Teaching Art Students Creative Career Skills - Doug Jaeger

In Chapter 16 of 17 in his 2012 interview, entrepreneur Doug Jaeger shares "How Are You Teaching Young Creative Professionals How to Survive and Succeed"  Jaeger shares what he is learning teaching at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City.  He provides his students both introductions to senior creative professionals as well as putting students on real world project teams to strengthen academic skills while learning real life skills.  Doug Jaeger is the co-founder of JaegerSloan, a multimedia design services firm in New York City.  His street front office doubles as the JS55 Gallery. Jaeger is also an adjunct professor at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).  He graduated from Syracuse University.

How Art Projects Become Creative Careers - Doug Jaeger

In Chapter 17 of 17 in his 2012 interview, entrepreneur Doug Jaeger answers "How Can Art Projects Lead to Creative Careers?"  By teaching students and running a gallery, Jaeger pushes young creative talent to turn art passion projects into commercial, money making efforts.  He shares how changing tools, from Etsy and Tumblr to Square, are helping lower barriers to entry for young creative talent.  Doug Jaeger is the co-founder of JaegerSloan, a multimedia design services firm in New York City.  His street front office doubles as the JS55 Gallery. Jaeger is also an adjunct professor at the School of Visual Arts (SVA).  He graduated from Syracuse University.

Why to Be an Alumni Volunteer - Phil McKenzie

In Chapter 11 of 21 in his 2011 interview, Phil McKenzie answers "How Has Alumni Volunteering Helped You Build a Better Network?"  McKenzie notes that alumni volunteering is not just about building a better network, but it is also about providing the support to future generations who face similar challenges and hold similar aspirations as his own generation.  McKenzie is the founder of Influencer Conference, an international event series bringing together tastemakers across the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology.  He is also managing partner of influencer marketing agency FREE DMC.  Previously he worked in Domestic Equity Trading at Goldman, Sachs, & Co.  He earned his BA from Howard University and MBA from Duke University. 

How Julie Hession Turns Cooking Passion Into Food Career

In Chapter 4 of 21 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, food entrepreneur Julie Biederman Hession answers "What is the Source of Your Cooking Passion?  As a child, Hession's mom gives Juile the freedom to experiment in the kitchen.  Growing up she gets more comfortable around food by playing restaurant, building 5-course menus with a Sesame Street Cookbook.  Many years later, while in business school, Hession re-immerses herself in cooking, building confidence in dinner parties and food events.  Near the end of business school, Hession finds a mentor in food entrepreneur Sarah Foster, who connects Julie to Patricia Kluge.  Hession goes on to work for Kluge and build a farm shop, launching her career in food.  Julie Hession is the founder of Julie Anne's All Natural Granola Company.  Passionate about food since childhood, Hession has developed her career by food blogging, cooking contests, and starting fine food companies.  Hession earned an MBA in Marketing from Duke University and a BA from UNLV. 

Jullien Gordon on How to Personalize a Leadership Lifestyle

In Chapter 4 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, motivation teacher Jullien Gordon answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?"  Gordon shares the stages of his own leadership journey and how experiences have shaped his approach to being a leader in his actions and ambitions.  Gordon is the founder of the Department of Motivated Vehicles, a personal and professional development company that helps clients identify purpose and map it to successful outcomes. Gordon has written five books and speaks regularly to college students across America.  He earned masters degrees in education and business from Stanford University and an undergraduate degree from UCLA.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen:  What does it mean to be a leader in what you do?

Jullien Gordon:  Wow!  What does it mean to be a leader?  For me leadership has always been defined as creating more leaders and if you’re not creating more leaders then -- well actually that’s the external version of leadership.  I think leadership actually starts with self leadership and actually directing your life in the way that you want it to go and then from there, by that example, you actually inspire others to take control and full responsibility for the decisions and the choices that they’re making. 

So I definitely think leadership actually comes back to are you taking full responsibility for your choices, or are you letting life and other external factors actually influence your choice and therefore your choice being inauthentic.  Leadership is I think this space where you are actually continually making authentic choices based on what you think is best for you and those around you.

Erik Michielsen:  And how have you learned about leadership as your career has developed?

Jullien Gordon:  In undergrad I actually was a student leader of various organizations.  When I graduated I actually became executive director of a program called the Shake program where I was managing 32 part-time undergrads plus a team of volunteers and so that was my first real experience of full time leadership, then I went to business school and then I worked with MLT for quite some time. I developed a team there at MLT and from there I’ve been building my business on my own for the past few years now.  I would say that it’s all been about self-leadership for me. 

