Fabian Pfortmüller on What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder

In Chapter 1 of 15 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, community builder and entrepreneur Fabian Pfortmüller answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?"  He shares how he has set a goal to say "no" to invitations, opportuniites, and requests as his free time becomes scarce and his responsibility grows.  He notes how this has progressively gotten easier.  As his company Holstee grows in size and head count, Fabian finds it progressively challenging evolving and growing to meet the organization needs.  Pfortmüller is co-founder of the young leader accelerator, Sandbox Network, and HOLSTEE, an apparel and design firm that sells meaningful products to mindful shoppers.  Pfortmüller graduated from Columbia University and its school of General Studies.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: What is getting easier and what is getting harder in your life?

Fabian Pfortmüller: I think it’s getting easier to say no to things. One thing that I learned this year is that there’s always tons of opportunities out there and I feel that one thing that I wanted to teach myself was to say no to things and the more I do it the easier it gets because at first it’s super hard and you don’t wanna disappoint other people, you don’t wanna give up on those opportunities that come up but over time it gets easier.

One thing that I clearly see now over the last year and that I truly feel gets harder is just the responsibility when your team grows. We grew last year from 3 to 8 people and that really has, you know, an impact on how you take decisions because suddenly you’re not just like 3 guys who are making free t-shirts. Now, you’re like you have a responsibility and that make certain decisions definitely harder because the risk is higher, the stakes are higher, you’re affecting other people and when we talk through what should we do next and what should we focus on, we definitely try to keep this in mind.

How Routines Improve Home Office Lifestyle - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 5 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "What Have You Learned About Managing Expectations at Home While Building a Business?"  He shares how routines and rituals have helped him better manage work-life balance, working through an illness, and growing his business.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

How Schedule Discipline Improves Daily Productivity - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 10 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are You Learning to Be More Disciplined in Your Work?"  Margolis shares his ambitious vision and steps he has taken, decisions he has made, to get clear on purpose and specific steps necessary to achieve goals.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder - Mike Germano

In Chapter 1 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?"  Germano shares why it is getting easier to deal with the hard things.  He finds it progressively challenging managing past and present relationships as your career and company grow, in particular those early relationships that helped get the business off the ground. 

Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen: What’s getting easier and what’s getting harder in your life?

Mike Germano: What's getting easier and what's getting harder after 7 years in business, I would say that it's getting much easier to deal with the hard things. And knowing that they’re always gonna constantly come up and no matter how much you plan, insanity is always gonna happen, and you can take a deep breath, and you're gonna get through this, and there's gonna be 8 more in the future, so... I always think that that's at least reassuring and something I try share with every fellow entrepreneur. What's getting harder is now making sure I manage relationships correctly and these are -- you know, I'm a very -- I get very connected with people in terms of, one, to see them succeed or having conversations with them and people who’ve helped you succeed, it's now getting harder managing those relationships, and as you grow, and as you -- you know, your company grows, or as your career grows, making sure you're making enough time for the people who helped you get there, but also not spending too much time working on things that might not be beneficial to you and your business, and so it's getting harder managing your time with all the past relationships you've built up.

Erik Michielsen: Yeah, what's an example of that?

Mike Germano: An example of that is, you know, one of the first people that you build -- you know, we did our first project for 7 years ago, you know, you -- we learned a lot and they were there, and, you know, our company has grown in 7 years, and now you're getting phone calls from that person, saying, "Hey, you know, I believed in you, and I now want you to build this huge project. We have no money, you know, and I want you to do all this stuff." And you gotta sit back, and you gotta -- you know, you tip your hat 'cause you pay respect 'cause the person, you know, believes in you, first, or when no one else but yet, you don't want to -- you know, you're on a path where your company is going and it -- if it doesn't fit with it, you know, if it was any other client, you would've never even picked up the phone, or said, "Thank you but, no thank you." But, you know, making sure you manage that to be respectful for people who've gotten you there, but also know how that might impact where you're currently going.

When to Ask for Help Organizing Work Schedule - Mike Germano

In Chapter 15 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "What is Your Comfort Zone and What Do You Do to Break Free of Living in It?"  Germano notes how he avoids processes and schedules as best he can, preferring the freedom and flexibility an ad hoc approach provides. He notes how his increasing responsibilities have made him embrace things he previously resisted, and how an executive assistant has helped him manage the transition.  Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

Finding Motivation to Do Your Best Work - Yoav Gonen

In Chapter 3 of 11 in his 2011 interview, education reporter Yoav Gonen answers "When are You at Your Best?"  Gonen notes how working in a deadline driven environment motivates him to do his best work.  As a result, he has made it a point to find work where deadlines are fundamental to the job.  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 to Break Out of a Comfort Zone - Yoav Gonen

In Chapter 4 of 11 in his 2011 interview, education reporter Yoav Gonen answers "Where is Your Comfort Zone and What Do You Do to Break Free of Living in It?"  Gonen finds it is easy to fall into a routine of coming home after a long work day and doing nothing.  He realizes the importance of pushing himself to get out and do things and how setting a schedule helps him do this.  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.

