James McCormick on Why There is No One Right Way to Live Your Life

In Chapter 6 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" McCormick shares what he has learned in his 20s and 30s, namely that there is no one right script to follow to life a full life. Moving from Detroit to Ann Arbor to San Francisco to New Orleans to New York City, getting married, becoming a father, and building a law career all teach him the importance of improvisation and flexibility. He channels what life has taught him into his work as an executive recruiter by learning to listen and treat every person he works with as an individual. James McCormick is a Partner at Empire Search Partners in New York City. Previously, he practiced law as an employee benefits and executive compensation attorney for Proskauer Rose and Jones Day. He earned a JD at Tulane Law School and a BA in History at the University of Michigan.

How to Make Employee Culture a Competitive Advantage

In Chapter 12 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, innovation strategist Hammans Stallings answers "What Has Working at frog design Taught You About What It Takes to Build a Strong Company Culture?" Working at 40-year old design strategy company frog design, Stallings sees firsthand how people not only can come together to solve client problems but also can individually contribute to shaping what the company represents in carrying on the company history via actions and values. As he assimilates into frog culture over time, Stallings learns how to contribute, embrace the impromptu nature of interaction, and, ultimately, add to how the company differentiates with its culture.

Hammans Stallings is a Senior Strategist at frog design. Previously he worked in strategy at Dell and investment banking at Stephens. He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, a MS in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas and a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Virginia.

Jason Anello on Experiencing Joy Traveling Somewhere New

In Chapter 6 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "What Have You Found Most Rewarding About Traveling to New Places?" Traveling somewhere new fuels Anello's creativity, as does finding new places to explore in places such as Barcelona and Madrid he has already been. He shares how big trips need not always be planned and shares an example of a long weekend trip to Amsterdam he and his wife took in the past year.

Jason Anello is a founding partner and creative director at Manifold Partners, an award-winning creative advertising agency.  Previously, Anello worked in creative leadership roles at Yahoo!, Ogilvy & Mather, and Digitas.  A passionate foodie and traveler, he runs the Forking Tasty food blog and supper club series.  He earned a BFA from University at Albany.

Phil McKenzie on What You Learn Bootstrap Financing a Startup

In Chapter 7 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Has Bootstrapping a Startup Taught You About Doing More With Less?"  Bootstrap financing his startup teaches McKenzie to get creative with limited resources.  It forces him not to be lazy and to make the most fewer financial resources, for example when getting publicity and marketing his business. 

Philip L. McKenzie is the Founder and Global Curator of Influencer Conference, a global content platform that brings together tastemakers in the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology to discuss the current and future state of influencer culture. Prior to that, he was Managing Partner of influencer marketing agency FREE DMC and an equities trader at Goldman, Sachs & Co.  He earned an MBA from Duke University and a BBA from Howard University.

How Podcast Host Cathy Erway Improves Interviewer Skills

In Chapter 8 of 17 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, writer and healthy food advocate Cathy Erway answers "How Have You Learned to Conduct Better On-Air Interviews?"  Erway finds practice and repetition help her get more comfortable in her role as a radio podcast on-air interviewer.  She learns not by formal training but by working with the audio engineers and staying relaxed.  She enjoys the improvisational elements of talking with interesting "Eat Your Words" radio podcast guests in an open and personal way.  

Cathy Erway is a Brooklyn-based author, part-time cook, freelance writer, radio host and teacher focused on healthy food advocacy.  Her first book, "The Art of Eating In" developed from her blog "Not Eating Out in New York".  She earned a BA in creative writing from Emerson College.

How Nieces and Nephews Inspire Creative Thinking - Conrad Doucette

In Chapter 7 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, musician Conrad Doucette answers "What Have You Found Most Gratifying About Being an Uncle?"  Doucette, an uncle to multiple nieces and nephews, details the joys of having young children in his live.  He finds it eye-opening to see things through a child's eyes, especially creative tools.  Seeing the creative side flourish in his nieces and nephews provides Doucette creative inspiration in his music writing and playing. 

