Matt Ruby on How to Rebound From Rejection

In Chapter 6 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian Matt Ruby answers "How Do You Deal With Rejection?"  Ruby, a self-appointed rejection expert, offers tips on how to get through those moments.  He learns along the way that putting up with the bad parts helps you get to the good parts.  He notes the importance of having a positive self-image that is grounded so you understand why you are getting rejected when trying to hit your goals. 

Matt Ruby is a standup comedian and comedy writer based in New York City.  He produces a video comic strip at Vooza.com, co-produces the weekly show "Hot Soup", co-hosts the monthly show "We're All Friends Here", and writes a comedy blog "Sandpaper Suit".  Ruby graduated from Northwestern University. 

Jon Kolko: Why Entrepreneurial Leadership Starts With Passion

In Chapter 5 of 21 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, design educator Jon Kolko answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?"  Kolko looks at what he has learned about developing as a leader through the lens of his students.  For him, he sees drive, passion, resiliency and curiosity form the foundation that help select entrepreneurs thrive professionally and lead in their respective fields.  Jon Kolko the founder and director of the Austin Center for Design.  He has authored multiple books on design, including "Wicked Problems: Problems Worth Solving."  Previously he has held senior roles at venture accelerator Thinktiv and frog design and was a professor of Interactive and Industrial Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).  Kolko earned his Masters in Human Computer Interaction (MHI) and BFA in Design from Carnegie Mellon University.

Transcript: 

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

Jon Kolko: I think that there are a lot of things around confidence that play into leadership. I think there’s qualities of charisma but I don’t know. I feel like those are ancillary. I feel like there's something else at the core and it might actually have to do with drive and passion. I have a hard time looking at myself through that lens. 

So maybe we could look in some of my students through that lens and the students that are most successful in starting companies, meaning in becoming leaders, seem to have an unending passion for whatever it is they're doing. And so, when you do anything in design or business, it's a constant struggle. When you start your own company, which you know it's a huge constant struggle and it almost feels from one perspective like anything that can go wrong will go wrong over and over and over, and it takes a certain unending passion to get through that because it's very easy and it's almost like the logical thing to do is to give up and at some point to just throw in the towel and say it's easier to go to work for somebody else or do something else. But I've just seen in the students that have graduated that have formed these companies and then going on to be successful, each time something sort of difficult or complicated comes at them or a reason why they should give up, the ones that are truly passionate about it don’t and use it to somehow gain leverage on a situation to turn it into something positive. 

That probably begs the question of what is passion and I'm not sure I have like a ready flip answer for it, but it does seem like just a massive curiosity and a need to know things, and that passion in the context of a business is contained within the business. But generally it's just a thirst to know how the world works right? And how people are and why things are the way they are.

What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 1 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?"  Margolis shares the challenge of battling chronic fatigue fibromyalgia and how it has affected his personal and work life.  He shares how the positive side of this experience - what has gotten easier - has been learning to delegate as he has built his team.  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 to Handle the Pain of Rejection

In Chapter 12 of 14 in his 2012 interview, real estate development executive Brett Goldman answers "How Do You Deal With Rejection?"  Goldman shares how he feels when experiencing rejection and how he gets over it by simply letting time pass. 

Brett Goldman is a Real Estate Acquisitions Director at Triangle Equities in New York City.  He holds a BA in General Studies from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Real Estate Development from the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How do you deal with rejection?

Brett Goldman: Not well. I think for the first -- depending on how bad the rejection is, 12 to 24 hours, I’m pretty down about it, and then just kind of fades away. I try not to get myself into that same situation. But it just fades. 

Erik Michielsen: Is it different in your personal life versus your professional life?

Brett Goldman: No. It feels pretty much the same, it feels a little bit more personal in the personal life but, you know, I mean, there's definitely been some setbacks in business that I wish I had back. I usually don't take it as personally but it still hurts and, you know, it stings at first and then it kind of fades.

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.

How to Bounce Back From Rejection - Phil McKenzie

In Chapter 14 of 21 in his 2011 interview, Phil McKenzie answers "What Has Been the Most Humbling Experience to Date Building Your Company?"  For McKenzie, the humility comes from letting go of pride of ownership and understanding that rejection is part of business and not every offering is right for potential clients or partners.  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 Politics Impact Non-Profit Environmental Career - Andrew Hutson

In Chapter 10 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Andrew Hutson answers "How Does Politics Effect What You Do in Your Non-Profit Environmental Work?"  From an environmental community perspective, Hutson has seen it go from being on the verge of transformative legislation to combat climate change to needing to defend the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) right to do its job.  While Hutson finds some shelter working for private sector clients, he still feels the public and media pressures and resistance to general environmental and sustainability efforts.  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. 

Positive Psychology Impact on Environmentalist Career - Andrew Hutson

In Chapter 12 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, Andrew Hutson answers "What Do You Find Most Challenging About Working in the Environment Business?"  Hutson notes the psychological challenges working in a field focused negative trends around growing environmental problems.  Specifically, it is about staying positive and objective in the face of big problems.  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. 

Matt Ruby on What Entrepreneurs and Standup Comedians Have in Common

In Chapter 9 of 18 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, standup comedian Matt Ruby answers "What Do Entrepreneurs and Standup Comedians Have in Common?"  He shares how he gets connected to Peter Sims, author of "Little Bets: How Breakthrough Ideas Emerge from Small Discoveries."  Ruby finds parallels between entrepreneur and standup life in the idea or product testing and editing through the feedback process. 

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. 

What Makes Relationships Last a Lifetime - Scott Gold

In Chapter 2 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "What Has Your Parents' Marriage Taught You About Building More Lasting Relationships?"  When his parents disagree, they never make personal attacks.  He learns from his parents' ability to create a laughter filled environment and overcome adversity such as home wrecking hurricanes.  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. 

