The Ampersand Manifesto: Multi-Passionate People Dive Deep
By Jessica Wan, Leadership Coach & Classical Singer
The Ampersand Manifesto: Multi-Passionate People Dive DeepJun 07, 2023
All the Right Notes with Dominic Lim, Author, Singer, and Storyteller
Dominic Lim is back on the show this week! Dom is an author, singer, & storyteller. His debut novel All the Right Notes was named by Entertainment Weekly as one of the best new books of the summer. Dom is a member of the Writers Grotto and a co-host of the Babylon Salon reading and performance series in San Francisco. He studied psychology at Oberlin and got his masters from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. As a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association he's performed Off-Broadway and in regional productions throughout the US.
You can check out Dominic at dominiclim.com, and his book ALL THE RIGHT NOTES is available now, wherever books are sold!
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
"A Part I Play" lyrics and vocals by Dominic Lim, music and keyboard by Martin McGinn
Dominic Lim - Author, Singer, and Storyteller (Replay)
Jessica interviews Dominic Lim, an author & singer & storyteller.
Dominic's debut novel ALL THE RIGHT NOTES, a queer Asian rom-com, will be released in June 2023. Dom is a member of The Writers Grotto and is a co-host of the Babylon Salon reading and performance series in San Francisco. He studied psychology at Oberlin and got his masters from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. Dom has sung with numerous professional early music and choral ensembles. As a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association, he's performed Off-Broadway and in regional productions throughout the US.
Listen to the full version of "A Part I Play" performed by Dominic Lim and learn more at dominiclim.com
This is a replay from Season 1 - Dominic Lim's book ALL THE RIGHT NOTES is available now, wherever books are sold!
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Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
"A Part I Play" lyrics and vocals by Dominic Lim, music and keyboard by Martin McGinn
Finding Delight in Your Work with Simran Thadani, Rare Book Expert, People Leader, and Textile Artist
Jessica speaks with Dr. Simran Thadani: Rare Book expert; People & Culture leader, & textile artist. Sim earned her PhD in English from the University of Pennsylvania, and has researched and lectured in libraries across the US and Europe. In her work as a People Ops leader, she's advised leaders and designed initiatives across the employee lifecycle including recruiting, onboarding, and engagement. Sim also works as a quilter and crocheter and is known for her eye for color.
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Cultivating Your Story with Vivien Straus, Writer, Performer, and Small Farm Advocate
This week Jessica speaks with Vivien Straus: Writer, Performer, & Small Farm Advocate. Vivien is known for her one-woman shows exposing her “interesting” life choices. She’s worked in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. She was part of the New York sketch comedy group “BOB” and has had roles on film and TV with directors such as Francis Coppola and Oliver Stone. You might have seen her in films like Peggy Sue Got Married, plus she's acted in numerous plays and commercials. She wrote and performed the solo shows entitled: “After I’m Dead, You’ll Have to Feed Everyone” and “E-i-E-i-OY, In Bed with the Farmer’s Daughter.” She’s also served as VP of Marketing for Straus Family Creamery, led tours at Cowgirl Creamery, created the California Cheese Trail, and currently manages Straus Home Ranch, a vacation rental and wedding venue in Marshall, California.
You can learn more about Vivien at vivienstraus.com/, the Straus Home Ranch at straushomeranch.com/ and the California Cheese Trail at CheeseTrail.org.
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Never Giving Up with Newton Cheng, Google Exec, Mental Health Advocate, and Champion Powerlifter
Jessica chats with Newton Cheng, Google executive, mental health advocate and speaker, & world champion powerlifter. Newton is a husband and father to two amazing daughters via adoption. He's a world champion powerlifter who holds multiple world records. He is also Director of Health + Performance at Google where he’s spent 14 years developing, launching and scaling global programs aimed at helping Googlers to thrive. He takes a special interest in the intersections of human performance and spirituality, and is an advocate for speaking vulnerably about mental health. Newton earned a Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.