I haven’t figured out how I’m gonna take full responsibility for a team of people and still have the balance that I want in my life so I haven’t really committed to that responsibility.  I have part time people who work with me on various things. I have administrators, assistants, legal team, sales team etcetera but they’re all part-time so in terms of leading other people I haven’t been in that space for quite some time where I feel fully responsible for the life of someone else or for the economic future of someone else and so I’m still exploring that and do I actually want to have a big building out like the ones out here in New York is that ultimately my goal or is my goal actually time freedom. 

As I’ve navigated my journey over the past three years I’ve realized that it’s not about financial freedom for me it’s actually about time freedom which gives me the freedom to make choices and spend my time the way I want to spend it and that means that my business also isn’t necessarily about profit maximization. 

I’m actually using entrepreneurship as a vehicle to create a lifestyle that aligns with who I am and what I want and so as I think about my leadership it’s really been about time freedom and so a lot of leadership has been with self and not necessarily leading hordes of people or teams.  Of course when I’m speaking, at my speaking engagements, I’m leading people for that given time or if I’m doing a training for a corporation or a college, I’m leading people in that moment but I haven’t – it hasn’t been – it’s been a while since I’ve actually been responsible for leading people on a daily basis.

How a College Education Increases Lifetime Earning Potential - J.T. Allen

In Chapter 16 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, education entrepreneur J.T. Allen answers "What Has Your Work in Education Taught You About the Value of a College Degree?"  Allen references a study detailing how a college bachelors degree, independent of major, creates significantly higher lifetime earnings than simply being a high school graduate.  J.T. Allen is the CEO and co-founder of myFootpath, a company that provides higher education online resources and call center services to help high school and adult learners choose academic programs in line with career goals.  Before myFootpath, Allen worked in strategy consulting for Ernst & Young.  He earned his BBA and graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen:  What has your work in education taught you about the value of a college degree?

J.T. Allen:  A recent study just came out that a bachelors degree, you’ll earn in your lifetime 80% more than you will if it’s you know if you just have a high school diploma and it’s over a broad set of people, it’s – so the sample size is big enough where it’s really meaningful.  The study actually went further on to say, it doesn’t really matter what you major either, right?  It’s sort of all kind of plays out in that, it’s really either bachelors degree or not, right?  There are certainly pockets within that study where and you know how you can get to careers where you’re earning more and that type of thing but in general it doesn’t matter that much. 

So I’m a believer and I believe that study, there are probably six other ones that predate it, that say the same thing, you know in some form or another.  Bachelor’s degree equals more money and I think that that is a critical distinction that it is – that really accounts for the market, right?  Meaning you know the averages, right?  Sure there’s going to be people who will -- don’t need to go to college you know Bill Gates didn’t go to college, right?  You know he dropped out, guess what?  He’s exceptional.  Most people are average.  Face it and you know you want to give yourself the best odds, right?  So the way that you can kind of improve your odds in a known way is to go to college and get your degree.

Why Applying to College is About Fit and Not Rank - J.T. Allen

In Chapter 17 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, education entrepreneur J.T. Allen answers "If You Had to Apply to College Again How Would You Do It?"  Allen, a Michigan graduate, shares that he has learned college is about fit and not just ranking.  He notes that even if he didn't get into his favorite school, he would have had a great college experience.  He notes it is about focusing on who you are and presenting yourself transparently to a prospective university.  J.T. Allen is the CEO and co-founder of myFootpath, a company that provides higher education online resources and call center services to help high school and adult learners choose academic programs in line with career goals.  Before myFootpath, Allen worked in strategy consulting for Ernst & Young.  He earned his BBA and graduated cum laude from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen:  If you had to apply to college again, how would you do it?

J.T. Allen:  That’s an interesting question because I think a lot of people look at competitive colleges and you know the hoops that everybody’s got to jump through these days and you know the favorite phrase that I hear is you know “I never would have got in to fill in the blank you know Harvard, Yale whatever,” wherever they went, right, their alma mater. I wouldn’t get into that. And you know I think what I’ve learned is that you know college really is, for many people it’s about kind of finding the fit you know. 

I mean look I’m the biggest University of Michigan fan around when it comes to college football and fantastic experience and you know wouldn’t trade it for the world.  The reality is if I didn’t get in to the University of Michigan I still would have had fun in college, it still would have been a great experience. 