Learning the Limits of Preparation Working in Restaurants - Scott Gold

In Chapter 18 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "What Has Working in the Restaurant Business Taught You About the Power of Preparation?"  Just like the Boy Scouts, Gold notes it is about being prepared.  Additionally, he notes that no matter how prepared you may be, adversity and challenge will strike.  Here, you need to find a way to make it work.  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. 

Why Choose Fashion Styling Over Fashion Design Career - Lulu Chen

In Chapter 5 of 10 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, fashion stylist Lulu Chen answers "As an Artist, What Informed Your Decision to Choose Fashion Styling Over Fashion Design?"  Chen gravitates toward magazines, stories, and editorials and, after many years working different part of the industry, chooses fashion design.  She enjoys playing with the different designers' clothing and accessories and being able to use their colors, shapes, and textures as an artist uses a palette.  She finds inspiration from designers who continuously produce new work.  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.

What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder - Hattie Elliot

In Chapter 1 of 16 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, The Grace List founder and entrepreneur Hattie Elliot answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?"  Elliot encounters new challenges as she grows her business, including an lawsuit that forces her to change the company name.  She learns to accept things when they do not work out as expected.  She learns through experiences, does her best, and lives life with no regrets.  Increasing challenges include managing the business as it blossoms, including coaching as well as working on a reality TV show pilot.  Elliot is the founder and CEO of The Grace List, which is redefining the dating world by creating opportunities for singles to revitalize personal interests and find intriguing people who will influence their lives.  Before founding The Grace List, Elliot worked as a social entrepreneur and business development consultant.  Elliott graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she studied economics, philosophy, and politics.

Entrepreneur Life Myths and Realities - Hattie Elliot

In Chapter 13 of 16 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, The Grace List founder and entrepreneur Hattie Elliot answers "In Retrospect, What Has Been the Most Difficult Part About Being an Entrepreneur?"  Elliot shares how entrepreneurship is an exhausting pursuit full of fast and unexpected changes and lots of hard work.  She notes how youth culture is conditioned via media to expect big prizes and rewards come with little effort.  Elliot notes how far away this is from the entrepreneur life reality.  Elliot is the founder and CEO of The Grace List, which is redefining the dating world by creating opportunities for singles to revitalize personal interests and find intriguing people who will influence their lives.  Before founding The Grace List, Elliot worked as a social entrepreneur and business development consultant.  Elliott graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she studied economics, philosophy, and politics.

How to Find Teaching Moments in Success and Failure - Slava Rubin

In Chapter 4 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, IndieGoGo co-founder and entrepreneur Slava Rubin answers "What Makes Failures More Meaningful Learning Experiences Than Successes?" Rubin notes both failures and successes are learning experiences. He makes a point to celebrate, share, and understand successes with the team when they occur. He uses failures to help navigate the team toward successes, citing a Michael Jordan story as a way to put the entrepreneurial journey in context. 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:  Why are failures more meaningful learning experiences than successes?

Slava Rubin:  Well, I think both are important.  You really have to understand when you do something well and when there is a success and make sure to share it with everybody on the team and really understand how we got here and enjoy it.  

I think the failures just help us learn how to navigate towards the success.  There is a classic Michael Jordan commercial where it’s like black and white and he’s walking out of a tunnel and he says ‘I have shot – I have missed, you know, 97,000 free throws, I have missed 100,000 shots, and for all these misses, you know, that is why I have won six championships.’  It’s because he’s been out there and put it out on the line.  Like any entrepreneur, you know, with great risk it can come reward, and with risk comes some failures.

Erik Michielsen:  Is there one specific failure that you can point to in your development that’s really helped you get to where you are now?

Slava Rubin:  I would say that there have been some painful times whether it be like when my dad died of cancer when I was fifteen or even with IndieGoGo, you know, the market crashed in 2008, and it was pretty bleak times with my two co-founders, and I – and it was just about really focusing on what’s important in either one of those situations, and looking forward, and just taking one step at a time, and executing, and here we are.

How to Solve Ill-Defined Problems - Jon Kolko

In Chapter 10 of 17 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, designer and educator Jon Kolko shares how he thinks about well-defined, ill-defined, and wicked problems. Kolko sees wicked problems as more likely to be mitigated than solved. Ill-defined problems, however, can be solved, though, as he notes, not algorithmically. Kolko notes the value in bringing interdisciplinary approaches to solve the ill-defined problems and finding satisfaction working on them to the point of exhaustion. Kolko is the executive director of design strategy at venture accelerator, Thinktiv (www.thinktiv.com). He is the founder and director of the Austin School for Design (www.ac4d.com). Previously, he worked at frog design and was a professor of Interactive and Industrial Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). He has authored multiple books on design. Kolko earned his Masters in Human Computer Interaction (MHI) and BFA in Design from Carnegie Mellon University.

How Starting a Company Teaches Humility - Dan Street

In Chapter 1 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, software entrepreneur and Loku founder Dan Street shares how he has embraced the challenges starting a business. He notes the lifestyle changes associated with becoming an entrepreneur - constant focus on the business, less sleep, and less social time. He finds meaning in learning the ropes - hiring, raising capital, and learning all aspects of the business - as he works on his vision. Street is the founder and CEO of Loku, previously known as 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 Patience is Important to Startup Success - Dan Street

In Chapter 4 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, software entrepreneur and Loku founder and CEO Dan Street shares why patience is important when measuring success. Street discounts myths that startups become billion dollar companies overnight. He believes patience is about sticking to your vision, developing ideas over time, and finding support to help execute that vision. Street is the founder and CEO of Austin, Texas based 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.