How R/GA Agency Culture Fosters Creativity and Innovation - Chris Hinkle

In Chapter 7 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, product designer and software engineer Chris Hinkle shares how he learned creative thinking in digital media working at R/GA advertising agency in New York City. The company sets aside research and development to look for new problems to solve. It results in a culture of product research aimed at learning new technology and making new products before there is demand for them. Hinkle currently designs products and develops software for The Barbarian Group digital marketing services company. Previously, he worked at HUGE and R/GA digital advertising agencies. He has also founded a product incubation laboratory, The Hinkle Way.

How to Convince Corporations to Take Creative Risks - Chris Hinkle

In Chapter 10 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, product designer and software engineer Chris Hinkle shares what he has learned about encouraging and helping large corporations to be more creative and less risk-averse. He notes the challenge, based on British anthropologist Robin Dunbar's number. Dunbar found once a mean group size reached 148 (commonly rounded to 150), it becomes more difficult to maintain stable social relationships. Hinkle sees the challenge encouraging corporate creativity Hinkle currently designs products and develops software for The Barbarian Group digital marketing services company. Previously, he worked at HUGE and R/GA digital advertising agencies. He has also founded a product incubation laboratory, The Hinkle Way.

What Makes Failures Great Learning Experiences - Dan Street

In Chapter 13 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, software entrepreneur and Loku founder and CEO Dan Street shares why failures are more meaningful learning experiences than successes. He notes that when you get something wrong and you set up an experiment the right way, you can identify the root cause why it went wrong. He shares how failure has taught him to identify root causes that, when corrected or modified, improve his startup direct mail marketing. Street is the founder and CEO of Loku (previously named Borrowed Sugar) which develops Internet software to strengthen local communities. Previously, Street worked in private equity at Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts (KKR) and management consulting at Bain & Co. He earned a BA in music and business from Rice University.

Fabian Pfortmüller on How to Rethink Rules of the Startup Game

In Chapter 14 of 19 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, community builder and entrepreneur Fabian Pfortmüller shares how his experience starting multiple businesses has compared and contrasted with his initial expectations.  He learns how his atypical career approach translates into creating a nontraditional startup.  Location independence, especially encouraging his Holstee and Sandbox teams to work abroad and take trips, becomes a centerpiece in creating company culture.  Pfortmüller is co-founder of Sandbox Network (www.sandbox-network.com).  He also co-founded an innovation think tank, Incubaker (www.incubaker.com), and is part of the group's first spin-off, Holstee (www.holstee.com), an apparel brand for people who would like to wear their passion.  Pfortmüller graduated from Columbia University and its School of General Studies. 

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How is life as an entrepreneur different than you imagined it would be?

Fabian Pfortmüller: My feeling was that entrepreneurs have a lot of holidays [laughs] yeah for some reason I thought that, I thought being your own boss means you can take holidays whenever, turned out not to be true… but having said that you know I believe that it is possible to make that happen and I feel also we talked before about standard careers and doing the atypical way, it seems also a little bit as if there is the standard entrepreneur model, like working extremely hard and kind of not taking holidays and after five, six years you have your exit or not but it’s really crazy a lot.

I believe you can shape that and what we do at Holstee for example is be very dedicated to say that we want to you know spend maybe several months a year working from somewhere else and be very open to go and take breaks if that’s, if that’s what it is for us, we say if you don’t feel like coming to the office, don’t come, either don’t work or kind of work from a café or somewhere else because in the end we didn’t become entrepreneurs to kind of end up in the same situation where someone else will kind of tell us what to do and the same thing goes for Sandbox that we – our team has moved for two weeks in Berlin, work two weeks in Berlin, now they were two weeks in London and really moving a little bit around, that is possible… but it’s not maybe how I originally imagined it to be.

How Eating Seasonally Enhances Foodie Education - Cathy Erway

In Chapter 19 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with Erik Michielsen, author, food writer, and rooftop gardener Cathy Erway highlights the food education benefits gained by eating seasonal fruits and vegetables. By focusing on what is in season, Erway learns ways to explore new tastes, flavors, and cooking approaches. Erway is the author of "The Art of Eating In: How I learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove." She writes two blogs, "Not Eating Out in New York" (http://www.noteatingoutinny.com ) and "Lunch at Six Point" (http://www.lunchatsixpoint.com ). Erway earned her B.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College.

