Masters of Storytelling: Samara Bay

“I just love the idea that our best moments—as far as storytelling fodder—are small and scruffy. I think this is a delightful undoing of the idea that the hero’s journey is the only story there is to tell. That if it isn’t epic, it isn’t worth it.”

As we’ve discussed a lot on this show, a story is many things at once. But a story does not exist without a storyteller. Today’s episode is the first Masters of Storytelling episode we’re making about the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves that in turn, define who we are. How we show up in the world has a big influence on whether the world hears us. And if they can’t hear us, how could we possibly make them care?  

Put differently, the stories we tell ourselves have a direct influence on the ideas that live in the world. Each of us, every day, in our own way, tell the world if we matter, and together, we shape a collective narrative of what matters. What would happen if we did that more consciously? 

Samara Bay believes that how we share our vision matters as much as what it is. She’s actively redefining what power and authority sound like, teaching people how to use their voice to move their audience & change the world. In addition to coaching television & film actors, she’s prepped clients for Broadway & LA theater, UN speeches, televised award show presentations, academic talks, tech pitches, and political ads. She also runs trainings and delivers keynotes across industries including for Women @Google, MAC Cosmetics, SXSW, Telemundo, Warner Brothers Discovery, Princeton University, Compass, and Emerge America. She’s a professor of practice at USC’s Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. Samara is the author of a fantastic book and podcast by the same name, Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting With You. It’s a #1 bestseller in Women & Business and Public Speaking and the perfect holiday gift! 

In this episode, our host, Maya Guice, sits down with Samara Bay to explore how traditional perceptions of authoritative voices influence our communication, the ways our voice stories shape the narratives we share, her personal journey writing Permission to Speak, and practical tools we can all use to cultivate a voice that feels both authentic and powerful.

Ultimately, this episode is meant to be a holiday gift to you—an audience of amazing, creative, intelligent people. If the sound of your voice is the only thing holding you back, we hope this episode causes you to share your story in 2025. 

Listen Now!

• Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/49IXVAW
• Spotify: https://bit.ly/4foobll

*Masters of Storytelling is available everywhere you like to listen.

For more information about Samara, connect with her: https://bit.ly/3OT3zHf 

To puchase Permission to Speak: How to Change What Power Sounds Like, Starting With You, visit: https://bit.ly/4g8SIES