How Social Media Agency Expands into Middle East - Mike Germano

In Chapter 17 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "How Did You Go About the Decision to Expand Your Business Internationally?"  Germano walks through the process he and his team took to bring his social media agency into the Middle East, specifically the United Arab Emirates (UAE).  With an office in Dubai and a satellite office in Abu Dhabi, Germano believes he can tap into new talent and business opportunities not currently being met by services elsewhere.  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. 

How Project Manager Gets Chance to Work Abroad in China - Andrew Hutson

In Chapter 14 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Andrew Hutson "How Did You Get the Opportunity to Work Abroad in Hong Kong and Shanghai?"  Hutson, a project manager at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), works on projects in energy efficiency and manufacturing.  This client work in consumer goods and retail takes him to Hong Kong and southern China, where Hutson has the opportunity to meet ambitious, energetic young professionals working  to make China a better country and become industry leaders.  Hutson is a senior project manager at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where he advises corporate partners such as Wal-Mart on sustainable supply chain initiatives.  Hutson holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MEM from the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment.  He earned his BA from Michigan State University. 

How Expat Experience in China Reshapes Career Aspirations - Andrew Hutson

In Chapter 15 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Andrew Hutson answers "How Has Working Abroad in China Shaped Your Ambition for What You Do Next?"  Hutson reframes the question around not ambition but aspiration.  Working in China teaches Hutson to appreciate where he is from.  He notes that while he will likely work internationally often on short and medium term assignments, being a lifelong expat working abroad is not something he will pursue.  Hutson compares and contrasts several abroad experiences and how each overseas living experience has affected his life and trajectory, personally and professionally.  Hutson is a senior project manager at the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), where he advises corporate partners such as Wal-Mart on sustainable supply chain initiatives.  Hutson holds a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an MEM from the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment.  He earned his BA from Michigan State University. 

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.

Learning Global Business Working at Intel in Shanghai - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 8 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What Did Working at Intel in Shanghai Teach You About the Importance of Global Distribution Networks?" He shares the resource benefits available when working for a larger, global corporation and the advantages these create competing against smaller firms. Additionally he learns the value of international distribution networks and how benefits corporate resources and relationships enable them. 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 Live a Global Lifestyle - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 9 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "Why Do You Prefer to Live a Global Lifestyle?"  Faykin learns to appreciate things when he is gone.  By switching from living at home in the United States and doing stints abroad, Faykin is able to embrace what makes home great and what he can pick up living internationally.  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 Live Abroad Multiple Times - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 10 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "Why Have You Made it a Point Not to Just See Living Abroad as Checking a Box and More of Something to Embrace, Then Bring Back, Then Repeat?"  Faykin shares his approach to living, having one life to life, and making the most of one lifetime.  He finds himself living differently abroad than at home.  The different attitude, viewpoints, and conversations are anything but temporal, and Faykin repeats abroad experiences to make them permanent.  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 in Developing Economies - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 11 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What is the Source of Your Passion for Developing Economies?"  Faykin notes that most people in developing countries forget who developed them.  When everything is established and life is comfortable, the quality of life is often taken for granted.  Developing countries do not have this, as the current generation is responsible for making the change.  This drive to accomplish things inspires Faykin in his own professional pursuits.  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 China Attracts Entrepreneurs - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 12 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What Do You Enjoy Most About Working in Internationally Developing Economies Such as China?"  Faykin notes how the endless possibility and growth-minded culture attracts peers willing to start business ventures.  When considering several international locales to start his business, this culture informs Faykin's decision to choose Shanghai.  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 Entrepreneur Starts Shanghai Internet Company - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 15 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "How Did You Decide to Start a Shanghai-based Group Buying Company?"  He notes it was a journey and not a spur of a moment decision.  Years before founding the company, Faykin works abroad in the UK, Israel, Sweden, India and China.  He ultimately decides on Shanhai, where Faykin had worked years before at Intel, in the process building a local business network.  He notes how he and his partner decided on a group buying Internet business, modeled after Groupon, and then how he navigated local culture to set up the business.  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 Non-Native Speaker Does Business in China - Anatole Faykin

In Chapter 18 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "As a Non-Native Speaker, How Do You Overcome Language Barriers Working in China?"  He shares how difficult it is navigating language barriers.  For Faykin, translators are often unable to translate words to meaning.  With a 25 person team speaking Mandarin Chinese, Faykin turns to trusted partners and a persevering attitude to get the job done.  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 American Indie Bands Should Tour Europe - Conrad Doucette

In Chapter 17 of 21 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, musician and Takka Takka drummer Conrad Doucette answers "Why Should More Independent American Bands Should Tour Europe?"  Doucette notes how premier bands - those at the top - are treated like royalty across the world.  However, Doucette notes how up and coming bands - the mid-level - are treated very well across Europe.  Touring Europe with his band Takka Takka in late 2010, he finds it a wonderful lift professionally, finding himself translating the appreciation into more inspired performance.  Doucette is the drummer for the Brooklyn-based band Takka Takka.  He also performs with The National, Okkervil River, and Alina Simone.  When not performing, Doucette works as a copywriter, blogger, and digital media producer.  He has worked at Blender, Fuse TV, and Heavy.com.  Doucette earned his BA in History from the University of Michigan.

