Jason Anello on Hosting an Annual Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner Party

In Chapter 4 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and marketing agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "What Have You Learned from Your Experience Hosting an Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Party With Friends?" Anello shares how hosting a potluck dinner party for friends every Thanksgiving - Thanksbringing - has allowed him to experiment with different types of food and ways to cook turkey. Consistently hosting every year has also given him a lens to see how his friendships are evolving, including new faces of friends and babies, and what that has meant in his life.

Jason Anello is a founding partner and creative director at Manifold Partners, an award-winning marketing agency. Previously, Anello worked in creative leadership roles at Yahoo!, Ogilvy & Mather, and Digitas. Passionate about food, friendship and travel, Anello also runs the Forking Tasty food blog. He earned a BFA from University at Albany. 

Cathy Erway on Feeling Part of a Group Working on Volunteer Projects

In Chapter 13 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and food writer Cathy Erway answers "How Has Volunteering Impacted Your Learning and Development?" Erway shares how nonprofit volunteering allows her to commit to causes and feel part of a group working to make a difference. She notes how the nonprofit volunteer work is a nice complement to shorter-term freelance writing projects she takes on in her career.

Cathy Erway is an author, food writer, freelance copywriter, radio show host and teacher focused on healthy food advocacy. Her second book, "The Food of Taiwan: Recipes From the Beautiful Island" is a cookbook featuring Taiwanese recipes ranging from homestyle dishes to street food favorites. Her first book, "The Art of Eating In" developed from her blog "Not Eating Out in New York".  Erway earned a BA in creative writing from Emerson College. 

Cathy Erway on Gaining Respect for Exercise Habits and Routines

In Chapter 19 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and food writer Cathy Erway answers "What Role Do Habits and Routines Play into Your Pursuit of Living a More Fulfilling Life?" Erway shares how she is learning to appreciate healthy habits and routines more and more in her early thirties. She notes how it still comes with a balance between good habits and bad habits. Erway puts a priority on getting into healthier routines such as weekly yoga and more regular exercise.

Cathy Erway is an author, food writer, freelance copywriter, radio show host and teacher focused on healthy food advocacy. Her second book, "The Food of Taiwan: Recipes From the Beautiful Island" is a cookbook featuring Taiwanese recipes ranging from homestyle dishes to street food favorites. Her first book, "The Art of Eating In" developed from her blog "Not Eating Out in New York".  Erway earned a BA in creative writing from Emerson College. 

Phil McKenzie on Managing an Overseas Long-Distance Relationship

In Chapter 3 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Has It Been Like Managing an Overseas Long-Distance Relationship?"  McKenzie finds it challenging not being physically present in a long-distance relationship and finds workaround ways to stay connected. He uses WhatsApp and Skype tools to bridge that presence gap and finds ways to communicate consistently to keep the bonds strong in between visits.

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

Phil McKenzie on Adjusting Habits to Live a More Fulfilled Life

In Chapter 9 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Role Do Habits and Routines Play into Your Pursuit of Living a More Fulfilling Life?" McKenzie shares that having a plan in place, including set habits and routines, helps him structure his days and weeks. However, he tries to stay flexible, embracing things that come up and making adjustments to accommodate and embrace unexpected opportunities.

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

Phil McKenzie on Managing Time Producing Events for a Living

In Chapter 12 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "As a Business Owner, How Do You Decide What Time Horizon to Focus on in Your Work?" McKenzie shares how managing time projects depends on the type of event he is planning and producing. For his Influencer Conference, given it is an annual event, managing time is consistently year-to-year. However, for new programs and smaller events, such as the Influencer Salon speaker series, he needs to be more flexible to accommodate shorter deadlines and delivery dates.

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

Jullien Gordon on Committing to Help an Alcoholic Family Member

In Chapter 12 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach and public speaker Jullien Gordon answers "How Do You Measure the Quality of Relationships in Your Life?" Gordon shares how he measures relationships based on deep or frequent contact. He notes how he has reprioritized the relationship he has with his mother, a recovering alcoholic. Going through Al-Anon, a program for relatives of alcoholics, Gordon realizes he can do more than hand off responsibility to his mom's Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sponsor. He chooses to make a daily commitment to call his mom each day and be there for her on her recovery journey.

