Andrew Epstein on How Structure Helps Manage and Motivate Teams

In Chapter 12 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, charter school CFO Andrew Epstein answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?"  Epstein finds it more challenging to motivate teams than to motivate individuals.  In an environment where roles are constantly shifting, Epstein tries to find a balance between flexibility and structure in role definition. 

Andrew Epstein is CFO of the Ascend Learning Charter School Network.  Previously, Epstein was a finance executive at Democracy Prep Public Schools and an operations executive at Universal Music Group's Island Def Jam Records.  He is a former Teach for America corps member and middle-school science teacher.  He holds a BA from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Jullien Gordon on Improving Career Workshop Experiences

In Chapter 14 of 21 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach Jullien Gordon answers "How Are You Learning to Facilitate More Effective Workshop Experiences?"  In his public speaking work facilitating career education workshops, Gordon shares how he has transitioned from providing his audience tools and answers to asking questions and allowing his audience to come up with authentic answers.  Jullien Gordon is a high performance coach and consultant to organizations, individuals and teams who want to increase employee performance, motivation, engagement and retention.  He earned a BA from UCLA, an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a Masters of Education from Stanford University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How are you learning to facilitate more effective workshop experiences?

Jullien Gordon: Originally, when I started this work, it was all about giving people the answers, the 8 cylinders of success. Here, here’s my 8 cylinders of success. Try this on and use it for your life, implement it. And while 5 of the cylinders may resonate with you, for somebody else, it may be 3 cylinders, for somebody else it may be all 8. But I found by instead of giving answers and just by asking the right questions, I help the individuals in the audience actually come to their own authentic answers. And it’s their own authentic answers that are gonna stick with them throughout their life. I can give you my weight loss program but if it doesn’t align with who you are then your chances of actually completing it are going to be slim. But if you come up—if I ask you the right questions in terms of your eating patterns, how your body reacts and you come up with your own authentic answers for your diet, your exercise routines, et cetera. What kind of exercise is fun for you? I can’t just run around a track. I need a ball. I need to be playing basketball or I need to be playing soccer. I can’t exercise just by running around a track, that’s not fun, that’s not engaging for me. So, again, it’s been by asking the questions and trusting that the people know the answers. That’s what interviewing is all about, the assumption is that the answer is already within you. And if I can create a safe space and ask the right questions and bring it out, then you are creating your own plan and strategy for the next phase of your life.

Lulu Chen on How Online Retail and Editorial Fashion Jobs Compare

In Chapter 9 of 16 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, art director Lulu Chen answers "How Does Working in Retail E-Commerce Compare and Contrast With the Work That You Have Done in Editorial?"  Chen notes how the teams - photographers, models, stylists, etc. can be the same as can the process.  However, the goals can be very different, as editorial goals can trend more toward aspirational brand communication whereas online retail or retail e-commerce is more functional, rooted in selling clothes that fit. 

Lulu Chen is a photo art director working in retail e-commerce in New York City.  Previously, Chen worked as a freelance stylist for leading fashion catalogs and magazines.  She earned a BFA in design and art history from the University of Michigan.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How does working in retail e-commerce compare and contrast with the work that you’ve done in editorial?

Lulu Chen: Well, the teams are the same—can be actually almost the same, you know, the talents, people do both, you know, your photographer, your hair and makeup, your models, and everybody who’s freelance. Actually, you know, even some contributors of magazines, they do both, so the process is similar in a way, depending on what you’re working on. But the actual—the goal might vary. So in editorial work, you’re more focused on this narrative and this aspirational kind of fantasy and this mood and this lifestyle you might be selling or, you know, trying to achieve.

Whereas I think in retail and in commerce, it has to be more brand specific or, you know, it has to be more pointed, you know, it’s—you’re selling. You’re selling a specific thing. You’re selling either a brand or an item or items, and specifically for me, I work on apparel, so the clothes have to look good, you know. I mean in editorial, we can move around or lay someone down, and sometimes it’s a hot mess, you know, and it doesn’t matter that things are flying around and, you know, but I think that in commerce, it has to be a little bit more functional, you know?

I think you can have fun in both editorial and in retail. 

I think it’s starting to be bridged too, you know, it’s like that whole art and commerce, and I think a lot of retail brands are doing a really good job, they’re still trying to make—they’re trying actually to be aspirational and trying to get their customer to push the boundaries or, you know, to kind of imagine this lifestyle—you know, wearing their clothes or their items or their accessories, but at the end of the day, you know, it’s still—it still has to be more functioning.