Courtney Spence on How Haiti Relief Trip Teaches Commitment to a Cause

In Chapter 7 of 16 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, non-profit founder and executive Courtney Spence answers "What Did Traveling to Port Au Prince, Haiti One Year After the Earthquake Teach You About Commitment to a Cause?" Traveling to Haiti for five days during the one-year anniversary of the earthquake educates Spence on why and how relief efforts must be long-term focused. During her trip she meets local students, artisans and young professionals. Drawing on experiences from Uganda and New Orleans, Spence prioritizes spotlighting recovery and reconstruction after the tragedy. Spence is founder and executive director of Students of the World, a non-profit that partners with passionate college students to create new media to highlight global issues and the organizations working to address them. Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen:  What did traveling to Haiti one year after the earthquake teach you about commitment to a cause?

Courtney Spence:  Traveling to Haiti and being there the anniversary of the earthquake, January 12th, I think it was 4:57 p.m., I don’t know the exact time in the afternoon it was.  It was very – it’s very hard to describe.  I was only there for five days, but those five days have certainly changed the course of my life, and I know that Haiti will always be a part of my personal life and most likely now my professional life as well, but the things that I saw and the people that I met, it was both a feeling of ‘oh my gosh, that has happened a year ago and there is still so much, you know, rubble, collapsed buildings, people living in tents.  Port-au-Prince is just – I mean the traffic and the population density that all of these people that, you know, 80% of them don’t have jobs, and you see this, it’s very, very visual, and I don’t have something to reference it from a year ago.

I have been told by people that have been there for a while that it actually looks, you know, much better than it did before, but I don’t think I appreciated the true massive event that it was because when I went I’ve never seen anything like that ever in all of my travels, and so there was a part of me that, particularly on the day, that was the anniversary, how do we understand that in, you know, forty seconds of time, hundreds of thousands of lives were lost and millions of people were displaced and are now, you know, without homes?  That – it’s overwhelming, and at the same time, you know, you – I had a really incredible opportunity to meet with individuals that are pushing along, pushing forward, that’s what you do, life is hard, and there’s this understanding that I really felt from every Haitian that I met that this is just how life is.  We got dealt this, you know, this hand of cards, and we’re just gonna do something with it.  

So it’s, you know, meeting young people that are going into IT world and helping bring wireless access to rural parts of Haiti.  It’s people that, you know, artists that have now been able through great NGOs and organizations have made a deal with Macy’s and anthropology to get their -- their vases, and, you know, their paper-mâché, beautiful, beautiful artwork sold in the U.S., and are making a living as an artist in Haiti.  It’s meeting these people, these individuals that are so positive about where they’re headed and so encouraged by what they can do and what the Haitian people can do.  It’s also staggering to see that.  Having those two overwhelming senses when I was there that happened to be on the one-year anniversary of the earthquake, and although I think it did get some news coverage, I felt that it was overshadowed by other news of the day, and it was all in all very disappointing to me in some regards because I’ve seen this in New Orleans with Katrina, I’ve seen it in northern Uganda where, you know, the LRA has left, and so we have now forgotten these people that still have to rebuild their lives and that are at their most critical moment of rebuilding their lives.  

That’s when we need to be there.  That’s when the media needs to be shining a light on the progress that’s made but the progress that still yet to be made because, you know, we have so many things that pull us in so many different directions, and we seem to really gravitate towards the massive tragedies and not really think about what is the long, hard, marathon, running work of rebuilding and reconstructing and building back better, and that’s the place that I wanna be in, not just the immediate ‘oh my gosh, can you believe how horrible this is?’  It’s ‘oh my gosh, it’s a year later, and where are they, and what can we be doing, and why don’t we feel the sense of urgency now that we felt then because they still need help and we have abilities to that?’  So it was a – yeah, it was a – it was an incredible, incredible trip.

Courtney Spence on How to Teach Creative Students Teamwork

In Chapter 16 of 16 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag, non-profit founder and executive Courtney Spence answers "What do you find most challenging about teaching creative students teamwork?" Spence shares how she teaches her creative student program participants teamwork. In her application process review and interview, teamwork is a top priority. Teams are sent abroad in challenging and often extreme conditions that require collaboration under pressure. Spence creates team leadership opportunities, for example in the producer role, as well as by training students to communicate in emotional and time sensitive environments. Spence is founder and executive director of Students of the World, a non-profit that partners with passionate college students to create new media to highlight global issues and the organizations working to address them. Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen:  What do you find most challenging about teaching creative students teamwork?

