Ep.10 From Individual Contributor to Creative Leader: Lessons in Empathy, Resilience, and Team Success

In this episode, I’m joined by Vincent Wanga, an accomplished international design leader and creative executive, to talk about the challenging but rewarding journey from individual contributor to team leader, especially in creative fields. Vincent shares his unique path, balancing the analytical and artistic sides of his background, and opens up about overcoming setbacks, finding the right motivations for stepping into leadership, and the profound importance of empathy, adaptability, and mentorship. We dig into actionable tips for navigating leadership without losing your sense of self, ways to coach and empower teams, and why failure is truly the best teacher. Whether you're already leading or considering making the leap, you'll walk away with insights and real-world strategies to use on your leadership journey.

Vincent Wanga Bio: 

Vincent Wanga is a dynamic international design thought leader, creative keynote speaker, award-winning creative and executive, author of “The Art of Direction,” serial entrepreneur, and experienced brand consultant with an exceptional range of expertise over a distinguished two decade career. As former vice president and head of creative for one of the fastest growing technology startups in North America, he oversaw corporate brand strategy and creative during unprecedented company growth for a pre-series A to an over $1 billion “unicorn” valuation. Vince now lives in Washington, DC and Asheville, North Carolina with his dog, Okello. When he is not working on new business ventures, he passionately travels the world collecting creative inspiration at the finest boutique hotels rewards points can buy.

Connect with Vincent:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-wanga 

Website: https://www.vincentwanga.com/ 

Episode References: 

Book: The Art of Direction: Personal Perspectives on the Path to Creative Leadership https://www.vincentwanga.com/shop 

Connect with Ashley:

Ashley Pattee's website: www.evokecs.com

Schedule a call with Ashley: https://calendly.com/evokecs

Instagram: www.instagram.com/evokecoachingservices/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-pattee-lmsw-cpcc-acc-02612514/