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.

Learning to Better Recruit, Manage, and Motivate Teams - Phil McKenzie

In Chapter 20 of 21 in his 2011 interview, media and marketing entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "How to Recruit, Manage and Motivate Teams?"  He notes this is a core challenge at this moment in his career as he builds out his global event series and how decision making, coordination, and empowerment stand fundamental in how he moves forward building the team.  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 Female Entrepreneur Learns to Scale Food Business - Julie Hession

In Chapter 21 of 21 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, food entrepreneur Julie Hession answers "What Have Been Your Learning Milestones Starting and Growing a Food Manufacturing Business?"  Hession shares the challenges she has faced letting go of responsibility and embracing support.  As additional products emerge and her core granola business blossoms, she learns to maximize the time she spends in each area.  Finally, she learns to manage expectations within a budget and make a profitable, high quality product.  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. 

What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder - Marc Ferrentino

In Chapter 1 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, cloud computing technology executive Marc Ferrentino answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?"  Ferrentino notes how as his kids age, he finds parenting more approachable.  This also comes with finding the children schools and getting them enrolled.  He notes how challenge boils down to managing time, schedules, and commitments to stay balanced with the kids and each parent's respective career.  Ferrentino is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of cloud computing at BMC Software.  Previously, he was Chief Technology Architect (CTA) at Salesforce.com.  Previous to Salesforce.com, Ferrentino worked in mobile and Internet startups and at Goldman Sachs.  He earned a BSEE in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan.

How Work at Home Parent Stays Productive - Marc Ferrentino

In Chapter 4 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, cloud computing technology executive Marc Ferrentino answers "How Do You Manage the Balance Between Working from Home and Being a Parent?"  Ferrentino shares home office challenges, including face time with colleagues, and benefits such as eliminating a commute to spend more time with the kids.  Over time, he learns discipline that increases his productivity.  Ferrentino is Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of cloud computing at BMC Software.  Previously, he was Chief Technology Architect (CTA) at Salesforce.com.  Previous to Salesforce.com, Ferrentino worked in mobile and Internet startups and at Goldman Sachs.  He earned a BSEE in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan.

Long-Term Career Benefits of an Entry-Level Job - Ramsey Pryor

In Chapter 5 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Ramsey Pryor answers "What Did You Learn in Your First Job Out of College at Accenture That is Still Relevant?"  Pryor finds working at Accenture, named Andersen Consulting at the time, a great transition period from student mode to career mode.  Takeaways include long-term relationships learning from start group peers as well as time management skills he still uses today.  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 Product Manager Learns Leadership Skills - Ramsey Pryor

In Chapter 12 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Ramsey Pryor answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?"  Pryor notes it is not only being about a thought leader or focal point of contact for product details but also an effective communicator and collaborator across business groups.  He notes the importance of preparation and being respectful across those teams.  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 to Lead More Effective Conference Calls - Ramsey Pryor

In Chapter 14 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Ramsey Pryor answers "What Have You Learned About Leading More Effective Conference Calls?"  Pryor, an IBM product manager, notes the difference between conference calls at startups and at large corporations.  He learns conference call etiquette organizing large calls with up to 100-person audiences, respecting very strict schedules and maintaining accountability via a communications audit trail to formally document what is being accomplished.  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 CEO Manages Investor Expectations for Long Term - J.T. Allen

In Chapter 5 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, education entrepreneur J.T. Allen answers "How Do You Manage Investor Expectations for the Long Term?"  He notes the importance of casting vision, setting timeframe, and adjusting for the unexpected.  As a company that has done three iterations - or revolutions - on its strategy, he shares lessons on managing investor expectations and relationships while shifting company strategy after raising money.  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.

The Pros and Cons of Being Your Own Boss - J.T. Allen

In Chapter 6 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, education entrepreneur J.T. Allen answers "What Do You Enjoy Most About What You Do?"  Allen shares the pros and cons that come with being one's own boss.  He provides details into managing time, setting priorities, finding balance and building a team.  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.

What Attributes to Seek When Hiring Managers and Executives - J.T. Allen

In Chapter 9 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, education entrepreneur J.T. Allen answers "What Attributes Do You Look For When Hiring Managers and Executives?"  Allen notes that at his phase - roughly 100 employees and growing at 40% per year - he needs experienced hires that have done it before.  He shares how funding or capital availability plays a role and the challenges that come with part-time staff.  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.