How Food Writer Builds Upon Not Eating Out Blog Success - Cathy Erway

In Chapter 17 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with Erik Michielsen, author, food writer, and rooftop gardener Cathy Erway how she approached starting a second blog, Lunch at Six Point, after the success of her first, Not Eating Out in New York. She takes a different creative direction, focusing on growing food and farming in an urban gardening setting. The new effort gives Erway new ways to connect with readers, including her "Name That Plant" contest. Erway is the author of "The Art of Eating In: How I learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove." She writes two blogs, "Not Eating Out in New York" (http://www.noteatingoutinny.com ) and "Lunch at Six Point" (http://www.lunchatsixpoint.com ). Erway earned her B.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College.

Why to Plant a Garden and Grow Your Own Food - Cathy Erway

In Chapter 9 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with Erik Michielsen, author and food writer Cathy Erway shares what she has learned about planting and growing a rooftop garden in Brooklyn. Erway, who writes the "Not Eating Out in New York" blog, turns to gardening after two years on other non-restaurant food experiences. She learns food science and farming while also understanding home garden implications for healthier eating and budget-friendly living. Erway is the author of "The Art of Eating In: How I learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove." She writes two blogs, "Not Eating Out in New York" (http://www.noteatingoutinny.com ) and "Lunch at Six Point" (http://www.lunchatsixpoint.com ). Erway earned her B.A. in Creative Writing from Emerson College.

How Entertainment Writer Defines and Measures Success - Mark Graham

In Chapter 14 of 19 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, editor and writer Mark Graham shares how he defines success personally and professionally in his pop culture writing for the Internet. Graham notes traditional metrics - unique page views, comment volume, social media sharing - as well as larger, more personal work - are you proud of your work, are other people talking about your work, are you trying something new. He notes this is incredibly important writing for television, as each new season offers new opportunities to try new storytelling and writing angles. Graham is currently a senior editor at MTV Networks. Previously he worked in editing and writing roles at New York Magazine and Gawker Media. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English.

How VH1 Pop Culture Editor Gets Start in Web TV - Mark Graham

In Chapter 2 of 19 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, pop culture writer and editor Mark Graham shares how his online writing and editorial roles are now overlapping with web series development at VH1. Graham previously worked at VH1 on digital initiatives that did not include television. After returning to VH1 after time at New York Magazine, Graham focuses on Internet and television blended content, including network show extras as well as original online programming. Graham is currently a senior editor at MTV Networks. Previously he worked in editing and writing roles at New York Magazine and Gawker Media. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English.

What Writing a Comic Strip Teaches About Brand Storytelling - Doug Jaeger

In Chapter 3 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, designer Doug Jaeger shares what writing a college comic strip taught him about brand storytelling. As a designer, Jaeger is motivated by finding solutions. From an early age, as a college student, he sees the relationship between creating art, putting it in a media format, and impacting culture. Through the process he learns compromise, multitasking and prioritization. Jaeger is a partner at design firm JaegerSloan - http://jaegersloan.com/ - and is also president of the Art Director's Club - http://www.adcglobal.org/ . Previously he founded thehappycorp and has served in creative director leadership roles at TBWA/Chiat/Day and JWT. Jaeger holds a BFA in Computer Graphics and Art Media Studies from Syracuse University.

Why Rock Climbing Appeals to Scientists and Engineers - Clara Soh

In Chapter 10 of 10 in her 2010 interview with Capture Your Flag host Erik Michielsen, health economist and comparative effectiveness researcher Clara Soh Williams details why rock climbing appeals to analytical thinkers, including scientists and engineers. With rock climbing, the rock is constant and climbers apply changes. It is an application of the scientific method that allows for incremental advancement and measurable progress.  Soh holds an MPA in Public Health Finance from New York University and a BS in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University. 

How to Be a More Creative Cook - Sarah Simmons

In Chapter 6 of 16 of her 2010 interview with Capture Your Flag host Erik Michielsen, Food and Wine Magazine 2010 Home Cook Superstar, Bon Appetit contributor, and entrepreneur Sarah Simmons boosts her cooking creativity by collecting and curating recipes and using them for inspiration. Gathering recipes and filing them in an excel spreadsheet help Simmons stay organized and make inspiration accessible, for example when referencing a Jean Georges lamb recipe when concocting her own Easter lamb angle. Learn more about Sarah at http://sarahmcsimmons.com.

How to Champion a Cause Using Non-Traditional Marketing - Steph Redlener

In Chapter 7 of 10 of her 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, creative talent agent Stephanie Redlener learns creative marketing from her father's efforts co-founding and marketing Children's Health Fund (www.childrenshealthfund.org) with artist Paul Simon. Redlener's father uses non-traditional approaches to build cause and issue awareness around bringing medical care to homeless and indigent children. Stephanie applies these non-traditional approaches in her own efforts both in advertising and non-profit work.

