How Motorcycle Lifestyle Inspires JaegerSloan Brand - Doug Jaeger

In Chapter 8 of 17 in his 2012 interview, entrepreneur Doug Jaeger answers "How Do Motorcycles Play into Your Story?"  He shares what motorcycles have done to shape his New York City experience and how they came to represent attributes - awareness, efficiency, speed, fun, design excellence - behind the JaegerSloan brand.  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.

Finding Personal Best by Speaking From the Heart - Kyung Yoon

In Chapter 2 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Kyung Yoon answers "When Are You at Your Best?"  Yoon finds her personal and professional best when speaking from the heart.  In her experiences across the Korean and Korean American communities, she learns to be a philanthropic changemaker and bridge seemingly disparate cultural issues from her youth.  Kyung Yoon is the executive director of the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) in New York City.  An award-winning journalist and documentary film producer, Yoon earned an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a BA in History and Political Science at Wellesley College.

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.

Jullien Gordon on How Standup Comedy Facilitates Self-Discovery

In Chapter 9 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, motivation teacher Jullien Gordon answers "What Did Taking a Standup Comedy Class Teach You About Yourself?"  Gordon notes how the experience helped him "uncan" himself, allowing him to loosen up, be himself, and be corny and silly in his life.  Gordon learns to use humor and comedy to get people to open up and be more receptive to the more challenging messages he delivers.  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 did taking a stand up comedy class teach you about yourself?

Jullien Gordon:  Oh wow.  I really enjoyed that experience.  The term I like to put to it is that it really let me un-can myself because being a professional coming from Stanford and just being in this business world, often times we can ourselves and we have these prepackaged ways of delivering ourselves to other people and taking a comedy class just loosened me up and allowed me to be more of who am I. At the end of the day I’m really corny.  I’m really corny.  I make corny jokes at home with my friends, they even know me as corny and it allowed me to bring that corniness into every space that I’m in and not be ashamed of it and so I really loved that experience.

 Ultimately when I speak I bring the truth to people to the best of the my ability or the truth that I see just so that they can be exposed to it but when I would just deliver the truth, a lot of people might close off.  So through comedy and humor I’m actually able to open people up so that they’re smiling in the way that you are and then once people are open they’re more receptive to the messages that you deliver and then I can give the harder things that people have to consider.  So it has really helped me become a better communicator, a better speaker and so I’m really grateful for that experience.

How Children Inspire Parents - Ramsey Pryor

In Chapter 4 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Ramsey Pryor answers "How Do Your Children Inspire You?"  Pryor finds inspiration in children's honesty and transparency.  He also finds inspiration experimenting with different ways to raise the kids, learning from these decisions along the way.  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. 

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. 

How to Write Better Stories About Food - Scott Gold

In Chapter 19 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "What Elements Do You Look for in Good Food Journalism and Story?"  First, Gold looks for good writing, specifically those who have a command of the language.  Second, good food writers develop a clear and distinct voice.  He shares how despite getting into trouble after criticizing the New Orleans food scene after Hurricane Katrina, Alan Richman remains a great food writer with a distinct voice and vocabulary.  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 to Express Your Style and Create a Look - Lulu Chen

In Chapter 2 of 10 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, fashion stylist Lulu Chen answers "What Advice Do You Have for Someone Trying to Develop a Better Sense of Style?"  She notes how developing a style is a life's work, given tastes change and tastes reflect feeling and mood.  She notes how one's best style is when you own it and be yourself.  Chen shares how this is present in the documentary film of New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham and his work capturing expressiveness of his photo subjects.  Lulu Chen is a New York City based fashion stylist.  Chen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree studying design and art history from the University of Michigan.

How Online Brand Builds Offline Customer Relationships - Slava Rubin

In Chapter 11 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, IndieGoGo co-founder and entrepreneur Slava Rubin answers "What Have You Learned About How an Online Brand Can Build Offline Customer Relationships?" He begins by creating a message that customers believe from the product experience. With his company IndieGoGo, it is "Anyone in the world can create a campaign to raise more money from more people faster." This online message transcends into the physical experience customers have creating and conducting campaigns. Rubin is co-founder and CEO of IndieGoGo.com, a crowdfunding startup whose platform helps individuals and groups finance their passions. Before IndieGoGo, Rubin worked in management consulting for Diamond Consulting, now a PWC company. Rubin founded and manages non-profit Music Against Myeloma to raise funds and awareness to fight cancer. He earned a BBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen:  What have you learned about how an online brand can build offline customer relationships?

Slava Rubin:  Managing a brand, period, is just really important and challenging. Trying to transcend from offline to online or online to offline is very challenging, but I would say that the more that you can create a message that resonates with your customers, not something that you’re trying to make them believe but they believe in the experience of using your product, and you can concisely use that message across the board, it’s just really important, because it becomes then, instead of just using a tool, it becomes an experience that everybody is part of.  At IndieGoGo, we say that anybody in the world can create a campaign to raise more money for more people faster.  So that’s our brand.  I can repeat it.  

But really it’s just a matter of more money for more people, and that’s why they come to IndieGoGo.  That’s why from any country in the world, they come, they create campaigns, and that’s what they’re looking to feel and experience, and we try to have that permeate whether it be online or offline. 