So you know now when you look back at that you’re like you know you just have a different perspective on it.  You just got to know it’s going to work out and know as I think about applications and you know if there are any advice to tell people to do, really focus on who you are, right?  And if people don’t you know sort of want who you are, you don’t want them, right?  Because you’re going to have a bad experience, you know, you want to go where it’s a good fit for both sides and if you kind of have that in mind I think it makes it easier you know.  It takes the pressure off a little bit and you can just sort of focus on, “Alright, what am I all about?”

Life Lessons from Cal Tech College Experience - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 4 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What Life Lessons Did You Learn Attending Cal Tech That You Still Use Today?"  He shares what he learned attending a rigorous academic environment as well as what he learned about the value of friendships.  Faykin is the founder of Tuanpin, a Shanghai-based daily deals site he grew to 25 employees and sold in the fall of 2011.  Previously, he worked for British Telecom in London, Intel in Shanghai, American Express in New York, and Oracle in San Francisco as well as several startup ventures.  He holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business and a BS in computer science and biology from the California Institute of Technology.

Why to Work Before Getting an MBA - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 6 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "How Did Taking a Leave of Absence Benefit Your MBA Education Experience?"  Starting his MBA at NYU Stern with only three years of experience, Faykin feels he applied too soon.  He takes a leave of absence and works abroad in Beijing, China and in Silicon Valley before returning to New York to continue his MBA.  He finds the additional time and experience fundamental to what he finds to be an intensely gratifying education experience.  Faykin is the founder of Tuanpin, a Shanghai-based daily deals site he grew to 25 employees and sold in the fall of 2011.  Previously, he worked for British Telecom in London, Intel in Shanghai, American Express in New York, and Oracle in San Francisco as well as several startup ventures.  He holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business and a BS in computer science and biology from the California Institute of Technology.

How College Experience Builds Character and Shapes Values - Ben Hallen

In Chapter 3 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, business school professor Ben Hallen answers "How Did Your College Experience Build Your Character and Shape Your Values?" Hallen, a University of Virginia graduate, notes how it provides challenges meeting different types of both people and intellectual perspectives. Hallen learns that while analytical skills learned in engineering are important, it is also key to learn how to understand problems and phrase solutions from another person's perspective. Hallen is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Management and Organization at University of Maryland. Hallen earned his PhD from Stanford University and its Stanford Technology Venture Program (STVP). He has been a startup CTO and graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science.

Why Study Electrical Engineering - Ben Hallen

In Chapter 4 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, business school professor Ben Hallen answers "What Made You Decide to Study Electrical Engineering in College?" Hallen notes his childhood aspiration to pursue a business management career and how he saw electrical engineering as a means to that end. He also finds studying electrical engineering allows him to study his passions for mathematics. Hallen is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Management and Organization at University of Maryland. Hallen earned his PhD from Stanford University and its Stanford Technology Venture Program (STVP). He has been a startup CTO and graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen:  What made you decide to study electrical engineering in college?

Ben Hallen:  I wanted to be an executive, and so the experience I had growing up, I had seen a lot of companies and managers, junior executives, who came from an engineering background, so engineering seemed to be an appropriate place to start if I wanted to do that.  You know, now I would have to say, given more of what I know, there’s a whole variety of paths to do that, you know, ranging from the liberal arts to I particularly think business schools can be very good at that but I happened to choose engineering. 

And then, why electrical?  You know, a couple of reasons.  One, I was interested in computers; they were taking off.  That was before they had computer engineering as a major.  That’s effectively what I ended up majoring in but that wasn’t quite around yet.  But, more broadly, it was – it involved a lot of the math that I really liked, and I think at the time I would have justified it as very instrumental, that this makes sense because these are skills I can use. 

I think in retrospect, what it afforded was an opportunity to really study in something I was passionate about.  You know, do I use that math at all?  No.  Not a whole lot.  You know, yes, I do a lot of computer programming.  I do a lot of discrete mathematics from my time at graduate school but, you know, in terms of differential equations and, you know, Fourier transforms, that’s not something I use every day, but to have that opportunity to really get passionate about the mathematics, just for the essence of the mathematics itself, I’m really glad I had that experience, and so I learned a lesson that I didn’t think I was going to learn there in retrospect.

