Meet Shamon Arizona Bamm Ingram | General Manager & Sign Spinner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shamon Arizona Bamm Ingram and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shamon Arizona Bamm, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
The reason why I chose an artistic career, is simple, I was born to do this. I have always been a social butterfly and love interacting with people. To be honest this job found me, no one at the Denny’s I was working at wanted to hold the “silly sign”. The Denny’s had just opened up in Scottsdale and business was slow, it was a ghost town. I like to dance so I asked if I could wear my head phone and dance while holding the sign. Management agreed and in a matter of a week we went from a ghost town to a new popular place to eat. Soon after the owner of the AARROW franchise is Arizona offered me a job as a professional sign spinner.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Arrow Sign Spinners was created in San Diego, CA during the summer of 2002. Since then AArrow has provided services for some of the world’s largest companies. AArrow Sign Spinners have been featured in many different TV shows, movies, music videos and commercials. Our team stretches all over the globe with 50 markets in over 11 countries and still growing. In every country and language the arrow means the same thing. Go here, Do this, Follow the point. The arrow is the strongest shape in the world. Our team includes over 2500 of the finest advertisers on the planet. Once a year, we all come together in Las Vegas, NV to battle it out at the infamous World Sign Spinning Championship. I am currently ranked 34th in the world with our champion and two time winner Kendric Washington from the DMV. There are also spinners like Rico Ellis who was featured on Ellen’s 12 days of Christmas and received $100,000, a brand new sports car, and a job working for Ellen herself. I also have been seen on T.V. and have met quite a few celebrities while sign spinning, I think everyone can respect hard work no matter who you are. I been seen on Fox 10 and ABC 15 as well as ESPN, I am hoping for more television spots in the future. We have also worked with allot of sports teams like the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Cardinals, and even spun at the Final Four. The best part of this job is the interaction with the people. To make people smile and laugh is priceless to me. I enjoy dancing and being silly but it the love that fuels my fire. So thank you to all those who support me. 

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I had to choose first I would visit Westgate, there is so much to see and do in a small convenient area, we can go to Dave and Busters or check out the bars, AMC and plenty of shopping. Also downtown Phoenix is beautiful at night with all the lights and tall buildings, and the way they have spiced up the Arts District is unbelievable. Luckily for us, Phoenix has so many different things to see and do. The Wild Life Zoo is awesome if you live on the west side. The Phoenix Zoo mid-town, and the Aquarium if you are in Scottsdale, not to mention the casinos, and other goodies all over the valley.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I totally agree with you when you say our success and where we are in life has allot to do with our support system. First and foremost I have to give all glory to my higher power, I chose the words “Higher Power” because of the 12 step program and the belief in a power greater than one’s self. No matter what people chose to call him, her, it… I am a believer and know that there is more to this life than we understand.

I would of gave up a long time ago, it was through a lot of prayer and self reflection that I am here today. Believe it or not this job actually found me. After as small “State Paid” vacation I was released but into society and need to get back on my feet as quickly as possible, or fall into the revolving door that is the system, needless to say I found a job within the first week back home. Denny’s had just opened a new location in Scottsdale and was hiring a new staff. I applied for the dishwasher position and was hired. During our training upper management noticed my bubbly personality and thought I would make a great host or server, I chose host. Business was very slow at first and the corporate team was worried they had made a mistake in opening in Scottsdale. They had signs for people to hold but no one wanted to do it. I volunteered with the stipulation that I could listen to music and dance while holding the sign, they agreed and I started doing my thing, business started picking up so they decided to hire me as a full time sign spinner. One day while spinning the sign, a man approached me and asked if I would like to become a professional sign spinner. I laughed at him but he gave me his card and left. Later that day on my way home I was running out of gas so I pulled into the gas station several blocks from my jobsite, I get out the car and go into the store as I reach for the door, who is coming out but the same guys lol after that I started thinking about it more and more and finally called him up. Nick Teschler is the franchise owner of AARROW Sign Spinners in Arizona. He is the man who seen me spinning and offered me a job. I have been working for Nick for 5 years now and we have grown into a strong team. I went from sign spinner to GM and along the way it has been his support that help me, also never giving up and always believing in yourself. Max Durovic is the CEO and one of the founding fathers of AARROW Sign Spinners and sign spinning in general. AARROW has been around since 2002, wish I knew that then, and has 50 markets in over 11 countries globally. Thanks to Max, all the Mikes, Justin, Rami, Matt, Kendrick, Ray, and all the others at AARROW we have become a household name of sorts. Last but not least is my family, my loving wife Lori who is the true backbone of the family. My children Quarzel, Taylor, Symone, Nickolas, Nikita, and Marion and the valley of the sun. I was born in Flagstaff but consider Phoenix my hometown!! It where I learned to be a man.  

Website: https://aarrowsignspinners.com/phoenix-sign-spinners/
Instagram: arizonabamm and AArrowzonasign
Linkedin: Shamon Ingram
Twitter: Datninjabamm
Facebook: Arizonabamm
Yelp: Aarrow Sign Spinners
Youtube: arizonabamm
Other: TikTok Shamonarizonabammingram

Image Credits
Lori Lindseth
Isabel Koyama/ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication