About Me

I'm Sam.

Something brought you here—maybe the weight of holding it all together, maybe a hunch that the way you're doing it isn't sustainable. Either way, I'm glad we've crossed paths.

Here's what no one tells you: balance and success aren't opposites—but somewhere along the way, we got sold the idea that sacrifice is the price of admission. That burning out is just part of the deal. That if you're struggling to keep up, you're the problem.

I bought that story for a long time.

I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis as a preteen. By 24, I'd been asked to give up sports, medical school, and every job I loved. I spent time in a wheelchair. Nearly died in a hospital in Sweden. Developed a "business as usual" approach to suffering, convinced that grit and isolation could build a life worth keeping.

My strategy for balance was to not have one. Shockingly, it didn't work.

In 2019, I enrolled in a rigorous year-long ICF-accredited coaching program telling myself this time would be different while doing nothing different. I convinced my mentors and coaches I was taking care of myself while silently falling apart.

I completed the program, took on any client who would hire me, and kept white-knuckling my way through. Instead of slowing down, I sped up. Signed up to be a leader in two coach training programs (at the same time). Moved to three different cities. Basically I said yes to everything. I was building a life that looked impressive and felt like it was held together by tape.

By 2021, I had a second autoimmune diagnosis and received news that I developed permanent damage in more joints than not. The career I'd fought to build, the relationships I'd deprioritized, the life I told myself I'd get to "later"—it was all buckling under the weight of what I'd ignored.

The shift came 2 years ago while coaching a high-powered executive leading more people than she'd ever imagined—and at risk of being fired. We stopped building on fumes and pressure and instead looked at sustainability. How do we create win/wins everywhere? Her performance, her leadership, her life—it all shifted. That's when I knew: this is the work.

Now after 7 years, 800+ coaching hours, 300+ training hours, dozens of workshops led, and one hard-won lesson: balance isn't optional—it's the foundation.

I can promise two things:

  1. It will be the hardest work you take on.

  2. It will be the most impactful work you take on.

I'm not here to save you. That part's yours. But I'm here to help you lead in a way you can actually sustain.