Redefining What Success Looks Like After Graduation: My Conversation with Jack Wagoner

When I first launched the Independence Lab, it was because I saw a huge gap no one was really talking about.

There’s graduation… and then there’s the rest of your life. But in between? There’s this really awkward, overwhelming, unspoken transition where everyone expects you to just figure it out.

In my recent interview on The Grateful Podcast with Jack Wagoner, we dove deep into that transition. Jack asked questions that don’t usually come up in the workplace but absolutely should.

Questions like:

• What does it actually mean to be independent?
• Why is emotional intelligence more important than expertise?
• How can you build financial literacy before you feel ready?
• And maybe most importantly, how do you stay grounded when the world (and social media) is telling you you're behind?

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Emotional Intelligence Got Me the Job. Not My Resume.

During our conversation, I shared the story of how I landed my very first internship at a national magazine despite thinking I totally bombed the interview.

I froze on a question. But instead of spiraling, I paused, breathed, and asked if we could come back to it. That one moment of self-regulation impressed the hiring manager so much that she created a role for me.

Looking back, I didn’t know it yet, but I was using emotional intelligence:

• I stayed calm under pressure (self-regulation)
• I stayed aware of how I was coming across (self-awareness)
  
• I communicated clearly and respectfully
  

And that internship turned into a full-time job. That job turned into a move to New York City. And that move sparked the career I have today.

I wasn’t the most experienced. I wasn’t the most qualified. But I showed up with EQ, and it opened doors that a resume couldn’t.

Financial Literacy Is Self-Care

A huge part of independence is financial, and yet we rarely talk about how deeply your money mindset impacts your emotional well-being.

When you’re unsure how to manage your paycheck, set up a 401(k), or start saving, you stay stuck in stress. That stress chips away at your confidence. It keeps you from making long-term decisions. And it adds emotional weight to every job decision.

Jack and I talked about how so many young people, especially women, feel totally unprepared to handle their finances. I’ve heard so many versions of, “I had to ask my dad how to set up my 401(k).”

That’s not shame. That’s a signal: we’ve got a gap in education, not ability.

That’s why one of the first things I tell women at The Independence Lab is this: Start learning about money before you think you need to. Listen to podcasts. Read the books. Ask questions. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to get curious.

You Don’t Need to Know Exactly What You Want, But You Need to Start.

There’s a quote I love: “You don’t need to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”

That’s exactly how I approach career building. Your first job doesn’t have to be your forever job. You don’t need to have a 10-year plan. But you do need to start moving.

In the podcast, I shared how I went from journalism to tech marketing to operations without a single “perfect” plan. Every step led me somewhere new. Every skill I picked up gave me leverage.

And now? I help young women build the same confidence, career foundation, and self-awareness that changed my life.

Independence Looks Different for Everyone. Define Yours.

When Jack asked me how I define independence, I paused. Because honestly? It’s not just about financial freedom. It’s not about doing whatever you want, whenever you want. It’s deeper than that.

For me, independence means:

• Having the freedom to prioritize my family without sacrificing my work
• Feeling secure enough financially to make choices from a place of confidence, not fear
• Choosing the kind of impact I want to make in the world

The Takeaway: It’s Not Too Late. And You’re Not Too Early.

Whether you’re job hunting, trying to understand your 401(k), or just wondering if you're doing this whole “adulting” thing right, you’re not behind. You’re building.

Every step you take, whether it’s reading this blog, reflecting on your values, or asking one brave question, adds up. It creates your path.

You don’t have to be the most experienced. You don’t have to have it all figured out.

You just have to show up, learn, and build.

kick off your career path the right way

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