Career Coaching Testimonials

Sam Fisher, Executive Coach

Sam is an experienced executive coach in the alt protein, business, and technology industries. As a graduate of Stanford Business School and former startup founder, Sam has a unique understanding of the demands and challenges that come with high-level leadership roles. Sam has helped numerous founders and young executives improve their leadership skills, increase their productivity, and set and achieve goals while prioritizing personal well-being.

“Sam is an amazing friend but is someone who will give your straight advice and action. He listens intently to understand what your problems are, leans into what makes you unique, and then helps build with you to get the ultimate goal. Before working with Sam I was a bit lost, but through his guidance, encouragement, and partnership I am working in the industry I love at a position I couldn’t be happier in. ”

– Producer & On-Air Talent for Thursday Night Football on Prime

“Working with Sam was a game changer for me. When I was transitioning from my IC role to a leadership role in charge of two engineering teams, Sam provided me with the support and guidance I needed to navigate it effectively. His calm and rational approach helped me to work through issues whenever they came up, and together we’ve always been able to come up with a plan to move forward. I can’t thank Sam enough for his help and would highly recommend him to anyone wanting extra support while making a transition at work.”

– Engineering Leader at Oracle Cloud

“As head of product at a startup and subsequently as director of product at a larger startup post-acquisition, I was constantly working at full capacity and struggling to find the time and energy to focus on my personal and professional goals. I started working with Sam when I decided to take a sabbatical, and together we’ve worked on designing the type of role I want next, as well as how I want work to fit into my life. Sam is a fantastic coach and I would highly recommend him to anyone looking to make a career pivot or re-think the way work fits into their life.”

– Product leader at multiple startups, ex-Google

“Working with Sam has been an absolute game-changer in my professional journey. Earlier this year, I received challenging news from my FANG employer. Sam provided the guidance and support I desperately needed to land on my feet. His insight and wisdom guided me to seize this unexpected opportunity to move forward in my career rather than accept defeat. Sam’s operational experience spanning startups and big tech, coupled with an extremely high “E.Q.” honed at the Stanford GSB equipped him to offer coaching in not one, but three invaluable flavors. During moments of self-doubt, Sam gave me confidence and saw strengths I couldn’t see in myself. When interviews kicked off, he was my thought partner for tackling strategic questions and navigating complicated take-home assignments. And lastly, when it came time to make a decision on an offer, Sam was by my side helping me view negotiation from a multifaceted lens. Today I sit in the role of my dreams – one that I couldn’t have predicted, let alone realized a year ago. Thank you, Card Coach, for helping make my dream of breaking into V.C. a reality.”

– Henry, Director of Industry Networks at F-Prime Capital

“As an MBA student at Stanford, I was struggling with some big career decisions, like what type of internship to do with my MBA summer and what I wanted my career to look like after graduation. Working with Sam has completely changed my perspective and given me the tools and guidance needed to navigate this next stage of my career and life. Not only have I seen significant improvements in my confidence about my life after graduation, but I have also found more balance in my life during school, and I find myself doing a better job investing in the areas that I really do value. Sam is a fantastic coach and I would highly recommend him to any MBA student or executive looking to make positive changes in their life.”

– Marisa, Stanford 2023 MBA Graduate

“I have been working with Sam for the past year and the impact on my career and well-being has been invaluable. He has helped me to navigate difficult interpersonal dynamics and corporate politics in my role. I don’t know how I would’ve handled the challenges presented to me this year without him. I highly recommend Sam to anyone looking to take their career to the next level.”

– Engineering leader at a large financial services company

“Working with Sam is one of the best decisions I made for my business. As a solo founder, it can be difficult to find someone you can trust and be fully open with, especially on the harder days. As a tech CEO, it is even harder to find a coach who has a deep understanding of the tech and business worlds. It is in this backdrop, Sam has quickly become a valuable advisor and sounding board for me with his perfect blend of people skills and business knowledge.

When I first started working with Sam, my business had just 10 employees. But with Sam’s coaching and support, I’ve grown my team to 30 employees and expanded into another country.

What impresses me the most about Sam is his ability to adapt with me as the problems I face change. Sam has helped me develop and execute a strategy for keeping my company culture strong as I’ve rapidly grown a distributed team. Sam’s special sauce is his ability to unpack my gut feeling and mold into a guided strategy with a deeper understanding of myself and my business context.

I highly recommend Sam to any solo founder looking for an executive coach. He’s been a huge help so far, and I’m grateful that I can keep working with him as I continue to grow my business.”

— Madhu Y, Founder / CEO of Modak