Small Business Owner Advice on Managing Personal Finances

In Chapter 13 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, female entrepreneur Hattie Grace Elliot answers "How Has Being a Business Owner Changed Your Perspective on Managing Your Personal Finances?"  Elliot notes how the unpredictability that comes with managing a small business - in her case an event planning and destination travel business - has forced her to be more frugal and creative to make ends meet as the business grows up and stabilizes. 

Hattie Grace Elliot is the founder and CEO of The Grace List, a social networking company that creates destination events and experiences to forge lasting personal and professional connections across its young professional members. Elliot graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she studied economics, philosophy, and politics.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How has being a business owner changed your perspective on managing your personal finances?

Hattie Elliot: Well, I think when you work for a company, and you get, you know, a paycheck every month and you have certain things covered, your health insurance, and there’s just kind of a level of to a certain extent, you know, transparency and predictability, monotony. Which I would say is not bad, I quite miss that sometimes. You know, you have a very strong sense of, you know, how much if you’re realistic about it, you know, what you can afford, what’s within your means. You know, the size of the apartment that you want, the amount of vacations you take a year, how much you spend going out to restaurants, all that stuff, you know. You just—you have a sense of that.

When you have your own business—and this really does vary from business to business, especially for the first few years, really there’s like, you know, great discrepancies, there’s, you know, my business is very seasonal for instance. So there are certain times—because it’s event and destination based, that people tend to, like around the holidays, right before the holidays, really wanna meet someone, and want that connection, so, you know, that’s a time that we’re really busy and that people are—we’ve got new members joining, we’re doing more things, so with not only is the business seasonal, so the amount of the cash that we bring in just kind of changes, but, you know, based on what happens with the company, with mine, you know, we have a great piece of press and all of a sudden there’s so much interest and we’ve got all these new members joining.

So it’s a little bit less predictable but as the business grows, you know, you get—gain more experience, I now know there’s gonna be certain months of the year that I’m not gonna make as much money, and it’s never perfect but you do have the more of a sense of, you know, cash flow. But because there isn’t a predictability, I think you have to be much more careful to pick and choose what you prioritize and like what you spend your money on.

And there has definitely been times I have been terrified because I’ve got, you know, my rent is due in 2 days, and I’m like, “uh, am I gonna pull this out of like a magic hat?” Like, what is gonna happen? As terrible as that situation is, and stressful, I’m just like, “oh,” you know, it gives me heart palpitations to think of that, it just forces you, you’ve got no choice, like, I’m not gonna live in a cardboard box. I’m an adult. I’ve worked really hard. I’m not gonna move back with my parents, so it forces you—it’s forced me to find ways to succeed, to make my business succeed.

And in an ideal world, as the years go on, and the, you know, the more experience you gain and the more your company is established, you figure out ways that you have to—less and less you have to deal with that kind of situation, you know what I mean? Because not only do you kind of know the cash flow, but you just—you strive to have that sustainability, you set to strive to be your own corporation, you know what I mean? You’re cutting the checks.

So, it’s made me very frugal in many ways. But I’m a girl with expensive taste, you know? I like my champagne. So I’ve had to figure ways and make compromises that you can’t—I have not been able to have everything, but I’m working towards, hopefully, you know, to be able to have that, but in the meantime, like, you know, you just have to prioritize what’s important. You know, what you’re gonna spend your money on.

And just come to terms with the fact that it’s a very—it’s—having your own business, especially in the early days, you know, most people take this risk ultimately, you know, big risk, big reward, because the ultimate payout and the benefits and pleasure you’ll get out of your business are so much more than, you know, that’s what we all of us entrepreneurs hope than when you’re working in the corporate world, but it is a big risk. And it might not be that way, so I just kind of try to own the fact that this is the life I chose. And not get too stressed out but—and not have a pity party for myself when I’m not making as much money as I have, but it’s the life I chose, and it’s been really extraordinary.

Hattie Elliot on Learning to Work With Different Personality Types

In Chapter 18 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, female entrepreneur Hattie Grace Elliot answers "How Are You Learning to Work More Effectively With Different Personality Types?"  In her work, Elliot constantly meets new people and finds it important to be patient, especially with hardened or shy people, as she works to bring out their best.  Elliot finds it one of the most rewarding challenges of doing her work. 

Hattie Grace Elliot is the founder and CEO of The Grace List, a social networking company that creates destination events and experiences to forge lasting personal and professional connections across its young professional members. Elliot graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she studied economics, philosophy, and politics.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How are you learning to work more effectively with different personality types?

