Leslie Kerner on Making the World Better One Aspiration at a Time

In Chapter 1 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "To What Do You Aspire?" Kerner sees her aspirations in the context of what she can bring to the world, from raising two young boys into caring men to being a good partner to her husband to making a lasting impact in her company and with the people she engages in her education career.

Leslie Kerner is Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Professional Services group at Amplify, a software and services company innovating K-12 education. She is responsible for building and managing training, professional development and consulting services for schools. Previously, Kerner worked as a management consultant at Deloitte & Touche. Kerner earned an MBA from the Duke University and a BA from Northwestern University.

Leslie Kerner on How Getting an MBA Can Advance Your Career

In Chapter 11 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "What Informed Your Decision to Return to School and Earn an MBA?" Working in the Deloitte analyst program after college allows Kerner to return to graduate school, earn an MBA, and then rejoin the company. Kerner uses the MBA experience to build her network and core skills that she eventually uses working in K-12 education.

Leslie Kerner is Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Professional Services group at Amplify, a software and services company innovating K-12 education. She is responsible for building and managing training, professional development and consulting services for schools. Previously, Kerner worked as a management consultant at Deloitte & Touche. Kerner earned an MBA from the Duke University and a BA from Northwestern University.

Leslie Kerner on Why to Pursue a Business Career in Public Education

In Chapter 13 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "What Led You to Pursue a Business Career Working to Improve Public Education?" Kerner shares how she combined her passion for education with the accountability and motivational elements that come with working in business.

Leslie Kerner is Senior Vice President and General Manager for the Professional Services group at Amplify, a software and services company innovating K-12 education. She is responsible for building and managing training, professional development and consulting services for schools. Previously, Kerner worked as a management consultant at Deloitte & Touche. Kerner earned an MBA from the Duke University and a BA from Northwestern University.

Chris Hinkle on How Working in Silicon Valley is Different Than Working in New York

In Chapter 3 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "How Has Working in Silicon Valley Reshaped What You Think is Possible in Your Career?" Relocating from New York City to Silicon Valley, Hinkle cuts past the "get rich quick" entrepreneur scene and finds a passionate generation of innovators working to make the world a better place. This contrasts with the more media industry-driven tech scene he experienced in New York City. Chris Hinkle is a senior software engineer working at Evernote in Silicon Valley. Previously, Hinkle worked at New York City digital agencies HUGE and R/GA in creative director and software engineering roles designing products and developing Internet mobile applications and websites.

Chris Hinkle on Finding Meaning By Improving the Lives of Others

In Chapter 4 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "What Makes Your Work Meaningful?" Working in digital agencies early in his career, Hinkle recalls finding meaning by building things that impress other people. As he gains product design experience, Hinkle finds meaning not by impressing others but rather by creating things that improve the lives of others. Chris Hinkle is a senior software engineer working at Evernote in Silicon Valley. Previously, Hinkle worked at New York City digital agencies HUGE and R/GA in creative director and software engineering roles designing products and developing Internet mobile applications and websites.

Chris Hinkle on Why There is No Harm in Living Your Job

In Chapter 5 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" Hinkle loves his work and because of this he finds he is happier integrating life and work together. He is able to make a living doing what he loves and, as a result, can focus less on financial goals and more on making the digital apps and products that give him purpose. Chris Hinkle is a senior software engineer working at Evernote in Silicon Valley. Previously, Hinkle worked at New York City digital agencies HUGE and R/GA in creative director and software engineering roles designing products and developing Internet mobile applications and websites.

Jon Kolko on Finding Purpose Working at an Edtech Startup

In Chapter 7 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "Why Did You Decide to Take a Position Working at an Online Jobs Platform Helping to Employ Students?" Kolko shares why he decided to join a venture capital-backed career services startup, MyEdu. Kolko finds purpose joining the education technology or edtech startup team to help create a more scalable and relevant way for college students to market themselves and find jobs after graduation. In the process, Kolko finds a boss who challenges him to learn new skills and develop as a business manager. Jon Kolko is VP of Design at MyEdu and the Founder and Director of Austin Center for Design (AC4D). He has authored three books on design and previously has worked in design roles at Austin, Texas venture accelerator Thinktiv and global innovation firm frog design. He was a professor of Interaction and Industrial Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and earned his Masters in Human Computer Interaction (MHI) and BFA in Design from Carnegie Mellon University.

Courtney Spence on Fatherly Advice on Why to Work Every Day Doing What You Love

In Chapter 2 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Courtney Spence answers "Where Has Your Family Been Most Supportive in Your Career Development?" From an early age, Spence is encouraged by her father to "find a way to make a living doing what you love." He encourages his daughter, saying "I don't want you to have a job but I want you to work every day of your life." This guides Spence from college into her social entrepreneurship nonprofit work. All the while her parents find moments and space to support their daughter's development.