Courtney Spence:  In our process of application review, interview, we really – I mean it’s all about teamwork.  How do you work with a team?  Tell us about the challenges that you’ve met there because, you know, if they’re not comfortable working with a team, they’re certainly not gonna be comfortable working with a team in the West Bank, like it’s, you know, the stakes are a lot higher, and we have, you know, really, I think, done a very good job of finding the individuals that prefer to work in teams.  I would say overall that my sense of the millennial generation is that they – they do prefer teamwork. 

They’re not as comfortable with hierarchy, and this is a leader, and this not. For a long time we didn’t have specifically designated roles because the feedback we were getting from students is they didn’t wanna feel like there was a hierarchy in the team and they wanted it all, you know, we’re all in this together, which is still more or less how we operate.  We have someone that is the producer that sort of makes sure every – all the trains run on time or at least as close to on-time as we can get them to run, you know, make sure people are, you know, happy, dealing with team dynamics, so they are, you know, in a way of the team leader, but even still we call them the producer, and there’s really, you know, opportunities for leadership in our seven-person teams in various ways.

I think what we offer them in training and as we go through the production and post production is how to anticipate problems that are coming up in the team. How to open lines of communication, you know, among people that might not always be comfortable communicating about how they are reacting on an emotional level.  You know, we really encourage lots of daily meetings and communication, and, you know, when you’re in the places where we work, when you’re seeing the kind of poverty, and disease, and things that, you know, we don’t get exposed to on a daily basis generally here in the U.S., the emotional reactions and the emotional kind of rollercoaster that you go through when you’re on these productions is really dynamic because on one hand you’re working with people that basically will be your friends for life.  You’re working with, you know, individuals that will provide inspiration for you for the rest of your life, I guarantee it, but you’re also seeing, you know, some really severe problems, and some really, you know, things that are wrong in this world.  And so if you’re not working as a team, if you’re not communicating, it’s gonna be ugly.  And so we do a lot of training with them upfront, but I would have to say that they more or less know how to do that, we just sort of give them the tools and the best practices to really maximize their teamwork, and its worked out really well.

How International Upbringing Benefits Child Development - Bijoy Goswami

In Chapter 3 of 15 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami shares his personal experience in answering what are the benefits of an international upbringing. At its core, it teaches both the diversity of experience and the commonality of experience. Born in Bangalore, India and raised in Hong Kong, he learns to see people as individuals and not as races or nationalities. He also learns to appreciate where he lives, for example the United States, by gaining perspective living abroad. Goswami lives in Austin, TX, where he develops models, including MRE, youPlusU, and Bootstrap, to help others live more meaningfully. He teaches his models through community activism, lectures, writing, and online communication. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University, where he studied Computer Science, Economics, and History.

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.

Fabian Pfortmüller on Why to Learn Arabic and Study Middle Eastern Languages

In Chapter 3 of 19 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, community builder and entrepreneur Fabian Pfortmüller shares why he went with his gut feeling in choosing to major in Middle Eastern Language and Culture at Columbia University. After enjoying travels to the Middle East and experiencing the food and culture, Pfortmüller considers the short and long term benefits of learning Arabic language. Learning the language not only opens future doors to living and working abroad in the Middle East, but also provides short term benefit to understand Arabic language based current events and news. 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 Michelsen: How has majoring in Middle Eastern languages built upon your fascination with global culture?

Fabian Pfortmüller: I traveled a few times in that area in the Middle East and you know as always I guess when I made a big decision in my life it was so random and it was more based on a gut feeling and a love for something than a rational process, same goes for me doing Middle Eastern languages and cultures. When I was traveling there I loved the people, I loved the food, food is a very important aspect of how I make decisions in my life, I loved the culture and I really felt that… cultures in general are very interesting but I won’t be able to understand them all, I have to start somewhere kind of digging deeper.

I can read the New York Times and the Economist and get kind of a general sense of what’s going on but going back to study is a great opportunity to dig deeper in one specific hole and hey, I had this passion for the Middle East, why not dig deeper there? Because that would also allow me, because now we’re studying Arabic, to actually live there at some point and while I can say now after my Arabic, which is very intense, I do two or three hours of homework everyday on just Arabic but – and it’s still on the level of, I don’t know, first grader I guess but it’s cool because I watch the news right now what’s going on the Middle East and we have all the protest in Egypt and so on and I understand kind of what’s going on and I can read little bit of the newspapers and I can watch Al Jazeera and kind of get the grasp of it and that’s really, that’s really cool.

How Chocolate Passion Teaches Storytelling Skills - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 4 of 13 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with Erik Michielsen, storyteller and entrepreneur Michael Margolis shares his passion for chocolate, its history, and its relevance in his life. Margolis, who describes his Switzerland-based early years as a "Willie Wonka Childhood", explains how his love of cacao and chocolate have helped him bring people together and also understand narrative and storytelling. 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.