An Inspired Chat with Samantha Carroll

Samantha Carroll shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Good morning Samantha , we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Recently, we had two of our Board of AdviseHERS cohort participants join boards of directors! Witnessing the “aha” moments that led to these positions has been a true gift.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Of course! I’m Samantha Carroll, Co-Founder of Light Her Way, a leadership development community that offers curated opportunities for connection, knowledge sharing, and professional advancement. My partnership with my Co-Founder, Annette Blum Pearson, offers us the chance to leverage our corporate experience, career coaching expertise, and leadership communication work to support our community.

Currently, in addition to launching our next cohort of Board of AdviseHERS this January 2026, we are developing a program for boards of directors that centers on training that supports greater collaboration, more effective decision-making, and increased psychological safety.

Additionally, we are exploring opportunities to support middle managers as they navigate increasingly complex environments in corporate settings. This programming will enable managers to receive proper coaching to overcome periods of uncertainty and acquire the skills to more effectively manage direct reports, support leadership, and unlock their own innovation.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I truly feel that communication is the force that can not only break down the bonds between people (when ineffective), but it can also be the magic that restores those bonds. Perhaps that’s what drew me to this field so long ago – and my overwhelming pull toward storytelling as a means to build understanding of issues, situations, and experiences.

I have witnessed what happens within large organizations when teams are not communicating effectively, and what can also happen when they learn how to speak the same language or at least use the same words. Communication is at the heart of collaboration, teamwork, leadership, project execution, program management, and so many of the functions that guide strong companies, and the beauty of learning how to do it well is that it not only serves one, but it begins to have a ripple effect.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Good question! If I could say something to my younger self, I’d remind myself that it’s not just that successful people may have raw talent – it’s that they believe enough in themselves to keep doing what it takes to succeed. I tell my kids that you never know if you don’t just try – it’s so simple, but our fear, negative self-talk, and rationalizations can often derail us from moving forward and pushing harder.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
I truly believe that to be an effective communicator, a skilled coach, or a leadership advisor, you have to be curious. Curiosity can take many forms, but one value I will not compromise is being able to lead with a curious mindset. It is only when we allow others to share their experiences and ask questions about those experiences that we can begin to form a strong foundation – whether that foundation supports an effective team or board directors making critical decisions.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What will you regret not doing? 
I’ve thought about my legacy on and off throughout the years. Early on, I realized that writing was something to be shared. In that way, I believe that the one thing I will regret not doing is to record (in the form of a book) the magic of our community, Light Her Way, and the work we are doing to engage leaders. I want to offer some type of record that can be used in an educational capacity to illuminate concepts that can be shared by the leaders who continue to engage with our community.

Annette and I are conduits to the experiences and lessons of leaders who have defined the clearest paths and reached the highest spaces – if we can bring those stories, leverage those ideas, and curate deeper understanding for others, we have done our job.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lightherway.my.canva.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_lightherway
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lightherway
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samanthamcarrollmba

Image Credits
Sari Blum Photography