Connect with Newton at www.linkedin.com/in/newtoncheng/ and on Instagram @newtoncheng
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Lessons from the Intersection of Brand Visibility and Stage Performance with Beth Carr, Actor and Marketing Expert
This week, Jessica interviews Beth Carr, brand & marketing expert and a classically trained actor who sings. Beth spent 15 years working as an actor on Broadway. On the marketing side, she's led branding and marketing initiatives for nearly two decades at companies like Nestle, Booksy, and Vendini. Beth started her own firm, Fortified Branding in 2019. She's a certified StoryBrand Guide and works with companies and entrepreneurs to stand out in the minds and hearts of their customers.
You can learn more about Beth's work at fortifiedbranding.com.
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Finding Beauty in Imperfection with Dr. Sloka Iyengar, Scientist and Dancer
This week, Jessica talks with Dr. Sloka Iyengar, neuroscientist & Bharatanatyam dancer who is passionate about relieving suffering through science and the arts. For her Ph.D. and postdoctoral work, she studied the circuits in the brain that lead to the generation and propagation of epileptic seizures. She's worked with adults and children with epilepsy to develop better therapeutic strategies. Sloka is also an award-winning Bharatanatyam performer and practitioner who has created productions that explore the many points of convergence between dance and neuroscience. She is passionate about using dance to facilitate healing and creative aging.
You can check out Sloka's work at slokaiyengar.net
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Using Play to Improve Focus with Matt Toy, Movement Trainer, Cooperative Business Owner and Baker
This week, Jessica interviews Matt Toy, a Movement Trainer, & Cooperative Business Owner / Baker.
Matt Toy is a movement trainer who helps students move better in their yoga practice, athletic pursuits, and daily lives, all while creating a culture of mindfulness & mastery through movement. He's also co-owner and lead baker at the Cheese Board Collective, a workers cooperative bakery and pizzeria in Berkeley, CA that regularly has lines around the block. With a black belt in Freestyle Martial Arts, Matt has been teaching adults and kids how to move better his whole life. He recently earned his Trainer Certification from GMB to teach locomotion and mixed movement, and he teaches yoga weekly at the Green Yogi studio.
Check out Matt's work at mattoy.com or on Instagram @Matt_Toy_Yoga.
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
In the Pursuit of Truth with Brad Balukjian, Entomologist and Journalist
Jessica interviews Brad Balukjian, Entomologist & Journalist. Brad studied journalism and island biogeography at Duke University and earned his Ph.D. in Environmental Science from UC Berkeley. Brad founded the Natural History and Sustainability program at Merritt College, where he teaches today. In 2020, his first book, The Wax Pack, reached #7 on the Los Angeles Times bestseller list and was named one of NPR's Best Books of the Year. He's now working on a new book, The Six Pack, to be published by Hachette in 2024, about myth vs. reality and shifting identity in the world of professional wrestling. He's written for National Geographic, Smithsonian, Slate, Rolling Stone, and many other publications.
You can check out Brad's work at bradbalukjian.com.
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
How to Improve Productivity Using Visual Tools with Liron Lavi Turkenich, Typeface Designer and Productivity Expert
Jessica once again talks with Liron Lavi Turkenich, typeface designer & productivity expert — and a self-described multi-passionate. Since graduating from the University of Reading with a masters degree in typeface design, Liron has been designing custom multilingual typefaces for global companies specializing in Hebrew.
She is the founder of Aravrit, a hybrid writing system that merges Hebrew and Arabic, and has received wide recognition for its ingenuity and scope. She's spoken at TedX Vienna, SXSW, London Design Museum and more. As a productivity expert, Liron writes and speaks about Visual Productivity, a system for visual processors to help navigate through the personal and work overwhelm of modern life.
You can check out her work at lironlavi.com or you can follow her on Instagram at lironlav and aravrit. Listen to her Ted X talk here.
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Why Creativity is Important in Business with Vasu Panicker, Music Maker and Business Strategist
This week, Jessica talks with Vasu Panicker, Music Maker & Business Strategist. Growing up as an arts kid in New York City, Vasu did his undergrad and grad music studies at City University of New York and then built and directed Face the Music, the country’s only youth music program dedicated to works by living composers. He himself is a creative composer and sound designer specializing in contemporary and experimental genres. On the business side, Vasu got his MBA from Berkeley Haas and now works as a Senior Consultant at EY-Parthenon.