Jullien Gordon is a business coach and consultant to organizations, individuals and teams who want to increase performance, motivation, engagement and retention. Gordon is also a public speaker on career planning for colleges, conferences, and corporations. He earned a BA from UCLA and MBA and M. Ed degrees from Stanford University. 

Hammans Stallings on Finding Ways to Improve as a Teacher

In Chapter 3 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "How Are You Becoming a Better Teacher?" Stallings finds ways to improve his teaching skills by studying cognitive science and finding ways to communicate an idea that is complex and potentially new to an audience or a learner. He builds on this by finding ways to continuously practice and improve upon his storytelling and listening.

Hammans Stallings is a Principal Strategist at frog design. Previously Stallings 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.

Hammans Stallings on Improving Complex Problem Solving Skills

In Chapter 6 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "How Are You Improving How You Assess and Solve Complex Problems?" Stallings shares how dedicating himself to constantly practicing problem solving in his work is allowing him to progressively develop mastery-level skills. He notes how, over time, things slow down and he is more capable to see things clearly. Working with teams helps him evolve academic thinking into practical, personalized thinking around specific client problems.

Hammans Stallings is a Principal Strategist at frog design. Previously Stallings 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.

Matt Curtis on Learning Customer Service in First Job After College

In Chapter 10 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "What Did You Learn in Your First Job Out of College That is Still Relevant Today?" Curtis shares how working at a wine bar in his first job out of college taught him the importance of customer service. Even though the winery was beautiful, Curtis found the customer experience was dependent on consistent, high quality service.

Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was deputy to Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn. He has represented the City of Austin at the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities. In 2011, Curtis joined the Harvard Kennedy School Urban Policy Advisory Board to work on national best practices facing American cities. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas. 

Bijoy Goswami on Why to Get Eight Hours of Sleep Every Night

In Chapter 8 of 17 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, community leader Bijoy Goswami answers "What Role Do Habits and Routines Play into Your Pursuit of Living a More Fulfilled Life?" Over his life, Goswami finds adhering to sleeping eight hours a night helps him stay fresh and healthy. He notes how getting enough sleep is as or more important than having a healthy diet and exercising regularly. He shares how he shifted his behavior from childhood early wake-ups to adult life as a late person who sleeps in before starting his day.

Bijoy Goswami is a writer, teacher, and community leader based in Austin, Texas. He develops learning models to help individuals, organizations and communities live more meaningfully. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University. 

Audrey French on Why to Carry on Family Christmastime Traditions

In Chapter 11 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "What Family Traditions Do You Feel are Important to Carry on to Future Generations?" Getting married introduces French to husband's family Christmastime traditions, including decorating the Christmas Tree and watching "It's a Wonderful Life" together as a family. She and her husband look to carry on these Christmas traditions while also doing the same with daily traditions such as having family dinners to talk about the day as a family.

Audrey Parker French is a new mother living with her husband and son in Austin, Texas. Before leaving work to focus on family, French co-founded CLEAResult, an energy management consulting firm she helped grow to #144 on the 2010 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies and then sell to General Catalyst Partners. She graduated from Wake Forest University. 

Audrey French on Overcoming Self-Doubt to Live a More Fulfilled Life

In Chapter 15 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "What Role Do Habits and Routines Play into Your Pursuit of Living a More Fulfilled Life?" French shares how she has used neurolinguistic programming techniques to identify subconscious behaviors and shed negative ones and use positive ones. She pushes herself to get over issues of doubting herself when making decisions and appreciating that as a new mother she will make mistakes and be able to correct them over time.

Audrey Parker French is a new mother living with her husband and son in Austin, Texas. Before leaving work to focus on family, French co-founded CLEAResult, an energy management consulting firm she helped grow to #144 on the 2010 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies and then sell to General Catalyst Partners. She graduated from Wake Forest University. 