How Female Leader Learns to Embrace Feminine Side - Audrey Parker

In Chapter 16 of 21 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, entrepreneur Audrey Parker answers "How Have You Learned to Embrace Your Femininity as a Business Leader?" As an adolescent and young adult, Parker sometimes wished she could be a man to be taken more seriously. Over time, she grows into her femininity and finds confidence as a woman working in business. Parker learns to relax and give herself permission to be feminine. Setting out to prove and achieve she can be successful in business, Parker does so starting, growing, and selling her company, CLEAResult. Parker is currently on a one-year sabbatical. Parker co-founded CLEAResult, an energy management consulting firm. In 2010, CLEAResult ranked #144 in the Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies. In late 2010, CLEAResult was sold to General Catalyst Partners. Parker graduated from Wake Forest University.

How Austin Maintains Culture As Local Economy Grows - Matt Curtis

In Chapter 15 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, public affairs and communications strategist Matt Curtis answers "How Do You Support Community Culture as Your Own City Becomes an International Economic Center?" Curtis notes how Austin has been doubling in size every 25 years. He meets the challenge maintaining culture while growing local economy by embracing change while keeping a steady way of life and state of mind. It comes down to supporting state of mind and understanding neighborhoods and businesses will change. This allows Curtis and Austin leaders to keep Austin weird and grow the local economy. Curtis is the communications director for Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell. Curtis' charity work includes affiliations with Capital Area Food Bank, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Students of the World, the Rainforest Project and the Art Alliance. In 2011, Curtis won "Austinite of the Year" in the Austin Under 40 Awards. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

How to Create Interactive Design Experiences - Lauren Serota

In Chapter 17 of 18 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, interaction designer and researcher Lauren Serota describes how people and choreography play into an interactive design experience. She notes how some design experiences are intentionally seamless or organic, such as using a mobile phone, whereas others are planned. Serota is an interaction designer at frog design - http://frogdesign.com - and a professor at the Austin Center for Design - http://ac4d.com . She earned her bachelors degree in industrial design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Why Entrepreneurs Need Great Cheerleaders - Dan Street

In Chapter 3 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, software entrepreneur and Loku founder and CEO Dan Street shares why entrepreneurs need great cheerleaders. He notes entrepreneurship is a perception game. To gain confidence and build that positive perception, Street finds value in both internal company support networks as well as outsider support networks. By being transparent and showing his flaws, the insider and outsider "cheerleaders" find more ways to support him. 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.

Why to Think in Narrative - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 7 of 13 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with Erik Michielsen, storyteller and entrepreneur Michael Margolis shares what it means to think in narrative. He notes recent brain research that has identified a gene unique to humans that allows us to tell stories from person to person and generation to generation. Arts, business, and education are all rooted in storytelling. Margolis notes anthropology research that over 70% of what we learn is via story. Narrative thinking provides the storytelling vocabulary wich allows us to make sense and meaning of the world around us. Margolis is the founder and president of Get Storied (http://www.getstoried.com), an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative. As a consultant, educator and writer he uses storytelling to create more effective branding, innovation and culture change. Margolis earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University.

Why Marketers Should Empower Audiences to Speak for Brands - Caroline Giegerich

In Chapter 7 of 10 of her 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, marketing innovator and digital strategist Caroline Giegerich shares why audience participation plays such an important role creating a brand experience. Giegerich highlights the increasing acceptance of marketers empowering their audiences to speak for the brands. When audiences create the messaging, they feel more invested in the brand and is more likely to buy the brand. Giegerich is currently Director of Innovations at Initiative, where she brainstorms and executes cross-platform marketing strategies. She has worked in online marketing roles at both HBO and the Los Angeles Times. She holds a BA in Pre-Med Sciences and Philosophy from Brown University.

What Makes an Authentic Brand Experience - Phil McKenzie

In Chapter 10 of 12 in his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, media and publishing entrepreneur Phil McKenzie shares why authenticity matters creating a personalized brand experience. Creating standout brand experiences comes with research and preparation, similar to investing time in curating guests for a dinner party.  Phil McKenzie graduated from Howard University and earned an MBA from the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.  Before starting FREE DMC and the Influencer Conference, McKenzie worked for eight years in sales and trading at Goldman Sachs.

How to Prepare for a Senior Executive Sales Presentation - Geoff Hamm

In Chapter 15 of 16 of his 2010 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, online media sales executive Geoff Hamm offers advice on what matters most when giving a sales presentation to senior level executives. Preparation, fortitude, originality, are key, as is having a clear understanding of the client's business. This research contributes to the relationship and trust building elements fundamental to winning business. He notes these potential clients see 100s of sales presentations and Hamm graduated from the University of Illinois - http://illinois.edu/ - and is now SVP of Sales at at Scribd http://www.scribd.com/ in Silicon Valley. Previously he held online sales management positions at Electronic Arts, Yahoo!, Orbitz, IAC, and Excite.

How Surviving Charging Lions Teach Wildlife Biologist Inner Strength - Alayne Cotterill

In Chapter 7 of 13 in her 2010 interview with Capture Your Flag Host Erik Michielsen, wildlife biologist Alayne Cotterill shares what working with lions in the African bush has taught her about herself. Standing up to charging prides of lions regularly gives Cotterill confidence when working through stressful or fearful situations. She develops a respect for the big cats' traits and behaviors, appreciating both the social and affectionate side as well as the ruthless and primal one. Learn more about Alayne's work at http://www.lionconservation.org.