The spark that drives tomorrow’s innovators often begins in the smallest of moments, a mentor’s encouragement, a teacher’s belief, or the chance to see a possibility no one else had shown before. Those early touches of inspiration can shape how people view themselves and what they believe they can achieve.
Wanda Knight understands this deeply. With close to three decades in enterprise sales and leadership, working alongside some of the world’s most recognized companies, she has built her career on results, strategy, and developing strong teams. But beneath the numbers and milestones, she has always held a wider vision: using her platform to create opportunities for others to rise.
Mentorship is central to that vision. Over the years, Wanda has guided colleagues through formal programs for women in her company while also mentoring men and women informally. For her, it is not just about sharing professional advice; it is about giving people the confidence to believe they can grow into roles they may not have imagined for themselves. She sees mentorship as a cycle. When someone is supported early in their journey, they are far more likely to pass that encouragement forward.
Her commitment stretches beyond her industry. Wanda is a strong supporter of cancer research, driven by seeing friends, both men and women, face the disease. She also advocates for the arts in education, pointing out how creative programs are often the first to be cut when budgets shrink. And she is especially passionate about getting more girls into STEM programs, believing that exposure at a young age is the key to closing the gender gap in technology and finance.
Wanda’s perspective comes from her own path. She began as a finance major, with plans to head to Wall Street. But graduating during the 1989 market crash altered her trajectory. An internship with IBM led to a full-time role, and with it, access to one of the strongest sales training and mentorship programs of its time. The opportunity reshaped her career, proving to her how life can pivot when the right support and guidance are in place.
That experience shaped the way she now leads. Wanda believes leadership is not defined by titles or authority, but by the willingness to think differently, set a strategy, and help others step into their potential. Her teams know she values initiative and encourages them to take ownership. Just as important, they know she will stand behind them when challenges arise. It is an approach that echoes her belief in the power of early inspiration to create space, offer support, and watch people grow.
Of course, weaving advocacy into a demanding career comes with challenges. Balancing executive responsibilities with mentorship and community involvement requires intentional effort. Yet Wanda sees the two as connected. The same qualities that drive success in enterprise sales, listening, problem-solving, and forward thinking, also fuel meaningful mentorship and advocacy. In her view, one strengthens the other.
Looking to the future, Wanda is clear about the legacy she wants to build. Professionally, she hopes to be remembered as confident, bold, and a leader who executed at the highest level. Personally, she wants to be known as someone who was kind, supportive, and generous with her time. For her, success is not measured only in revenue or rankings but in the lives she influenced and the opportunities she helped create.
In a world that often celebrates results above all else, Wanda Knight offers a different lens. The real impact of leadership is not just in what you achieve, it is in what you inspire in others. By mentoring, advocating for education and research, and pushing for more inclusivity in STEM, she shows that the future of innovation is built on more than strategy and skill. It is built on belief, the kind sparked early, when someone first shows you that your potential is bigger than you realized.
Written in partnership with Tom White