Hattie Elliot: I find dealing with different personality types often almost a challenge, you know, when I deal with people who I find to be, you know, really off putting or cold, it’s like a challenge for me to open them up and to make them feel comfortable and it’s really one of the wonderful awesome things I’ve learned to do in my business is that I’m not shy. I love meeting people. I give, you know, decent first impressions, but the more that I’ve kind of through the years, run my business, and met with people, it’s been very eye opening because I’ve realized that a lot of people that you might meet on the street who seem like they’re very difficult, or might be a little cold, or off putting, or bitter or whatever, it’s just because they’re shy. Or they, you know, take a little while to warm up to you.

So, I’ve learned that so many people maybe 5 years ago, 2 years ago, I might’ve kind of brushed off, that I don’t really do that anymore when I meet people, because I feel like if you actually get to—you know, take the time to get to know people, and you make them feel comfortable, and that’s really what my business is about, is creating these great environments that are conducive to people meeting and connecting. You know, I meet a lot of people who off the bat I love. I meet some people I think, you know, are interesting but, you know, they take a little feeling out, but I’ve just been very humbled and surprised I would say, by how genuinely great and interesting most people are. It just sometimes takes certain things to bring that out. 

Adam Carter on What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder

In Chapter 7 of 13 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, micro-philanthropist Adam Carter answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?"  Carter finds it progressively easier learning to live in different locations and cultures.  After traveling to 80 different countries, he finds it progressively difficult to be financially secure after walking away from a seasonal job and moving to Brazil full time. 

Adam Carter is a micro-philanthropist currently living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  He is the founder of the Cause and Affect Foundation which raises small amounts of financing to provide direct-to-source project funding for individuals and communities in need across the globe.  To date, Carter has traveled to over 80 countries.  He earned an MA in International Development from George Washington University and a BA in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Michigan.

Transcript: 

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

Adam Carter: Well, what is getting easier is learning how to be comfortable living in other places and in other cultures.  I have so much experience traveling the world now over the last 16 years of living all over the place that I found that it’s easier for me to immerse myself in a culture, find—carve out my little niche, make myself feel at home. You know, communication has made that so much easier now. It’s so much easier for me to stay in touch with my family and my friends. So it’s been easier for me to feel at home in so many parts of the world, and what’s become more difficult… Well, it’s become more difficult to keep this—to continue to finance this lifestyle. You know, all the charity work that I do is—all the travel I pay for, which is fine. I can still handle it, but I think when I had a summer—when I had my summer job in Chicago where it was easy for me to just go back for the summer and make good money and then travel, it was easier to keep this lifestyle. You know, I’ve had to adjust now because I decided to walk away from that job, and so now I have to obviously seek out other means of income in order to support my passion. So that’s been a bit of a challenge of kind of trying to figure out what my place is and in a professional light and not just in a humanitarian light.

Anatole Faykin: How Oracle Silicon Valley Job Teaches Work Ethic

In Chapter 11 of 12 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "Where Did You Learn Your Work Ethic?"  Starting his career in Silicon Valley teaches Faykin it is not about set working hours or face time and more about getting projects done by deadlines.  His entry-level experience working at Oracle influences his later career choices as an entrepreneur to create flexible workplace cultures. 

Anatole Faykin is an entrepreneur currently working on a new startup as part of the Startup Chile incubator program in Santiago, Chile.  Previously, Faykin founded Tuanpin, a Shanghai, China-based daily deals site he grew to 25 employees and sold in the fall of 2011. He has worked for British Telecom in London, Intel in Shanghai, American Express in New York, and Oracle in San Francisco as well as several startups. 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.

Management Lessons on Adaptation and Commitment - Richard Moross

In Chapter 16 of 17 in his 2012 interview, London entrepreneur and Moo.com CEO Richard Moross answers "How Have You Learned to Adapt When Things Have Not Worked Out as Planned?"  Moross walks through specific instances where his company has adapted in the face of a mistake and turn lemons into lemonade.  He talks about the need to experiment and work through cycles of broadening and focusing strategy and why commitment and focus are critical to building the business.  Moross is founder and CEO of Moo.com and a leader in the London startup scene.  Before starting Moo.com, an award-winning online print business, Moross was a strategist at Imagination, the world's largest independent design company.  He graduated from the University of Sussex, where he majored in philosophy and politics.

Jon Kolko on How Organizational Change Affects Product Development

In Chapter 15 of 21 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, design educator Jon Kolko answers "How Do You Evaluate When to Continue a Project and When to Kill It?"  Kolko details his consulting experience and how projects more often than not are killed not due to the products themselves but rather organizational change or corporate reorganization.  