You can check out Vasu's new EP on YouTube @vasupanicker and on Instagram @1vasudevan
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music credit: Scenes From a Memory composed and performed by Vasu Panicker
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
How a First Gen Immigrant Broke the Mold with Veronique Kherian, Photographer, Cheese Evangelist, and Classical Singer
This week, Jessica interviews Veronique Kherian, a San Francisco-based photographer, cheese evangelist, & classical singer. Vero studied Economics and French at Wellesley, and taught English in Normandy, France. After returning to the US to earn her JD, she grew her law practice focusing on intellectual property, when a life-altering stint as a cheesemonger brought her into the forefront of artisan cheese with her blog, Miss Cheesemonger. Currently, she manages the social media for a local San Francisco cheese shop and runs her highly-sought-after portrait photography business. She sings with local opera companies and choruses, and has developed an ongoing project combining her love of song and artisan cheese, called Miss Cheesemonger Sings.
Learn more at verokherian.com and on Instagram @verokherian and @misscheesemonger
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Musical excerpt of Les Nuits d’éte, Op. 7, H 81b, 1. "Villanelle" by Hector Berlioz performed by Vero Kherian
How to Use AI and Music to Boost Creativity with Percy Liang, Computer Scientist and Classical Pianist
This week, Jessica chats with Percy Liang, Computer Scientist & Classical Pianist. Percy is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University. He got his Bachelor's from MIT and Ph.D. from UC Berkeley. His research is on artificial intelligence, more specifically foundation models that can generate text, images, and music. Percy has been playing piano since he was 8 years old. He's won several contests, including the Phoenix Young Musicians Competition, the MIT Concerto Competition, and KDFC's Classical Star Search. He enjoys giving both solo piano recitals and playing chamber music.
You can check out Percy's work at cs.stanford.edu/~pliang
Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or
BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music credit: Liszt Sonata performed on piano by Percy Liang
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Ampersand Manifesto Season 2 Trailer
In Season 2, Ampersand Jessica Wan, leadership coach & classical singer, interviews people who, similarly, have led "double lives" for decades and succeed in two completely different worlds. This show explores how their two worlds – different as they may seem – collide, integrate, and fuel each other. Jessica's goal is to celebrate, elevate, and normalize these stories. Through these interviews, the goal is to co-create the Ampersand Manifesto, principles for leading our multi-passionate lives.
This season she talks with a range of folks who have written books, given talks and workshops worldwide, and invented new ways of connecting the world. Get ready to meet Ampersands who straddle worlds like entomology & journalism, dance & science, artificial intelligence & piano, and photography, opera, & cheese! And that's just the beginning...
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Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand who's recently taken on more responsibility at work? Jessica works with people just like you. She coaches individuals and leadership teams to rise to new challenges - with a unique blend of analytical & creative approaches, plus 18 years of invaluable experience working in companies and startups.
Visit jessicawan.com or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music credits: Liszt Sonata performed on piano by Percy Liang; My Mind is Going composed and performed by Vasu Panicker
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Ampersand Character and Design with Liron Lavi Turkenich
"You can tell almost immediately which typeface it is from the ampersand character"
Hello listeners! We're excited to bring you another bonus episode. Today, we'll be talking about the ampersand character and its role in typeface design.
Joining Jessica is Liron Lavi Turkenich, design entrepreneur and typeface designer based in Israel. Liron is an Ampersand, and we'll be interviewing her about her Ampersand in Season 2, so keep an eye out for that episode in the spring. Liron is also the founder of Aravrit, a hybrid writing system that merges Hebrew and Arabic.
We can't think of a better expert to share with you what the ampersand character is all about.
Learn more about Liron at lironlavi.com or on Instagram @lironlav
If you enjoyed season one, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
A Brief History of the Ampersand
Hello listeners!