Why Undergrad Engineer Chooses Computer Science Grad School - Ben Hallen

In Chapter 5 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, business school professor Ben Hallen answers "How Did Your Computer Science Masters Degree Build Upon Electrical Engineering Education?" As an electrical engineering major, Hallen starts taking undergraduate computer graphics classes at University of Virginia, doing a lot of programming and building processors. Hallen finds inspiration attending a computer graphics presentation and asks the speaker about potential research work, which leads to a project and, ultimately, graduate school. Hallen is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Management and Organization at University of Maryland. Hallen earned his PhD from Stanford University and its Stanford Technology Venture Program (STVP). He has been a startup CTO and graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen:  How did your computer science masters degree build upon your electrical engineering education?

Ben Hallen:  So as an undergraduate I got involved studying computer graphics.  And yes I take a lot of programming courses.  Electrical engineering is very close.  I take a lot of courses in building processors.  But I remember going to this talk and it was just the coolest thing of – I mean this is sort of before, you know, you have these modern video game machines or even my iPhone can do such great graphics, but I went to a talk given by the Computer Science Department and they were showing off these computer graphics machines.  I mean these were several hundred-thousand-dollar machines at that time, and it just seemed to be the coolest thing that you could create this virtual world at a level that then was just unbelievable. 

And then I realized that the guy giving the talk, he’s this young professor; he’s really passionate, really excited; I realized just reading about his stuff that he had come up with a lot of the algorithms that had gone into influencing a lot of video games at that time, so a lot of the 3D games had built on some of the insides that he had come up with in graduate school.  And so I approached him, just about helping out, I had a research idea, and that sort of evolved from there.  And so I got interested in computer graphics and worked with him, and then ultimately decided to go to graduate school in it.

How Grad Student Becomes Internet Startup CTO - Ben Hallen

In Chapter 6 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, business school professor Ben Hallen answers "What Led You to Launch Your Own Startup While in Grad School at University of Virginia?" Hallen notes that while studying computer graphics and software engineering, he connects interest in participating in the Internet with providing advice to young DC-based entrepreneurs. He soon finds himself working as the CTO in the startup while finishing his masters before committing full time to the startup. Hallen is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Management and Organization at University of Maryland. Hallen earned his PhD from Stanford University and its Stanford Technology Venture Program (STVP). He has been a startup CTO and graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science.

Applying Entrepreneurship Passion Teaching MBA Strategy - Ben Hallen

In Chapter 11 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, business school professor Ben Hallen answers "How Do You Apply Your Passion for Entrepreneurship as an MBA Professor?" Hallen notes how fortunate he is to do both research and teaching. In the classroom, he gets to work with students who want to learn low power strategy and give them a tool kit for students the to go out and affect change in the world when there are limited resources. Entrepreneurship provides Hallen a great research and teaching platform to understand not only entrepreneurs but management, social behaviors, and strategic thinking underlying performance. Hallen is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Management and Organization at University of Maryland. Hallen earned his PhD from Stanford University and its Stanford Technology Venture Program (STVP). He has been a startup CTO and graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science.

Entrepreneurship Teaching Methods - Ben Hallen

In Chapter 13 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, business school professor Ben Hallen answers "How Do You Approach the Learning Dichotomy When Considering Whether to Teach Entrepreneurs in a Classroom Environment Versus a Hands On Experiential Environment?" Hallen balances teaching using theoretical frameworks with putting skills to practice. Whether students are learning to be entrepreneurs or advancing existing skillsets, Hallen finds engaging outsiders - mentors, entrepreneurs, potential customers - an effective and complementary learning approach. Hallen is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School. Previously, he was Assistant Professor of Management and Organization at University of Maryland. Hallen earned his PhD from Stanford University and its Stanford Technology Venture Program (STVP). He has been a startup CTO and graduated from the University of Virginia with a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Masters in Computer Science.

Stacie Bloom on How a College Class Inspires PhD Neuroscience Career

In Chapter 2 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Stacie Grossman Bloom answers "How Did One College Class Unexpectedly Springboard Your Science Career?" While studying psychology at the University of Delaware, she takes a graduate level course in a neuropsychology. She finds the small class forum and the neuroscience study of the brain align her studies to her interests. Grossman Bloom then thrives in the classroom, earning As and continuing to Georgetown for a PhD.

