The Power of Adaptability and Authenticity with Wanji Walcott

Branding Room Only with Paula T. Edgar

What would you do if you were handed the reins to a completely unfamiliar role? Would you embrace the challenge, or would panic set in?

Throughout her career, Wanji Walcott has faced this scenario more than once. Instead of letting uncertainty hold her back, she leaned into learning—researching, seeking guidance, and figuring things out along the way. Her willingness to take risks, trust herself, and step into leadership has propelled her from her first job at Lockheed Martin to her current role as Chief Legal and Business Affairs Officer at Pinterest, where she oversees legal, compliance, public affairs, and trust & safety.

In this episode of Branding Room Only, Wanji shares how adaptability and authenticity have shaped her career, from navigating identity and belonging as a first-generation American to becoming a respected leader known for thriving in unfamiliar territory. She also discusses the impact of aligning with a company’s mission, the importance of board leadership, and how staying true to yourself fuels professional success.

1:10 – Wanji’s definition of personal brand, the four words that describe her, her favorite quote, and her go-to hype songs
6:02 – Growing up as the daughter of Guyanese parents in Massachusetts and how it shaped her perspective
15:53 – How attending Howard University influenced her confidence, career, and sense of identity
20:48 – Wanji’s career path, from Lockheed Martin to Pinterest, and the mindset shifts that helped her advance
35:18 – How she took on public affairs at Pinterest to help shape the platform as a positive space on the internet
41:01 – The importance of personal branding when working with major corporate brands
44:31 – The most unexpected use case for Pinterest that Wanji has ever heard
47:07 – Why board leadership and civic engagement are core to her professional and personal mission
50:13 – How Wanji got into golf and the strategy she used to get her skeptical husband to love it, too
54:04 – The one thing Wanji will never compromise on and what people in a standing-room-only crowd would experience about her

Mentioned In The Power of Adaptability and Authenticity with Wanji Walcott

Wanji Walcott on LinkedIn

Pinterest

Minority Corporate Counsel Association

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Sponsor for this episode

This episode is brought to you by PGE Consulting Group LLC.

PGE Consulting Group LLC is dedicated to providing a practical hybrid of professional development training and diversity solutions. From speaking to consulting to programming and more, all services and resources are carefully tailored for each partner. Paula Edgar’s distinct expertise helps engage attendees and create lasting change for her clients.

To learn more about Paula and her services, go to www.paulaedgar.com or contact her at [email protected], and follow Paula Edgar and the PGE Consulting Group LLC on LinkedIn.

Chapters

1. The Power of Adaptability and Authenticity with Wanji Walcott (00:00:00)

2. Wanji’s definition of personal brand, the four words that describe her, her favorite quote, and her go-to hype songs (00:01:10)

3. Growing up as the daughter of Guyanese parents in Massachusetts and how it shaped her perspective (00:06:02)

4. How attending Howard University influenced her confidence, career, and sense of identity (00:15:53)

5. Wanji’s career path, from Lockheed Martin to Pinterest, and the mindset shifts that helped her advance (00:20:48)

6. How she took on public affairs at Pinterest to help shape the platform as a positive space on the internet (00:35:18)

7. The importance of personal branding when working with major corporate brands (00:41:01)

8. The most unexpected use case for Pinterest that Wanji has ever heard (00:44:31)

9. Why board leadership and civic engagement are core to her professional and personal mission (00:47:07)

10. How Wanji got into golf and the strategy she used to get her skeptical husband to love it, too (00:50:13)

11. The one thing Wanji will never compromise on and what people in a standing-room-only crowd would experience about her (00:54:04)