Caroline Wanga on the Career Path No One Tells You About

It’s easy to feel lost in your career, especially as the world around us keeps shifting. Whether you’re starting over, seeking purpose, or just unsure what your next move is, this episode is for you.

This week, Jessi Hempel sits down with Caroline Wanga, president and CEO of Essence Ventures and co-founder of Wanga Woman. Caroline is a dynamic leader and an unapologetic champion of authenticity. She joins Jessi to share her approach to building a career map – not just once, but continuously throughout your life.

Before leading Essence, Caroline spent 15 years at Target, rising from intern to C-suite executive. Today, she’s focused on democratizing authenticity through her personal purpose, her leadership, and her new memoir, I’m Highly Percent Sure.

Jessi and Caroline dig deep into:



Why your “next right move” may not look like anyone else’s




Why playing with your career map, not perfecting it, leads to clarity




How, and when, Caroline has created her own career maps




The role of authenticity in leadership and life




What it really takes to live and work with personal purpose




Tools and mindsets for building a meaningful career in today’s world




Don’t miss Caroline’s practical wisdom on shaping a professional life that evolves with you.

This episode was filmed live in-studio. LinkedIn Premium subscribers can watch the full video version here.

Want to keep the conversation going? Join us at Hello Monday Office Hours, live on the LinkedIn News page this Wednesday at 3 PM EST.

Ever wish you had a pal who could break down the biggest ideas of the new world of work and distill them into actionable insights you could apply to your own life, right away? Meet LinkedIn's Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel! Each week, Jessi explores the changing nature of work and how that work is changing us. Jessi welcomes big thinkers to share their best ideas: everyone from game-changing entrepreneurs like Aurora James, to research-based experts like Daniel Pink, to notable figures like Megan Rapinoe and Bozoma Saint John. Start your week by joining us every Monday for a dose of fresh ideas, then join us in community and conversation on LinkedIn.
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