Stacie Grossman Bloom is the Executive Director at the NYU Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously, she was VP and Scientific Director at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). She earned her PhD in Neurobiology and Cell Biology at Georgetown University and did a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in New York City. She earned her BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Delaware.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How did one college class unexpectedly springboard your science career?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: So, I went to college at University of Delaware. I was an okay student. It was nothing great. I was taking a lot of chemistry and psychology and I was in these giant, giant lecture halls with hundreds of other people. And, decided one day when I was looking through the course book for what to sign up for there was this really interesting looking class in Neuropsychology and I thought I’ll sign up for it. And when I went to the class it turned out to be a graduate level class and it was totally different from what I was used to. It was just in a small classroom. There were maybe twelve or fifteen students, and a professor. And I had never been in an environment like that before, that was so interactive. And it changed my life to be in a small class like that. I did amazingly well. I got A’s from then on. I started taking more of those graduate level classes, not because the content was so much more challenging but simply because the forum was a better fit for me. And, really helped foster my education. It was also that I had discovered at that time that neuroscience was what I was really interested in. So I think it was those two factors combined -- the forum and the content.

Erik Michielsen: What did you find most appealing about neuroscience?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: I was always just really interested in the brain and how the brain works and how your thoughts are controlled and why you need sleep and how you get addicted to drugs and why the brain fails. It was just a natural fit, I think, for my inquisitiveness. And, at the time neuroscience was really becoming a blossoming field. At the time that I was applying to graduate school most schools didn’t even have a neuroscience yet. Which now it’s 2011 that’s impossible to fathom. When I was going to Georgetown I ended up getting into the cell biology department because that was the closest thing they had to neuroscience. Now of course they have a full neuroscience program.

Stacie Bloom: How to Sell Yourself in a College Admissions Interview

In Chapter 5 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Stacie Grossman Bloom answers "What Did Your Georgetown Admissions Experience Teach You About the Importance of Interviewing for Potential?" She notes the importance of interviewing skills, specifically the interpersonal, non-tangible element and its ability to give you an edge. Interviewing for a Georgetown PhD program, she learns how few spots exist and how competitive the selection process can be. The experience teachers her to believe in herself and be confident when faced with challenges.

Stacie Grossman Bloom is the Executive Director at the NYU Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously, she was VP and Scientific Director at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). She earned her PhD in Neurobiology and Cell Biology at Georgetown University and did a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in New York City. She earned her BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Delaware.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: What did your Georgetown admissions experience teach you about the importance of interviewing for potential?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: Interview skills are so super important and it’s always that interpersonal non-tangible element that gives you an edge I think over the competition. When I finally decided to go to graduate school and was interviewing for graduate school, I was not a qualified applicant. A lot of the people who I was competing against had pretty extensive laboratory experience, and the number of spots in the programs are very small. It’s not like a medical school class with two hundred people or a law school class with five hundred people. When you are going to a graduate school department there is usually five spots or eight slots or two spots. So the competition is pretty fierce. And, I really sold myself, I mean I went on my interview and I did everything short of begging to try to prove that I would succeed in school there. And after I was accepted, one of the women who was on the admissions team told me, “you know, you weren’t the most qualified applicant but we just knew you could do it.”

Erik Michielsen: How did that make you feel?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: You know, it made me realize that I should have the confidence to speak up for what I believe I can do and not to be embarrassed of it and not to step down from it.

Stacie Bloom on The Long Term Value of a PhD Investment

In Chapter 6 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Stacie Grossman Bloom answers "What Do You Believe is the Greatest Long Term Value of a PhD Investment?" She notes that the training required to get a PhD creates a transferable skill set that allows one to solve problems in creative independent ways. She shares how her PhD in cell biology and post doc in molecular neurobiology proved extremely transferable in her career. Specifically, she used the core skills learned during her PhD to become an editor at Nature Medicine and also applies the skills in her role at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS), which she held at the time of this interview.

Stacie Grossman Bloom is the Executive Director at the NYU Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously, she was VP and Scientific Director at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). She earned her PhD in Neurobiology and Cell Biology at Georgetown University and did a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in New York City. She earned her BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Delaware.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: What do you believe is the greatest long-term value of a PhD investment?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: I think the greatest long-term value of a PhD investment is that the training required to get a PhD, what it really, I think teaches you more than a specific niche that you are working on research-wise is it teaches you how to solve programs in creative ways, independently. I think it’s a very transferable skill.

I mean my PhD is in cell biology. I did a post doc in molecular neurobiology. That’s what my PhD is in and that’s what I was trained in. That doesn’t mean that I couldn’t become an editor at Nature Medicine and understand a much broader range of scientific topics. I would say now, even in my current job, I oversee not only life sciences and biomedicine but also now physical sciences and engineering, which was like a foreign language to me, but I think when you have a PhD you acquire skills that allow you to help figure out other areas.