Although I’ve been in the industry for nearly 40 years and thought I was pretty good, receiving feedback on the blind spots in my planning and presentation organization was truly humbling. In just the first three months, I saw significant growth—especially in my storytelling, delivery, and ability to connect with both domestic and global audiences. I've earned standing ovations and been invited back to present. Samantha equipped me with the tools to organize my thoughts, draw from real-life experiences, and deliver with both credibility and authenticity.

I have loved getting to work with Samantha. As a kid with a stutter, I spent decades in speech therapy and stage acting classes. I have been trained by some of the top speakers in the world (Tony Robbins, Oren Klaff, etc). The training that Samantha has provided me with is world-class. She has practical advice to help simplify ideas and expand impact. I would recommend Stride to anyone looking to level up their public speaking capabilities. This coaching is sure to bring your public speaking to the next level.

We've had the pleasure of working with Samantha in several capacities - for our annual conference, our leadership retreat, and various community trainings. Samantha has the rare gift of inspiring people to see beyond their perceived limitations while providing them with the tools and roadmap to achieve goals they never believed possible. Through her leadership, our community has not only gained practical tools for success but, more importantly, the confidence to dream bigger and take meaningful action to turn those dreams into reality. Samantha’s impact is tangible. You will become a better version of yourself after spending time with her. We can't recommend Stride highly enough

What a gift it is to work with Samantha Kris! She is insightful, experienced, and relatable, while pushing me to grow and stretch as a public speaker. At every one of our sessions, I'm struck by the brilliant way she combines her deep knowledge of the field with a highly effective approach that fosters incredible learning.

Samantha was recommended to me as someone who would be able to prepare for my TEDx talk, and wow did she knock it out of the park! Her teaching style blended the information I needed with an approach that made it all understandable and achievable, and she was always willing to go the extra mile to help me make my talk the very best it could be. I have some experience speaking, and still, my talk needed a lot of work. She was able to help me bridge the gap between the good talk I had vs. the great talk it became.

I hired Samantha to help me deliver quarterly meetings to our organization with more impact. Samantha has had her work cut out with me. With that said, from the start Samantha has tactfully pulled out aspects of me that need development, encouragement, and direction and from that I have been able to more effectively connect with my organization. Gradually, I am gaining insight into some of my blindspots (personal and organizational) and together we are putting together more impactful stories and messages that resonate with everyone. Not surprisingly Samantha is encouraging me to do more and I'm excited to see where that goes. Her professionalism, dedication, and ability to understand my goals even when I can't put them into words make her the perfect partner.

Samantha's approach to preparing TEDx speakers is nothing short of exceptional. Through a well-rounded mix of classroom-style learning, group workshops, individual coaching sessions, and thoughtful post-TEDx follow-up, her process is both comprehensive and highly effective. In the critical weeks leading up to my talk, Samantha became a true partner in the process—like an alter ego—helping me fine-tune my content for maximum impact, streamline memorization strategies, and rehearse with a pace that built deep confidence well in advance of the big day.

Working with Samantha has been a game changer! She brings sharp insight, creative ideas, and a refreshing mix of directness and kindness. Her feedback always seems to unlock a better, more powerful way to deliver the message. I’ve grown so much as a speaker through our work together and I leave every session feeling more confident, more focused, and more energized to create impact.

Sam is a bright light and a gift. Hard stop. 

She helped me take a rough idea of my life story and my life’s work, and craft it into a story that would resonate with a wider audience. Helping me distill something that close to my heart is an art. Then, she helped me take it straight to the TEDx stage!

And, she does it with such grace, compassion and presence that she turns a potentially intimidating experience into a soul-filling, transformative one.

I am forever grateful to have her in my life.