Louisville lawyer spends $500,000 on motivational billboards

Sam Aguiar has spent more than half a million dollars to put up 60 billboards around Louisville since December 2024. The personal injury attorney, who has practiced law since 2008, designed the signs himself and instructed his billboard representative to install them immediately. He described the decision as potentially crazy but driven by a desire to offer support during difficult times.

The billboards feature short, motivational phrases such as Believe in yourself, Good vibes only today, and Stay strong. Aguiar kept the wording simple to ensure the messages would resonate with a wide range of people facing various challenges. The signs are located in high-traffic areas throughout the city.

The public response has been rapid. More than 2,000 people have contacted Aguiar via phone, email, text message, and social media to share how the signs affected them. He cited specific feedback from trauma nurses who said the messages helped them prepare for difficult hospital shifts. A cancer patient traveling from Elizabethtown for chemotherapy also noted that the billboards provided a boost on her days of treatment.

Other responders included EMTs, teachers, and single mothers. Aguiar said the outreach demonstrated that the signs were reaching people in moments of stress and fatigue. He noted that the campaign has also led to some new clients for his law practice, though he emphasized that business was not the primary goal.

The campaign includes playful references to current social media trends. One billboard near the fairgrounds alludes to a movement popular with Aguiar's 13-year-old. He reasoned that parents in the front seats might enjoy being reminded they are a ten, while children in the back might recognize the associated motion. Aguiar said he chose to join the trend rather than fight it.

Aguiar stated that the core purpose of the project is to remind people that they are important, loved, and making a difference. He said the world becomes a better place when individuals feel that way. The attorney plans to continue the campaign beyond the initial batch of signs.

The signs have remained up since their installation in December. Aguiar continues to receive messages from residents and workers across Louisville. He described his legal field as tough but rewarding, a sentiment that mirrors the supportive tone of the billboards he created.