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

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! # 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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... ~ 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

"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

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

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.

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

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 MorgenDas Wirtshaus Featuring Corey Grigg, baritone and Don Atkins, piano

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