Conrad Doucette is a Brooklyn musician and the drummer for Takka Takka, which released its 3rd studio album, AM Landscapes, in late 2012.  He has performed with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, The National, Alina Simone, and many other leading acts.  When not performing music, Doucette is the communications and brand director at music licensing and publishing startup Jingle Punks.  Doucette earned a BA in History from the University of Michigan.

What Performing With Bob Weir Teaches Musician Conrad Doucette

In Chapter 18 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, musician Conrad Doucette answers "What Did Bob Weir Teach You When You Played With Him Earlier This Year?"  Doucette gets to play with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead in early 2012.  Bob Weir shows Doucette how he directs a band and puts an improvisational structure in place.  Weir gives Doucette and his bandmates lessons on how listening can feed improvisational music moments.  Additionally, learns Bob Weir is as much a master musician as he thought but also that he is as human as anyone else playing in the band. 

Conrad Doucette is a Brooklyn musician and the drummer for Takka Takka, which released its 3rd studio album, AM Landscapes, in late 2012.  He has performed with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, The National, Alina Simone, and many other leading acts.  When not performing music, Doucette is the communications and brand director at music licensing and publishing startup Jingle Punks.  Doucette earned a BA in History from the University of Michigan.

Matt Ruby on How Confidence Can Make You More Creative

In Chapter 9 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian Matt Ruby answers "How Is Your Creative Toolbox Changing?"  Ruby speaks to the instinctual skills he uses to twist jokes on stage and take the audience on a journey.  For Ruby, the confidence that comes with having more control on stage allows him to ultimately perform at higher levels for his audience. 

Matt Ruby is a standup comedian and comedy writer based in New York City.  He produces a video comic strip at Vooza.com, co-produces the weekly show "Hot Soup", co-hosts the monthly show "We're All Friends Here", and writes a comedy blog "Sandpaper Suit".  Ruby graduated from Northwestern University. 

What It Means to Lead in Innovation Consulting Job - Hammans Stallings

In Chapter 18 of 22 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, innovation strategist Hammans Stallings answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?"  Stallings references his innovation and consulting and design work at frog design.  He notes leading comes not from the top but from influencing project direction without control and without saying "no".  When done right, the approach allows Stallings and team to get the most out of the team and optimize the collective problem solving.  This is Hammans Stallings' Year 2 CYF interview.  Stallings is currently a Senior Strategist at frog design.  Previously he worked in business strategy at Dell and investment banking at Stephens.  He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, a MS in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Virginia. 

How to Break Out of a Comfort Zone and Find New Things to Do

In Chapter 10 of 14 in his 2012 interview, real estate development executive Brett Goldman answers "What is Your Comfort Zone and What Do You Do to Break Free of Living in It?"  He shares how he constantly monitors his satisfaction with thing that become routine in his life, always trying new things and bringing them into his regular activity pattern if they are a fit.  Brett Goldman is a Real Estate Acquisitions Director at Triangle Equities in New York City.  He holds a BA in General Studies from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Real Estate Development from the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen:  Where is your comfort zone and what do you do to break free of living in it?

Brett Goldman: I'm definitely a creature of habit. My comfort zone is my routine. But there's no doubt that I delight in getting out of that routine. It's kind of like a Eureka-moment, where I just decide I'm not gonna do routine. And then I turn left or whatever I'm doing, it really doesn't -- I don't think it through too much, sometimes I just get sick of the routine, sometimes I know that I don't wanna be in the routine so I go out of my comfort zone and when I get out of my comfort zone, there's usually great things anyway, I usually discover good things when I'm out of my comfort zone, and then they become incorporated into the routine. 

Erik Michielsen: How do you make that happen?

Brett Goldman: You know, once something is a good experience that was outside of the routine and I found it, then I'll go back to it. Usually until I get sick of it. 

Learning Investigative Reporting in Newspaper Journalism - Yoav Gonen

In Chapter 10 of 11 in his 2011 interview, education reporter Yoav Gonen answers "What are the Challenges that Come with Doing Better Investigative Reporting?"  Gonen notes two challenges in his investigative work.  The first is actually finding the time to do it amidst his daily reporting responsibilities for the paper.  The second is more effectively overcoming obstacles and finding new ways to get the same information.  Yoav Gonen is the education reporter for the New York Post newspaper in New York City.  He earned a Masters of Journalism degree from New York University and a BA in English from the University of Michigan.

