We recently connected with Jessica Wan and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
Being an achiever is something that’s been ingrained in me since I was a kid. As the child of immigrants who came to North America in the late 1970s, I grew up surrounded by a community of people striving for a more prosperous life. So many families that we knew came from a background of surviving the war: both of my grandfathers were army generals in the Chinese Civil War. They survived, but they were on the losing side. This shaped how my parents thought about education, opportunities, and what they could make of themselves. Hearing these stories shaped me.
Curiously, I don’t remember my parents ever pushing me on work ethic directly – I had plenty of that push coming internally for as long as I can remember, so they worked on supporting me fully, and at times, pulling me back from pushing myself too hard.
Years later, I took the Clifton StrengthsFinder assessment, and (no surprises) my #1 Strength is Achiever.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m an ICF-certified executive coach who partners with leaders in the workplace to navigate change, manage teams effectively, and lead authentically. Before starting my coaching practice, I led marketing teams and product launches for 18 years at organizations such as Apple, Smule, Magoosh, and the San Francisco Opera.
I thrive at the intersection of business, technology, and the arts, and I draw on both creative and analytical approaches in my coaching to bring awareness and action to the forefront. Clients have described working with me as “an incredibly eye-opening experience,” “table-turning,” and “the best coaching experience I’ve received to date.” My clients are leaders in varied industries from nonprofit arts orgs to accounting firms to tech startups.
Outside of my business career, I’m a singer specializing in classical, opera, and musical theater genres. I’ve sung with Pocket Opera, LIEDER ALIVE!, Goat Hall Productions, the Berkeley Fringe Festival, Opera on Tap, and the Yehudi Menuhin Chamber Music Festival at SFSU.
My research project for the past three years is The Ampersand Manifesto: a podcast I created and host where I interviews people who, like me, have built multiple careers in two (or more) different worlds. I’ve now interviewed over 50 Ampersands with incredible mixes of experiences, e.g. neuroscientist & dancer, entomologist & journalist, VC & bandleader, just to name a few!
This fall, I have a couple of exciting events coming up around Ampersand: a community event in New York on Tuesday, Sept 23, and a community event in San Francisco on Sunday, October 19.
I will also be singing a solo vocal recital celebrating the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival on Sunday, October 5 in Berkeley.
September:
NYC Ampersand Dinner: https://lu.ma/hcg769ze
October:
The Moon & Me Voice Recital: https://lu.ma/71mf8ff2
SF Ampersand Summit: https://lu.ma/x6u5uiwu
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Curiosity
2. Open-mindedness
3. Positive, generative relationships
Curiosity: approach the world with a sense of wonder. Ask questions, follow your interests, go outside!
Open-mindedness: understand that everyone’s viewpoint has been shaped by their own lived experiences. Live in the realm of questions as opposed to rigid belief. Be flexible about changing your mind!
Positive, generative relationships: approach your connections to others as your greatest resource. Communicate honestly and follow through. Use an abundance mindset to help others. See the best in others.
What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?
This is such a great question! I think it depends on the season of life and learning that you are in.
Leaning into speciality = becoming more of an expert of what you’re already good at
Developing what’s underdeveloped = beginner’s mindset, not being good yet, hard, cognitive overload
Over the summer, I spent a week in my happy place – Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp – where this year, I chose to develop what’s underdeveloped.
Though I could have sung all day (and it would have felt joyful and comfortable), instead I took classes in Devised Theatre Techniques, Jazz Dance, Tap Dance, and Chamber Music – playing my violin with people for the first time in 25 years!
It’s hard to be a total beginner, or to feel 25-years rusty.
But you know what? All these skills help to make me a better artist overall. All these perspectives help me develop my own perspective.
There have been certain years where I went deep into my strengths: 2003 (young artist program), 2008-2010 (getting an MBA), 2014 (singing sabbatical and studying in Europe). This year, developing other areas was what called most to me – so I leaned into that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jessicawan.com, https://www.theampersandmanifesto.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ampersandmanifesto/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamwan/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLn2lOVt9VPjkkiew5QW5pJWM1XRAZfIum
Image Credits
Headshot for The Ampersand Manifesto: Vero Kherian
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
