How Sam Baldridge is Turning Culture Into a Competitive Edge

At Applied Systems, Sam Baldridge wears a lot of hats. Officially, she’s the Senior Communications and Culture Specialist. Unofficially, she might be better known as the “Vibes Director.” Sam is part of a small but mighty three-person team tasked with building internal connection, shaping employer branding, and turning culture into a competitive advantage. 

We caught up with Sam to talk about what it takes to earn trust with internal storytellers, why people-centered content performs better every time, and how even insurance tech can be human and joyful.

Q: Applied Systems has grown its LinkedIn following from 35K to 45K. Which types of posts or stories perform best?

Sam Baldridge

People-centered stories, always. Our Juneteenth content, led by Tarra Seawright, and our Neurodivergent Awareness Month campaign both had off-the-charts engagement—20 to 40 percent. That’s unheard of on LinkedIn. And it worked because people saw themselves reflected in the content. These weren’t polished corporate statements. They were personal and meaningful.

I also want to give a huge shoutout to Lynsey Johnson, our Digital Marketing Manager. When she joined, she immediately got it. She took the tone, the visual identity, and our goals to the next level. We had been stuck at around 40,000 followers, and now we’re well beyond that, because of her work, our collaboration, and the authenticity of what we’re putting out there.

Q: What’s your secret to getting employees excited to participate in content?

Sam Baldridge

At first, people were hesitant, especially in a remote environment. But that changed once we started publishing content and people saw the quality and tone. Suddenly people wanted to send in new photos or rewrite their spotlights. They felt seen, and the content reflected who they really are as people, not just what they do for work.

We also try to be really transparent about the process. If something’s delayed or launching soon, I always circle back and let people know. And I’m not above making a fool of myself to get a “yes.” I’ve filmed sample videos of myself just so people know what we’re asking for. I’ve shared screenshots, examples, even goofy how-tos. I want people to feel like they’re not going in blind. Once they trust that we’ll treat their story with care, they’re almost always on board.

Q: How do you balance human storytelling with showcasing the work?

Sam Baldridge

At first, I felt comfortable telling stories about culture, but less so about products or tech. That shifted during a project in 2023 where we redefined our messaging, and rolled out everything from updated job ads and culture videos to new web content. I interviewed teammates across departments and started to really understand their work. The more I asked questions, the more confident I became in telling those stories too.

That shift also aligned with a push from our Chief People Officer, Bridget Penney, who encouraged us to marry people stories with business objectives.  From an engagement standpoint, people don’t stay here just based on vibes. They want to feel like their work is exciting and our products are game-changing. They want to know why the work is exciting and what makes the product interesting. So we launched Moments, our new internal digital magazine, as a place to tell deeper, more complete stories. The first issue featured pieces on our product and tech hackathon, support team development programs, recognition spotlights, and real insights from teammates across the business. It’s been an incredible way to connect the dots between who we are and what we do.

Q: How do you connect culture storytelling to business results?

Sam Baldridge

Recruiting is a huge part of it. We’ve completely reworked how we present ourselves to candidates. It’s not just about social posts—it’s new job descriptions, hiring manager toolkits, videos, landing pages. The goal is to ensure people are already excited about Applied Systems before they get on a call with a recruiter. And it’s working. Recruiters are having more meaningful conversations, and we’re attracting stronger candidates.

We’ve also seen this people-centered approach influence customers. When they see the team behind the tech and understand why our work matters, they’re more likely to lean in and want to work with us. 

If you have questions about your storytelling strategy, we'd love to connect! Reach out to our team to talk more about the role your content can plan in helping you reach your larger marketing goals.