Thanks for joining us in this bonus episode between season 1 and 2 where your host Jessica Wan shares a brief history of the Ampersand as told by Merriam-Webster (yes the dictionary makers). Also check out Shady Characters by Keith Houston.
If you enjoyed season one, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts!
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Other music by Ahmadmusic from Pixabay
Jessica Wan - Leadership Coach and Singer
For the season one finale episode of the Ampersand Manifesto, producer Naomi Tepper interviews Jessica Wan, creator and host of The Ampersand Manifesto who is a leadership coach & singer.
Jessica's first Ampersand journey was as a double major in Product Design and Music, Vocal Performance as an undergrad at Stanford.
She started her musical journey playing piano, violin, oboe, and the bass drum in marching band. Today, as a singer, Jessica enjoys performing opera, art song, musical theatre, jazz, and pop music. She holds an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business.
Jessica's career as a marketing leader has spanned the worlds of design, tech, startups, arts nonprofits, and education. For the past decade, she built and grew marketing teams, and it was through team leadership that she realized that coaching was her true passion.
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Music excerpts
- "Der Hirt auf dem Felsen" (Shepherd on the Rock) by Franz Schubert. Jessica Wan, soprano, Natalie Parker, clarinet, Laura Dahl, piano.
- "O mio babbino caro," from Giacomo Puccini's opera Gianni Schicchi. Jessica Wan, soprano, Kevin Korth, piano.
Sara Wampler - Writer and Tech Executive
This week, Jessica talks to Sara Wampler, a writer & tech executive. In her corporate life, Sara has spent almost fifteen years at Google, leading teams focused on customer success, community operations, and support strategy. In her creative life, she writes under the pen name Sara Ramsey and has published seven Regency romance novels. Sara is currently taking a break from the corporate world to focus on writing full time. After living in the Bay Area and in Denver for two decades, she now splits her time between rural Iowa and wherever her travels take her.
Check out Sara's website at sararamsey.com. Or you can follow her on Instagram: @sarawrites.
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Don Atkins - Ed-Tech Entrepreneur and Classical Pianist
This week, Jessica talks with Don Atkins, ed-tech entrepreneur & classical pianist. Don is passionate about fostering individual and social flourishing through education, the arts, and creativity. He's been recently focused on product marketing in the EdTech space and also has worked in program management, policy, strategy, and operations in the agricultural and food innovation industries. Early on in the pandemic, he founded an ed-tech startup, Studious, which is an online platform that connects music teachers with students.
Don wrote a short piece many years ago on why Das Wirtshaus is his favorite song. You can read it here on Substack!
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Music excerpts from the Winterreise song cycle:
- Der stürmische Morgen
- Das Wirtshaus
Featuring Corey Grigg, baritone and Don Atkins, piano
Laurel Sprigg - Singer and Former Small Business Owner
This week, Jessica talks to Laurel Sprigg, singer and former small business owner.
For 30 years, Laurel ran her business Laurel Sprigg Inc., providing couture quality sewing of soft furnishings for the designed interior — custom-made draperies, shades, bed covers, pillows, and more. Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest and California Homes magazines. Since retiring earlier this year from her business, she's been focusing on putting more time into her Ampersand: singing and performing as a dramatic soprano. She currently sings with the SF Choral Society and has performed opera, art song, and choral works with numerous organizations around the Bay Area.
You can check out Laurel's work at laurelsprigg.com and laurelspriggsoprano.com.
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Tim Eischens - Singer, Pianist, and Executive Assistant
This week, Jessica interviews one of her closest friends, Tim Eischens a singer, pianist, & executive assistant. Tim and Jessica met almost 20 years ago in their voice teacher Susan Gundunas's studio. She saw that he was the only male singer in the room and made a beeline for him, thinking, ooh a potential duet partner! Their first duet grew into a lifelong musical collaboration and a deep friendship.
By day, Tim works at Autodesk, the maker of AutoCAD, Maya, and Sketchbook. As an executive assistant, he's supported the CTO and now supports the VP of global brand and communication. As a singer and collaborative pianist, Tim has performed with the San Francisco Lyric Opera, Urban Opera, and SF Choral Society. Tim earned his BS degree in Music Education and Performance from Minnesota State University, Moorhead, The Mozarteum Conservatory, and The University of Salzburg, Austria.
