Sam Shahidi (born August 1, 1983) is a businessperson and co-founder of Shots Podcast Network and CEO of Happy Dad Hard Seltzer.
[5] Between 2009 and 2012, they developed additional apps for celebrity athletes, including Usain Bolt, Terrell Owens, Ronaldo and Mike Tyson.
[3] In Shots, photos had to be taken real-time, without the use of filters or other editing material and users could not comment on pictures or see how many "likes" other people received.
We never want our users hurt, harmed or bullied by what they read about themselves on social media — it's about signaling what you're feeling inside", Shahidi's brother John said.
[16] Investors included boxer Floyd Mayweather[10] and singer Justin Bieber,[8] who, through involvement in Shots, became friends with the Shahidis.
[19] Notable users included Snoop Dogg, Shaquille O'Neal[10] and future Shots Studios artists Rudy Mancuso and Lele Pons.
Following the success of Awkward Puppets, they saw an opportunity in helping development of short form comedy and music videos.
Along with his brother, Shahidi executive produced The Secret Life of Lele Pons, a Shots Studios-produced YouTube Originals docuseries offering a behind-the-scenes look at the titular star's previously-unknown relationship with various mental health conditions.
In 2020, Shahidi joined the Full Send / Nelk team when his brother John became President of the company.
In May 2021, Shahidi helped brother John and Nelk launch Happy Dad|Happy Dad Hard Seltzer.