Why Teacher Turnover is a Big Charter School Concern - Yoav Gonen

Yoav Gonen returns to Capture Your Flag to build upon his 2009 interview with a 2010 conversation with host Erik Michielsen. In Chapter 16 of 17, Gonen, a New York Post education reporter, shares why teacher turnover is a central issue in the charter school debate. He highlights how many charters rely on highly motivated, energetic young teachers coming from Teach for America. Their commitment is several years in length and charter schools, who tend to have longer work hours and school terms than public schools, tend to burnout the young teachers. Gonen highlights a New Orleans charter school experiencing burnout, but cautions that charter schools require a longer trial - 5 to 10 years longer - to assess teaching sustainability and turnover issues. Before starting his New York City newspaper reporting career, Gonen earned his BA in English from the University of Michigan and his Masters in Journalism from New York University.

Why Charter Schools Polarize Education Debate - Yoav Gonen

Yoav Gonen returns to Capture Your Flag to build upon his 2009 interview with a 2010 conversation with host Erik Michielsen. In Chapter 15 of 17, Gonen, a New York Post education reporter, discusses the public versus private debate charter schools present nationally as well as locally in New York City. Gonen highlights two specific friction inducing charter school issues. The first is that most charter schools - only 12 of 99 in New York City - are non-union. This threatens the city's teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT). The second involves space. In New York City, the space battle is the primary source of charter school negativity, as they claim unused or underutilized class space in public school facilities. Before starting his New York City newspaper reporting career, Gonen earned his BA in English from the University of Michigan and his Masters in Journalism from New York University.

Jullien Gordon on How Experience Checklist Empowers College Student Career Planning

In Chapter 13 of 14 of his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview, motivation teacher Jullien Gordon tours 30 college campuses in 10 weeks to provide guidance to students finding difficulty finding jobs. Gordon cites how only 20% of graduating college students have jobs and creates a novel approach, a 66-item list, to build student intellectual, personal, financial, and social capital. The National Society of Collegiate Scholars (NSCS) backs Gordon and his effort to complement the career planning, curriculum, and counseling students receive while in school. Gordon holds an MBA and Masters in Education from Stanford University and a BA from UCLA.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen:  How did your thirty college, ten week speaking tour, Route 66, reshape your ideas on how to reform college career planning?

Jullien Gordon:  Oh, man.  So, I did this college tour called the Route 66 in partnership with the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, went to thirty campuses in ten weeks all across the country.  It was amazing.  Reached thousands of students and as – the tour was based on sixty-six things that a college student needs to do before graduation because I woke up one morning and saw a statistic from the National Association of Colleges and Employers and said only 20% had jobs on hand at graduation.  So, college use to be this guaranteed path to a job and you’re telling me that only 20% of college graduates in the class of 2009 had job at graduation?  That tells me that college isn’t doing what it’s suppose to, and for me college is a four-year stepping stone for your forty year career.  So, out of that I was inspired to list all the things that I think would help students develop their personal, intellectual, social and financial capital during college to position themselves for the career that they wanted after.  It ended up being a list of sixty-six things and as I was sharing this with them on this tour during this ninety minute presentation, I would say, ‘How many people have done this?” And only two people would have done any given item on the list. 

They were being exposed to things that they had never considered using the college environment for in that space and it just showed me that there was a huge, huge gap.  That the career center wasn’t giving it to them, their major counselor wasn’t giving it to them, their classes weren’t giving it to them, their extracurricular activities wasn’t giving it to them and that they all need it packaged it in one space and that’s what the Route 66 is all about.  I touch base with some of the students on Facebook saying, ‘How’s your Route 66 going?” “I’m crossing off my things off one at a time and I’m so glad that you came to campus and shared this with me.”  And I truly believe that any student that graduates having taken Route 66 is going to be ten times more ready for the world than any student that hasn’t.

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How South Asian Archeaology Class Informed Anthropology Career - Adam Carter

In Chapter 9 or 16, micro-philanthropist and humanitarian Adam Carter derivates from his cultural anthropology major to take South Asian Archeology at University of Michigan. There, he learns the formative historical and cultural ties developed through urban city development and planning. City culture and urban development go on to play a major role in Carter's life as he travels the world as a micro-philanthropist for his Cause and Affect Foundation (www.causeandaffectfoundation.org).

How CEO Learns by Trial and Error - Richard Moross

In Chapter 16 of 17 of his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, entrepreneur, innovator and Moo.com CEO Richard Moross learns to prioritize and order responsibilities as his leadership experience grows. The trial and error experience builds over time and allows Moross to filter less important tasks from more pressing ones.  Moross is founder and CEO of Moo.com.  Before starting Moo.com, an award-winning online print business, Moross was a senior design strategist at Imagination, the world's largest independent design company.  He graduated from the University of Sussex, where he majored in philosophy and politics.