Jon Kolko is 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: How do you evaluate when to continue a project and when to kill it?

Jon Kolko: I don’t think I've ever killed a project. I think typically you either run out of money or time or the project evolves into something else. I’ve had projects killed on me as a consultant and I can think of at least three or four examples of that and they’ve always had nothing to do with the product. It's actually really interesting. They always had stuff to do with organizational change. Quarter after quarter profits lead to organizational reorganizations, which lead to what could be very effective, useful and informative products getting killed because the new organization didn’t support them, because the strategic comparatives have changed, because the team that was working on them is now dissolved, all of which are artificial reasons and not very good ideas because they are all driven by dividends. And so maybe if there's a lesson in there, it's -- don’t take your company public. But it's funny because like even within these organizations where you have almost total buy-in from people all the way down the chain, they still bemoan the death of their products, and it's like, look, they see the value of it, they're not in a position organizationally to fight for it. And so, the product gets killed.

Why Use Varied Perspectives to Solve Problems - Hammans Stallings

In Chapter 19 of 22 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, innovation strategist Hammans Stallings answers "What is the Importance of Understanding a Problem from Different Perspectives?"  Stallings shares a quote how the same mind that led to the creation of a problem is rarely the one that leads to the resolution of the problem.  Stallings discusses the importance of bringing a different set of eyes, experiences, and tools to a problem.  He uses a Swiss Army Knife in a problem solving analogy and how different tools have varying impact on successfully resolving a problem.  This is Hammans Stallings' Year 2 CYF interview.  Stallings is currently a Senior Strategist at frog design.  Previously he worked in business strategy at Dell and investment banking at Stephens.  He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, a MS in Technology Commercialization from the University of Texas McCombs School of Business and a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Virginia. 

Courtney Spence on How Fundraising Strategy Shifts as Non-Profit Grows

In Chapter 13 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, non-profit executive Courtney Spence answers "How Has Organizational Growth Changed How Your Non-Profit Raises Money?"  Spence notes her progressive focus on infrastructure investment from philanthropic donors.  As her vision is progressively enabled by a supportive team and project experience, Spence shifts focus into larger fundraising and alternative revenue sourcing.  Courtney Spence returns to CYF for her Year 3 interview.  As Founder and Executive Director, Spence leads non-profit Students of the World to empower college students to use film, photography, and journalism to tell stories of global issues and the organizations working to address them.  Spence graduated with a BA in History from Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: How has organizational growth changed how your non-profit raises money?

Courtney Spence: So we’re just starting to really run with raising money and investment and it’s still philanthropic dollars but I’m now trying to raise investor dollars, I’m trying to raise money from people that wanna help me invest to my infrastructures so I can scale and I can go do the really big dream that we have. I’m not asking people to fund an organization as its existed for the last 5 years, I’m asking people to invest in where we are now so that we can grow and I think that – that is a very – a much more exciting place to come from when you’re trying to raise money, I think it’s really important to – and I didn’t really ever quite realize this to have that big vision, and have that right team in place, and have that right year one, year three, year five, even though that might change because you know it will, but having those big, you know, year markers and that big vision is really important to raising money, and I think that we are truly moving as an organization from that kind of survival mode to thrive, right, and we’re still very much trying to survive, but what I’m realizing is that as we pushed the ball forward with Students of the World the last few years, it was really still on this track.

And we’re now kind of veering off into something much bigger and greater, and as we do that, our organization grows, and as we do that we need to raise more money, and as we do that, we need to also find alternative sources of revenue, and recognize what do we have to offer this world that is of monetary value, and we believe we have quite a bit. And that’s a shift in thinking for me as well. So I am focusing on fundraising in a way that I have never before – scary.

But I’m also coming from a place of absolute confidence in where we’re going and who we’re going with and what we wanna go do, and that’s something I’ve never had before either, so I think it’s important to – you can’t force an organization to grow, it has to grow with the right time. And as much as I tried to make things happen, 5 years ago, 3 years ago, last year, the timing wasn’t right. And for some reason, the timing was right starting at about September of last year and here we are today, so.

How to Manage a Busy Schedule and Get Things Done - Ken Biberaj

In Chapter 10 of 21 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council candidate and public relations executive Ken Biberaj answers "What Do You Find Are the Keys to Managing a Busy Schedule and Getting Things Done?"  Biberaj shares the approach he uses to map, prioritize, and manage obligations across his personal and professional endeavors.  Ken Biberaj is currently a 2013 Candidate for New York City Council for the West Side of Manhattan.  He is also a public relations executive for the Russian Tea Room restaurant at One Fifty Fifty Seven Corporation, a family business focused on real estate development, investment sales and retail leasing.  Previously he was Florida Research Director for the Kerry-Edwards for President Campaign. He holds a JD from New York Law School, a Masters in Public Policy (MPP) from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government, and a BA in Political Science from American University. 

