An international success coach, author and speaker, with a background in marketing, Samantha Kris helps people connect the dots. Her book, Bossing Up, has been flying off the shelves, and the Bossing Up community she created now has a huge following – and is still growing!

Kris's success is anchored in a genuine desire to help others set and achieve their goals and realize their full potential. Her TEDxLaval Talk was part of that journey to share her ways of anchoring goals to emotions.

The idea behind her talk was to get to the “why” of our goals, helping us find meaning and connect on a deeper level. “Most goal setting methodologies don’t account for why we set goals. Anchoring your goals to your ‘why’ is game-changing. It is helping my clients transform their lives and businesses, which is why it needed to be shared. If they can do it, so can you,” Kris says.

On May 23, she stepped onto the stage with her usual poise, eager to introduce the audience to the real goal methodology. At that moment, no one would have guessed that her day had had a rocky start! Thankfully, the TEDxLaval crew was there to support her, and she was able to go on stage and deliver. “This is the moment I’ve been waiting for,” she said.

She will never forget the moments leading up to the actual talk. “TEDxLaval arranged to have a drama teacher, Maryse Belley, guide us through a breathing practice, which really helped me feel at ease,” Kris explains. Each speaker had also been assigned a coach to support him or her throughout the process. Kris's coach was Derick Fage, co-host of Breakfast Television, and former TEDxLaval speaker. On the day of the event, Fage was front and centre, cheering her on as she delivered her talk.

“They really went above and beyond for the speakers. I learned from my coach how important it was to connect with the audience, and that it’s okay to be vulnerable. His input was instrumental in the development and delivery of my talk,” Kris explains.

Her TEDxLaval experience had a major impact on her life and her outlook. Preparing for it required a lot of soul-searching, patience and a willingness to receive constructive criticism and grow from it. She believes she is a better listener and speaker because of it and in the process, she made friends that will last a lifetime.

“Of all my peers who have done a TEDx Talk, none of them received the training, support and resources that TEDxLaval provided. They’re not just putting on a great event, they’re equipping their speakers with lifelong tools and contributing to their personal development. TEDxLaval really is a family and it was a true honour to represent them.”

You can watch Kris's TEDxLaval talk, among others, on TEDxLaval.com.