Learn more about Tim on LinkedIn
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Music credits:
"Die Forelle" by Franz Schubert and "A La Caza, Sus, a Caza" by Arne Dørumsgaard as performed by Tim Eischens, tenor and Daniel Lockert, piano.
"Pa...Pa...Pa" from The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Singers: Jessica Wan and Tim Eischens. Piano: Dmitriy Cogan.
Stephanie Wu - Marketer and Cellist
This week, Jessica talks with Stephanie Wu, a Marketer & Cellist.
Steph has appeared as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. As one of 101 musicians selected from 33 countries, she performed in the YouTube Symphony at the Sydney Opera House in 2011, a life-changing experience that inspired her to get an MBA from UC Berkeley and become a marketer at Google.
Today, Steph works at Coursera, where she helps others to re-skill as she did. Steph graduated from Harvard with a double major in social studies and music. She also holds a Master’s degree in cello performance from the Royal Northern College of Music.
Learn more about Stephanie Wu on LinkedIn
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Dr. Arie Perry - Physician and Classical Singer
This week, Jessica talks with Dr. Arie Perry who is a physician & classical singer.
Arie started singing in a rock band in high school (inspired by Journey and Rush) and then he caught the classical music bug. He's performed as a lyric tenor with a number of ensembles including the San Francisco City Chorus, Oakland City Chorus, and American Bach Soloists. Arie is also a physician and the Chief of Neuropathology at UCSF. Combining his vocal talents and medical expertise, he released an album on Spotify called Neuropathology Songs to help his students remember salient features of common neurological disorders.
Check out Arie's neuropathology songs on YouTube
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Heidi Moss Erickson - Singer and Scientist
Jessica interviews Heidi Moss Erickson, a singer & scientist.
Heidi double majored in biology and vocal performance at Oberlin and went on to grad school to study biochemistry with an emphasis in neuroscience. Her postgrad research on telomeres led to a landmark paper in the research journal Cell.
For over 20 years, Heidi has had an extensive career as an opera singer and concert soloist with a focus on new music. Heidi teaches vocal physiology at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and applied voice at UC Davis. In 2007 she came down with a rare nerve injury which resurrected her passion for how the brain controls singing. Her column “Minding the Gap: connecting research from neuroscience to vocal pedagogy” will be a regular feature in the Journal of Singing starting September 2022.
Learn more at heidimosserickson.com
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Theme music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Musical excerpts:
Nähe des Geliebten by Henry Mollicone, performed by Heidi Moss Erickson
Hinüber Wall'Ich by Kurt Erickson, performed by Heidi Moss Erickson, pianist Kurt Erickson, and violist Paul Yarbrough
Dominic Lim - Author, Singer, and Storyteller
Jessica interviews Dominic Lim, an author & singer & storyteller.
Dominic's debut novel ALL THE RIGHT NOTES, a queer Asian rom-com, will be released in June 2023. Dom is a member of The Writers Grotto and is a co-host of the Babylon Salon reading and performance series in San Francisco. He studied psychology at Oberlin and got his masters from Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music. Dom has sung with numerous professional early music and choral ensembles. As a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association, he's performed Off-Broadway and in regional productions throughout the US.
Listen to the full version of "A Part I Play" performed by Dominic Lim and learn more at dominiclim.com
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Reichi Lee - Youth Advocate and Fitness Coach
Jessica interviews Reichi Lee, Youth Advocate & Fitness Coach, this week.
Not only is Reichi an incredible fitness coach, she's a former foster youth attorney and educator who's now running for the Berkeley School Board in November 2022. Straddling these worlds of personal fitness and public education, what brings it all together for Reichi is a deep belief that humans can defy limits.
Learn more at reichilee.com
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
David Riemer - Startup Storyteller and Theater Producer
This week, Jessica interviews David Riemer, a Startup Storyteller & Theater Producer who reminds Ampersands that when it comes to pursuing your dreams, you need to get out there and just do it!