Courtney Spence on How to Be Intentional Keeping Family Traditions

In Chapter 4 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, nonprofit CEO Courtney Spence answers "What Family Traditions Do You Feel Are Important to Carry on to Future Generations?" Spence shares how she is making a priority not only to carry on holiday family traditions such as Easter Egg Hunts but also weekly family rituals such as Sunday night dinners and special occasion meals such as steak and twice-baked potato night.

Courtney Spence is founder and CEO of Students of the World, a nonprofit empowering a diverse network of student and emerging filmmakers to apply storytelling skills in purposeful work. She is also the Founder and CEO of CSpence group, a creative agency building millennial-focused content and programs for brands. Spence earned a BA from Duke University. 

Courtney Spence on Why Daily Habits and Routines Can Be Helpful

In Chapter 7 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, nonprofit CEO Courtney Spence answers "What Role Do Habits and Routines Play into Your Pursuit of Living a More Fulfilled Life?" Spence shares how she is not a regimented routine person, but she is starting to see the value of embracing some routines and daily habits as she gets older. She finds it helps her be more efficient in her work and with her time and does not require a full commitment to restructure her life.

Courtney Spence is founder and CEO of Students of the World, a nonprofit empowering a diverse network of student and emerging filmmakers to apply storytelling skills in purposeful work. She is also the Founder and CEO of CSpence group, a creative agency building millennial-focused content and programs for brands. Spence earned a BA from Duke University. 

Randall Metting: How Holidays With Grandparents Shape Family Values

In Chapter 1 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Randall Metting answers "What Were Your Grandparents Like and How Did They Influence Your Development?" Metting reflects on holidays spent with his grandparents and their influence on family holiday traditions. As a child, Metting remembers traveling over the holidays from Georgia to spend time with his grandparents in Texas. He fondly recalls the general atmosphere of having the family all together for the traditional Texas Longhorn game against the Texas A&M Aggies.

Randall Metting is a brand development and marketing manager at Dulce Vida Spirits in Austin, Texas. Over 17 years, he has built brands in spirits, luxury real estate and lifestyle, music, and sports industries. He has been a radio personality at KGSR Radio and a marketer at a hyperlocal startup acquired by NBC Universal. Metting earned a BA in Advertising from the University of Florida and started his career at The Coca-Cola Company. 

Randall Metting on How a Productive Day Starts by Caring For Your Dog

In Chapter 7 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Randall Metting answers "What Routines Have Been Most Helpful in Your Life?" Metting shares how routines make his life better and notes that each and every day starts with the routine of caring for his dog, Shiner. Taking care of Shiner sets Metting's day in motion as he gets into the office to work on digital and event marketing at work.

Randall Metting is a brand development and marketing manager at Dulce Vida Spirits in Austin, Texas. Over 17 years, he has built brands in spirits, luxury real estate and lifestyle, music, and sports industries. He has been a radio personality at KGSR Radio and a marketer at a hyperlocal startup acquired by NBC Universal. Metting earned a BA in Advertising from the University of Florida and started his career at The Coca-Cola Company. 

Matt Ruby on Learning the Nuances of Filmmaking and Scriptwriting

In Chapter 10 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian and Vooza founder Matt Ruby answers "What Experiences in the Past Year Have Most Influenced the Direction of Your Work?" Producing the Vooza web series, Ruby finds it educational learning from experience creating webisodes and evolving the tone when writing new segments. As an established standup comedian now working in a screen format, he also learns nuances of presenting comedy in a video medium and the filmmaking styles, such as cross-cutting, used to do this well.

Matt Ruby is a standup comedian based in New York City. He also founded Vooza, on online comic strip web series that makes fun of tech startup culture. As an actor, director, writer and producer, Ruby leads the creative direction for the team. Before his comedy career, Matt was employee #1 at 37Signals. He graduated from Northwestern University.