True Edge Tuesday with Sam Bannister
Sam has turned uncertainty into game-changing innovation—leading his team to revolutionize the market with CryoGlow, SharkNinja’s first FDA-cleared medical device. His bold vision and fearless leadership earned him the Visionary Leader Award, part of SharkNinja’s OE Awards that honors associates who inspire innovation, empower teams, and drive transformative impact across the business.
Outrageously Extraordinary in Action
From championing advanced LED testing to pioneering cutting-edge 3D light modeling, Sam’s leadership pushed innovation into a completely new category: skincare. His work brought SharkNinja’s first FDA-cleared medical device, CryoGlow, to life, launching it with remarkable success in the UK
Navigating an unfamiliar market, he pushed cross-functional teams to expand their expertise and deepen their understanding of both technical and scientific complexities. During CryoGlow development, Sam proactively engaged with multiple subject matter experts to challenge and elevate the team’s understanding of LEDs — exploring the physics of light and the biology of how it impacts the skin. He pushed the team to analyze LED performance in depth, helping to develop a new test method using an integrating sphere, while also prioritizing on-face relevance by introducing advanced software that allowed the team to visualize and better understand the device’s real-world impact on consumers.
Sam is not just a leader — he’s a visionary force, propelling SharkNinja to look beyond today’s trends and actively shape the future of technology-driven wellness solutions. He cultivates a culture rooted in curiosity, learning, and rapid iteration, constantly challenging teams to break barriers and rethink traditional engineering approaches. His relentless pursuit of knowledge inspires both internal teams and external experts to dig deeper, move faster, and uncover insights that fuel true innovation.
The best days at SharkNinja are when I learn something new that I didn’t know before."
One of my favorite quotes is ‘I have not failed; I have just found 10,000 ways that it won’t work.’ Being an explorer through failure and having the courage to continue is what counts.”
Hear from Sam's Colleagues
When Sam was named the Visionary Leader Award winner, his teammates were eager to share what makes him truly exceptional. From his innovative mindset to his empowering leadership, their words say it all.
Hear from Sam
What does it mean to be Outrageously Extraordinary (OE)?
For me, Outrageously Extraordinary really comes to life in a relentless desire to know more about the products and technology I am working on. The best days at SharkNinja are when I learn something new that I didn’t know before. My favorite part of a program is at the beginning where we know very little, but then we get to be an explorer and venture into an unknown area and discover what works for ourselves.
True Edge is described as “a key principle of the OE mindset, combining vigilance, innovative insight, and strategic solutions to create a competitive advantage that is exceptionally hard to replicate.”
What’s your True Edge, or what are you working to build?
I have been lucky enough to be part of engineering NPD teams that have been building new category product expansions for SharkNinja. Being disruptive in existing categories is no easy task, the two OE pillars that come to mind are setting an unimaginably high bar – bringing innovation and something new to consumers and being an explorer – operating in a dark room where there are more questions than answers. Being able to set a beacon of where you want to get to and cutting through the daily chatter to ensure you’re always making progress to get there is hugely important in a new category.
Can you share examples of how you live OE?
At work – When we have a new idea for a mechanism or piece of technology, the most important part is taking that idea into a prototype and giving it a go. It’s ok if it doesn’t work or it fails, as long as you’re there to observe the test and learn something from it. One of my favorite quotes is “I have not failed; I have just found 10,000 ways that it won’t work.” Being an explorer through failure and having the courage to continue is what counts.
At home – The first thing that comes to mind is our decision to renovate / decorate our own home. When people come what they see is a smoothly sanded wall with perfectly rolled paint without any brush marks (as long as you don’t look too closely). What you don’t see is the many attempts before this where it has gone wrong. An example of ‘iterate rapidly, identify the gaps’ (sometimes literal gaps).
What makes working at SharkNinja special?
The people. I have never met a group of highly talented, skillful product developers and engineers with the drive to develop 5-star products and really make a difference in this world. Every day is different at SharkNinja, being able to work on a variety of different things is super interesting.
Please join us in congratulating Sam for being this week’s True Edge Tuesday!
About True Edge Tuesday
At SharkNinja, we strive for the outrageously extraordinary in everything we do, driven by our True Edge – the super skills that set us apart. This cornerstone of the outrageously extraordinary (OE) mindset harnesses innovative insight and strategic solutions to create a competitive advantage, empowering us to positively impact people’s lives every day.
True Edge Tuesday celebrates team members who go above and beyond, showcasing what it means to reject the status quo and embrace the extraordinary.
