We recently connected with Jessica Wan and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I’ve spent my entire life straddling multiple worlds, so I’ve always been an Ampersand (a term I coined) – a musician & a business leader. In college, I double-majored and earned a BA in Music & BS in Product Design. As I continued singing, I pursued a marketing career in tandem – starting out at a design firm, then at the San Francisco Opera. Then, I was getting my MBA while also performing opera and art song. As I continued to rise in the business world, leading marketing teams at tech companies like Apple and startups like Smule and Magoosh, my singing career continued to rise as well. I performed on my first “professional” concert series, collaborated with world-class artists, and have gotten fun opportunities to sing at tech conferences, fundraisers, and even a hackathon! These days, I spend my time across multiple careers: executive coaching, singing, hosting and producing my podcast, The Ampersand Manifesto, and volunteering for my son’s school board.

While my creative profession has perhaps looked untraditional, it’s allowed me to pursue deep experience in other areas, and to connect the dots between multiple worlds.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am an executive coach & classically trained singer with a career that spans the worlds of arts, technology, education, and entrepreneurship. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, I specialize in helping individuals find clarity at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and identity.

For nearly two decades, I held senior marketing and leadership roles at mission-driven and high-growth organizations, including Apple, San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh. My expertise encompasses brand strategy, digital transformation, and team leadership, with a consistent focus on aligning authentic storytelling with measurable impact. I am particularly passionate about bridging creative vision with business outcomes to elevate both.

Parallel to my marketing career, I have cultivated a rich life as a performer. As a classically trained vocalist, I have performed opera and musical theatre with companies like Pocket Opera and LIEDER ALIVE!. In 2017, I co-founded Art | Song Salon, a multidisciplinary series designed to foster community and accessibility in the arts by pairing vocal music with visual art.

Today, I integrate my executive experience and artistic discipline to support leaders, creatives, and change-makers. I help my clients navigate transitions and redefine success, empowering them to integrate the many parts of who they are into a cohesive, values-driven life.

I host The Ampersand Manifesto: Make Your Mark in Multiple Fields (ranked among the Top 20 Career Podcasts on Goodpods) to amplify the voices of multi-passionate individuals who make their mark on more than one professional world. With Kristina Libby, I co-lead The Cohort, a community where we help dual careerists build their creative career in concert with their primary one.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My mission in both my business and creative careers is to evoke awareness, tap into emotion, help people find meaning, and inspire positive action. Being an Ampersand straddling two worlds gives you the opportunity to connect with all sorts of people, and to welcome them in to a new world. Most of the audiences who come hear me sing don’t have deep knowledge of art song – it might be their first time ever experiencing it. I visualize myself as a “door holder” of sorts – I welcome you in to this new, beautiful place, and I take you on a deeper journey.

As today’s world becomes more tech- and AI-heavy, I believe it’s more important than ever to invest in what’s most human: the arts, creativity, relationships, and expression. When we can return to what’s most human, that’s when we are at our best.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

It all starts with education, access, and exposure. As an artist, I also see myself as an educator, because so many people in my orbit don’t come from a musical background. So they might be learning at age 30, 40, 50, about the music I perform and the history behind it.

The more we can normalize a life where people support the arts – at an individual level, as well as foundations, corporations, and government – the more the arts can flourish. And it’s not just about developing the artists; it’s about developing audiences too. We need to ensure that children have the opportunities to see concerts, visit museums, support local artists – so they grow into adults who see this life of supporting the arts as part of what it means to be a human being in the world.

I also think that the more we can cultivate Ampersands, the more the arts will flourish. If people can see a path where they can build a professional career in tandem with a creative career, the bonds will be even deeper between the worlds of business and the arts, which is exactly what we need – more unity and connection between disciplines.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicawan.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ampersandmanifesto/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicamwan/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jessicawansoprano
• Other: https://www.theampersandmanifesto.com/, https://open.spotify.com/album/4lfFSjiQO69HpZpTcpGKRN