A Father's Advice for First Time Parents - James McCormick

In Chapter 4 of 18 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, legal career advisor James McCormick answers "What are Three Things You Wish You Knew Before Becoming a Dad?"  McCormick notes that no matter how much preparation or planning you do, the actual experience will surprise you.  Additionally, he discusses how everyone has an opinion about everything and offers suggestions how to manage this as a family.  Lastly, he talks about putting a priority on the little moments, the early moments, after the baby is born and why you should do so.  James McCormick is a Partner at Empire Search Partners in New York City.  Previously, he practiced law as an employee benefits and executive compensation attorney for Proskauer Rose and Jones Day.  He earned a JD at Tulane Law School and a BA in History at the University of Michigan.

Fabian Pfortmüller on How Co-Founder Role Changes as Company Grows

In Chapter 12 of 15 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, community builder and entrepreneur Fabian Pfortmüller answers "How Are Your Responsibilities Changing as Your Company Grows?"  Pfortmüller notes how his role at Sandbox Network is evolving away from daily operational sales and marketing tasks and more toward higher level strategic responsibilities.  He also notes how he is continuing to find new hats to wear at Holstee as the company grows and brings on staff to handle jobs and tasks he has managed to date.  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: How are your responsibilities changing as your businesses grow?

Fabian Pfortmüller: As the company evolves so does my role and at Sandbox for example, I started out being in a very operational marketing kind of sales role and that has moved into more and more focusing on the bigger picture. It has to do on the one hand how the organization is progressing. It’s becoming more mature. We have amazing people who work there who do most of the jobs that I did in the beginning way better than I do them and on the other hand I’ve also started to learn what I do good and what I'm best at and I realized I'm good at understanding community.

I'm good at realizing in which direction we could develop it, I'm good at seeing opportunities, I'm good at connecting opportunities and maybe, you know, strategic goals and so I’ve start to spent more time on that and I would say over time I shifted to go from doing a lot of things that were urgent and needed my immediate attention to more things that are important and hopefully gonna have an impact on the bigger picture but on the other hand at HOLSTEE, you know, it’s the same thing that very, very small team and there I'm in a very operational role, it keeps changing and I also – I would say the three founders have very different skill sets where my role there was to make sure like we’re operational, like set up in a way that we can run very fast and at the beginning I did like, you know, accounting and bookkeeping and what not until we found luckily someone who is way better than I am at these things but I'm quite good at doing something for the first time not in a perfect way but in a way that it doesn’t completely fall apart and that the ship more or less keeps going until we find someone -- we can afford someone who does this much better.

How Online Business Refines Social Media Marketing - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 12 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are You Learning to Use Social Media More Effectively in Your Business Pursuits?"  Margolis shares how social media marketing is fundamental in growing his online info product business.  He notes why his team has been changing its social media approach, in particular with data analytics and conversation marketing, as the company grows.  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. 

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. 

How Permanence Plays into Marketing Career - Jason Anello

In Chapter 11 of 20 in his 2012 interview, creative director Jason Anello answers "What Role Does Permanence Play in Your Work?"  Anello makes the case that his creative marketing work is the antithesis of permanence.  He notes how so few of life experiences are actually permanent and that understanding this has helped him better embrace the ups and downs of life and career.  Jason Anello is a founding partner and creative director at marketing services agency Manifold Partners.  He is also the co-founder of the Forking Tasty Brooklyn supper club.  Previously, Anello held creative leadership roles at Yahoo! and Ogilvy & Mather.  He graduated from the University at Albany. 

The Humbling Experience of Building a Company - Jason Anello

In Chapter 15 of 20 in his 2012 interview, creative director Jason Anello answers "What Has Been the Most Humbling Experience to Date Building Your Company?"  He is amazed the amound of work required building the business foundation at Manifold Partners.  From business development to operations, Anello finds great challenge in all the elements required to run not just creative projects but also all aspects of a business.  Jason Anello is a founding partner and creative director at marketing services agency Manifold Partners.  He is also the co-founder of the Forking Tasty Brooklyn supper club.  Previously, Anello held creative leadership roles at Yahoo! and Ogilvy & Mather.  He graduated from the University at Albany.