How Product Manager Startup and Corporate Jobs Compare - Ramsey Pryor

In Chapter 10 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Ramsey Pryor answers "How Does a Startup Product Management Job Differ From a Large Corporate One?"  Pryor notes how startup product managers have a blank slate and significant autonomy, whereas large company product managers must work withing much more complex and numerous role definitions.  Pryor is currently a product management executive at IBM focused on cloud-based communication and collaboration software.  Previously he was VP Product Marketing at Outblaze, acquired by IBM.  Pryor earned an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and a BA in Economics and Spanish from Northwestern University. 

How Flow State of Mind Elevates Stage Performance - Matt Ruby

In Chapter 2 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, standup comedian Matt Ruby answers "When Are You at Your Best?"  Ruby notes how he does his best work when in a flow state.  An analytic person, Ruby learns to let go and immerse himself in an open state where he can trust his subconscious and perform on stage. 

Matt Ruby is a standup comedian based in New York City.  He co-produces the weekly show "Hot Soup", co-hosts the monthly show "We're All Friends Here", and manages a comedy blog "Sandpaper Suit".  Ruby graduated from Northwestern University.

What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder - Matt Ruby

In Chapter 4 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, standup comedian Matt Ruby answers "What is Getting Harder and What is Getting Easier in What You Do as a Standup Comedian?"  He shares how experience is making some things easier.  He notes the the challenge of maintaining a unique voice or point of view as he gains performance experience. 

Matt Ruby is a standup comedian based in New York City.  He co-produces the weekly show "Hot Soup", co-hosts the monthly show "We're All Friends Here", and manages a comedy blog "Sandpaper Suit".  Ruby graduated from Northwestern University. 

Matt Ruby on How to Improve Comic Timing

In Chapter 5 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, standup comedian Matt Ruby answers "How Has Your Comedic Timing Evolved as You've Built Experience and Refined Your Delivery?"  By performing regularly, Ruby not only learns to get into a rhythm with existing material, but also to deliver new material to audiences in a more engaging way. 

Matt Ruby is a standup comedian based in New York City.  He co-produces the weekly show "Hot Soup", co-hosts the monthly show "We're All Friends Here", and manages a comedy blog "Sandpaper Suit".  Ruby graduated from Northwestern University. 

How Experiential and Self-Directed Learning Styles Compare - Scott Gold

In Chapter 3 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "How Has Experiential and Self-Directed Learning Shaped Your Ambition and Development?"  Gold learns from his father that "Experience is the hardest teacher" as the test comes before the lesson.  He shares the experiential lesson learned of Hurricane Katrina and its affect on his family's Louisiana home.  He compares experiential learning with self-directed learning, which emphasizes initiative and failure as an educational process.  Scott Gold is an author and writer based in New York City.  When not writing, Gold moonlights as a bartender at Char no. 4 restaurant in Brooklyn.  He earned a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Learning the Limits of Preparation Working in Restaurants - Scott Gold

In Chapter 18 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "What Has Working in the Restaurant Business Taught You About the Power of Preparation?"  Just like the Boy Scouts, Gold notes it is about being prepared.  Additionally, he notes that no matter how prepared you may be, adversity and challenge will strike.  Here, you need to find a way to make it work.  Scott Gold is an author and writer based in New York City.  When not writing, Gold moonlights as a bartender at Char no. 4 restaurant in Brooklyn.  He earned a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. 

How Drummer Defines and Measures Success - Conrad Doucette

In Chapter 11 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, musician and Takka Takka drummer Conrad Doucette answers "How Do You Define and Measure Success in What You Do?"  First, he must be able to perform well with other musicians. This goes for playing with his band, Takka Takka, as well as sitting in with other bands such as The National.  There, Doucette puts himself in the place of the listener, looking for ways to fit into the ensemble and add to the song.  Doucette is the drummer for the Brooklyn-based band Takka Takka.  He also performs with The National, Okkervil River, and Alina Simone.  When not performing, Doucette works as a copywriter, blogger, and digital media producer.  He has worked at Blender, Fuse TV, and Heavy.com.  Doucette earned his BA in History from the University of Michigan.