David was Jessica's marketing mentor, and now he's graduated to being her life mentor.
David's business career has taken him from being the VP of Marketing at Yahoo! in its heyday to spending the last 15 years helping hundreds of innovators use storytelling to put their products and businesses on the map.
His book Get Your Startup Story Straight: The Definitive Storytelling Framework for Innovators and Entrepreneurs is an Amazon Best Seller.
Besides his illustrious business career, David also produces theater and he serves as chair of the board of the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and he volunteers for Destiny Arts Center, Oakland.
Learn More at davidriemer.com
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand?
Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Meika Ejiasi - Google Marketer and Photographer
Meika Ejiasi is a Digital Marketer at Google & Professional Photographer based in Oakland, CA. As a photographer, she's worked with brands like American Airlines, Target, Peloton, and Starbucks. She's equally at home doing portrait photography as she is styling that delicious dessert centerpiece photo that makes your mouth water. She holds a Master's in Business from the Fox School of Business at Temple University and a Bachelor's in Marketing from Colorado State.
Learn more at meikaejiasi.com
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Shuo Zhai - Architect, Singer, and Pianist
Shuo Zhai - Architect & Singer & Pianist
Shuo's a double Ampersand — an architect working for Frank Gehry, AND a professional choral singer in the Los Angeles Master Chorale, AND an accomplished solo and collaborative pianist.
Jessica first got to know Shuo in college in the opera The Magic Flute, where he was the Papageno to Jessica's Pamina. A year later, he was Jessica's collaborative pianist for her senior recital.
After a few years working in finance, Shuo followed his passion for architecture and went to Yale for his masters degree. He now works with Frank Gehry at Gehry Partners, where he's taken on projects ranging from cultural centers and exhibitions to private homes to the recently-adopted LA River Master Plan. Since 2015, Shuo has sung with the GRAMMY-Award-winning Los Angeles Master Chorale. You can see him sing live at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA, and you can also hear him on movie scores such as Star Wars episodes 8 and 9.
Learn more @shuoazhai
Are you a high achiever, a leader in your workplace, a person with many interests, maybe even an Ampersand? Well, guess what? Jessica works with people just like you. Jessica can help you navigate change, stay true to your values, and thrive as a leader. Learn more at jessicawan.com. She reads every single message.
Credits
Produced and Hosted by Jessica Wan
Co-produced, edited, and sound design by Naomi Tepper
Music by Denys Kyshchuk and Stockaudios from Pixabay
Excerpt from The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Shuo Zhai, baritone and piano, Jessica Wan, soprano
Welcome to the Ampersand Manifesto
What fuels a multi-passionate life?
In this podcast, I interview the most interesting people at the dinner party.
These folks have led double-lives for decades and straddled two completely different worlds.
For as long as I can remember, I've led a double-life of the practical and the creative. I've built a career in marketing for almost two decades. And now, I work as leadership and executive coach.
On the creative side I've been a musician since I was a kid playing the piano, violin, and oboe. Music was my thing! And then I kept it up. As an adult, I've been actively performing opera, classical music, and musical theater since 2001.
But for the longest time, I wasn't even sure what we should call ourselves. Renaissance humans? Polymaths? Something-slash-something else?The answer woke me up at 2AM one night. We're Ampersands! We have a big, substantial "and" in what we do. We've poured tens of thousands of hours into our creative endeavors, but we've also risen in our paid professions as leaders in the fields of business, education, technology, medicine, science, and more.
The goal of this podcast is to collectively design the Ampersand Manifesto. Why do we continue to lead these double-lives? What does it look like to be balancing and even integrating two big pursuits? And how can our multifaceted endeavors support other Ampersands and the community around us?
This season I interview Ampersands from so many different walks of life. I can't wait to introduce you to these multi-talented, passionate people. Join me for the Ampersand Manifesto, season 1.
Music Credits: Haas-in-Place Episode 1: Zueignung with Don Atkins (piano) and Jessica Wan (vocals)