IN PURSUIT from Glassdoor - Vinny Eng

Vinny Eng was at the top of his game in his restaurant career. He was recognized as one of Food & Wine Magazine’s sommeliers of the year. He was a skilled and respected general manager of Tartine Manufactory in San Francisco.  Then, one day, he got an offer to become the organizing director for Suzy Loftus’ campaign for San Francisco district attorney. It didn’t take long for him to say yes. 

Why would he change his life so radically?  

“When the universe calls you, you show up. You find a way,“ he tells host Amy Elisa Jackson in this episode of IN PURSUIT. Vinny’s work has always revolved around community, whether in his early career in the theater, his success in the restaurant business, or his advocacy for people of color and LGBTQ rights. 

“We are not others in a way that make us foreign to each other. Rather we are others in a way that presents an opportunity for us to discover how much we are alike,” he says. “Your wholeness as a human being is an asset. Present your whole self to everyone. Be consistent about how you present yourself, regardless of what space you're in.”

Vinny’s pivot — and his grace navigating it — is at the heart of what the IN PURSUIT podcast is all about: arriving at a split in life’s path and making your best choice. You’ll be inspired by Vinny’s experience as you share in his life lessons. 

As Vinny says in the interview, “Don't ever confine yourself to think that a pathway is the one that you have to commit to. Trust when people show up for your life and trust when people give you the invitation to do something wildly outside anything you ever imagined.  And if it feels good in your heart, go after it, go for it. Because when you take a risk in your personal and professional career, people will show up, and support you, and push you, and hold you accountable.”

IN PURSUIT is hosted by Amy Elisa Jackson and is an original podcast from Glassdoor.  Click to listen now. Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.  With honest and candid conversations, guests share how they navigate their careers through achievements, hurdles and heartbreaks encountered along the way.  If you have a question or feedback for us, message us on Twitter (@glassdoor using the hashtag #InPursuitPod).