Emma Ingoglia-Thomas

I’d say it comes down to consistently making small, positive moves every day. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed - especially when you’re operating in uncertainty or building something where the outcome isn’t guaranteed. What’s helped me is focusing on taking incremental steps in the right direction, even when I don’t have all the answers. Those daily actions create a sense of momentum and progress, which keeps me grounded and focused. Over time, they compound into meaningful results. Even in ambiguous or high-pressure situations, that consistency is what allows me to keep moving forward and ultimately drive success.

The best career advice I’ve received is: Do the job you want to have, before you officially have it. To me, that means taking initiative beyond your defined role - raising your hand for new opportunities, thinking strategically, and acting with ownership. Instead of waiting for permission or a title change, it’s about demonstrating that you can already operate at the next level.

I’ve tried to apply that mindset in my own career by stepping into responsibilities that weren’t formally mine and building something from the ground up. It’s been a powerful way to accelerate growth and create opportunities rather than waiting for them.

I’d say don’t be afraid to take on opportunities that feel a little risky or outside your comfort zone. Early in your career, there’s often advice to stay in your lane, build experience, and follow a more traditional path. But in my experience, the biggest growth has come from stepping into the unknown. Every meaningful leap I’ve made, whether it was pivoting industries or raising my hand to lead something that didn’t yet exist, came with uncertainty and limited support. But those are the moments where you learn the fastest and differentiate yourself. When you’re early in your career, you have a unique window to take those kinds of risks. You don’t need everything to be perfectly defined to succeed. If anything, being willing to figure things out as you go can open doors you didn’t even know were possible.

One of the biggest challenges, and at the same time, one of the biggest opportunities, in my field right now is building strong brand awareness while operating at the forefront of a relatively new category. In food tech, especially at a company like Wonder, we’re not just marketing a product - we’re helping redefine what it means to be a restaurant. That creates a unique challenge because customers don’t always have an immediate point of reference for what we offer. There’s an educational component in addition to the typical sales and marketing efforts. At the same time, that’s what makes it such an exciting opportunity. Being part of a company that’s actively reinventing the dining experience means we have the chance to shape customer expectations and stand out in a crowded market. If we can successfully build awareness and clearly communicate that value, there’s significant room for growth and long-term impact.

The value that matters most to me, both professionally and personally, is the quality of my relationships. I really believe in the idea that people don’t remember exactly what you said, but they remember how you made them feel. That mindset shapes how I show up day to day. At work, it means building genuine, trust-based relationships with clients and colleagues, and making sure people feel heard, respected, and supported. In sales especially, strong relationships aren’t just a “nice to have”, they’re foundational to long-term success and retention. In my personal life, it’s the same principle. I try to be intentional about how I treat people and the kind of impact I leave on them. For me, success isn’t just about results, it’s about creating positive, lasting impressions through the way I interact with others.