lot of pivots, pressure, and seasons where I had to figure things out while still showing up for everyone else. Coming from the military and law enforcement, I was used to structure, but entrepreneurship is a completely different battlefield. There’s no perfect playbook. You’re building, learning, failing, fixing, and leading all at the same time.
One of the biggest struggles has been balancing ambition with reality. As a founder, you want to serve your clients at the highest level, take care of your team, grow the business, and still be present in your personal life. That balance is not easy. There were times when I had to make tough financial decisions, carry stress quietly, and keep pushing even when things felt uncertain behind the scenes.
Another challenge was learning that growth requires evolution. What gets you started is not always what gets you to the next level. I’ve had to outgrow old systems, rethink how I lead, trust people more, and accept that building something meaningful comes with uncomfortable transitions.
But I also believe the hard parts shaped me the most. The pressure taught me patience. The setbacks taught me clarity. And the moments where things didn’t go as planned taught me how to adjust without losing the mission.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth — but it has been worth it. Every struggle added a layer to who I am, how I lead, and how I help other people build.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My work sits at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, hospitality, and growth.
I’m the founder of Belēv X, a local growth and creative marketing agency, and I now serve as Marketing Director with Vacancy Brands. At the core, I help businesses become the brand people know, trust, and choose in their market.
I specialize in digital marketing strategy, local SEO, website development, paid advertising, content systems, brand positioning, and creative direction. But more than anything, I focus on helping businesses connect the dots — how they look, how they sound, how they show up online, and how that turns into real growth.
I’ve worked across industries like medical aesthetics, craft beer, healthcare, construction, real estate, finance, and community organizations. Every industry is different, but the goal is always the same: build a brand that feels authentic, performs well, and creates trust before a customer ever walks through the door.
What I think I’m most known for is bringing creative energy and operational discipline together. I’m not just looking at the logo, website, Instagram post, or ad campaign — I’m thinking about the full ecosystem. The customer journey. The story. The strategy. The offer. The follow-up. The emotion behind why someone chooses that brand.
What I’m most proud of is building something that helps local businesses compete at a higher level. A lot of small businesses have incredible products, services, and people behind them, but they don’t always know how to tell their story or position themselves properly. Being able to help them grow, gain confidence, and become leaders in their market is what keeps me going.
And honestly, that same love for branding, experience, and community is starting to shape what I want to build next. I’ve always been drawn to hospitality, not just as a business, but as a feeling. The idea of creating a bed and breakfast one day, something intimate, intentional, and full of character, is definitely something I’ve been dreaming about. To me, that would be another version of storytelling: creating a place where people feel welcomed, inspired, and connected.
What sets me apart is my background. I’m not a traditional marketer who only came up through advertising. I bring over 20 years of military service, law enforcement experience, entrepreneurship, craft beer culture, and agency leadership into how I see business. That gives me a different perspective on pressure, leadership, community, and execution.
At the end of the day, I’m proud that my work is not just about making brands look good. It’s about helping them become stronger, clearer, and more valuable in the real world — and eventually, creating experiences people can actually walk into, feel, and remember.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that growth will always require you to evolve.
What got you started will not always be what gets you to the next level. In the beginning, you can rely on hustle, instinct, and figuring things out as you go. But as you grow, you have to become more intentional. You have to build better systems, trust your team, communicate more clearly, and be willing to let go of old ways of thinking.
I’ve also learned that leadership is not about having all the answers. It’s about staying calm under pressure, making the best decision with the information you have, and taking responsibility when things get hard. Whether it was the military, law enforcement, brewing, or building an agency, the common thread has always been people. How you lead people, how you support them, and how you show up when things are not perfect matters more than anything.
The journey has taught me to stay grounded, stay adaptable, and never lose the mission. Success is not just about building something that looks good from the outside. It’s about building something that has purpose, integrity, and the ability to keep growing even through difficult seasons.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://vacancybrands.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samphanor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/samuel.phanor/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-phanor-62bb0140/