Social entrepreneur and storyteller Courtney Spence founded 501c3 nonprofit Students of the World (SOW) to shine a light on progress and celebrate the world's problem solvers. She is building a movement of next-generation storytellers and creative activists through the SOW program The Creative Activist Network. Spence is a graduate of Duke University.

Transcript:

Erik Michielsen: Where has your family been most supportive in your career development?

Courtney Spence: Wow. They have been supportive throughout my entire career development. From the beginning, it was find a way to make a living, doing what you love to do, and my dad always said I don’t want you to have a job but I want you to work every day of your life. And it’s that different philosophy of I don’t go to my job that I have to, I go work hard because I want to. And, you know, it doesn’t mean that you enjoy what you do every day, all day, or even all month, but, you know, as long as you find your passion and are able to follow it, it just lifts you up and lifts those people around you. And so, I think that kind of started me off on that path when I was, you know, 16, 17, 18 through my early 20s, thinking about what I wanted to do.

Most recently, this has been a really wonderful year, but a year of a lot of challenges, a lot of ups and downs, a lot of new situations that I have not faced before as a leader in our organization, and some really hard times. And I think that, you know, it’s when the going gets tough, I get on the phone or I go to my parents’ backyard, and I’m lucky to have two really wonderful parents who are mentors and that who really are equally as passionate about my passion as I am. And so, I would say that while I would give them credit for putting me on the right path to following your passion, I think that knowing that I can turn to them in times of doubt, or crisis, or questioning what we’re doing, and being able to have that as like a sounding board, and a family is pretty amazing, actually, so.

Courtney Spence on Performing Under Pressure and Facing Fear

In Chapter 9 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Courtney Spence answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" For Spence, performing under pressure starts with believing in the mission for the work that you do. Believing in her mission is fundamental and mission confidence will enable performance even in the face of adversity or fear. If the performance pressure is more personal, then she finds it needs to be addressed quickly or it will hinder her performance. Social entrepreneur and storyteller Courtney Spence founded 501c3 nonprofit Students of the World (SOW) to shine a light on progress and celebrate the world's problem solvers. She is building a movement of next-generation storytellers and creative activists through the SOW program The Creative Activist Network. Spence is a graduate of Duke University.

How to Work More Effectively With a Team of Different Personalities

In Chapter 11 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Courtney Spence answers "How Are You Learning to Work More Effectively With Different Personality Types?" For Spence, the first thing is to not take things personally. She learns to respect differing opinions and to stay patient in hearing different perspectives that contribute to a team decision. Social entrepreneur and storyteller Courtney Spence founded 501c3 nonprofit Students of the World (SOW) to shine a light on progress and celebrate the world's problem solvers. She is building a movement of next-generation storytellers and creative activists through the SOW program The Creative Activist Network. Spence is a graduate of Duke University.

Why to Work With Business Partners Who Share Your Values

In Chapter 17 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Courtney Spence answers "What Has Been Your Approach to Finding Business Partners Whose Mission and Values Align With Your Own?" Spence notes organizational success is highly predicated on working with individuals and organizations who share your mission and goals. She learns the power of mission-alignment participating in the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) annual meetings. She applies this approach to partner with Participant Media to create entertainment that inspires people to take action. Social entrepreneur and storyteller Courtney Spence founded 501c3 nonprofit Students of the World (SOW) to shine a light on progress and celebrate the world's problem solvers. She is building a movement of next-generation storytellers and creative activists through the SOW program The Creative Activist Network. Spence is a graduate of Duke University.

Audrey French on How Parents Divorce Brings Family Closer Together

In Chapter 2 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Audrey Parker French answers "Where Has Your Family Been Most Supportive in Your Career Development?" While in high school, Parker and her brother see their traditional family structure collapse as her parents go through a divorce. She shares how she manages the stress of having to build separate relationships with her mother and father and, ultimately, the positivity, support, encouragement and direction that come with the new family dynamic.

Audrey Parker French is an entrepreneur who co-founded CLEAResult, an energy management consulting firm she helped grow to #144 on the 2010 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies and then sell to General Catalyst Partners. She currently volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and teaches children's choir. She graduated from Wake Forest University and lives with her husband in Austin, Texas.

Bijoy Goswami on How a Mentor Can Bring Out Your Best

In Chapter 5 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami answers "How Have Mentors Helped Motivate You to Do Your Best Work?" Goswami shares the story of his mentor Martin Henry, who at the time of the interview was battling terminal cancer in the UK. Over an 18 year period, Henry mentors Goswami, stewarding him on his journey by creating conversations that help clarify his goals.

Bijoy Goswami is a writer, teacher, and community leader based in Austin, Texas. He develops learning models to help individuals, organizations and communities live more meaningfully. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University.

Bijoy Goswami on What Stewardship Means

In Chapter 6 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami answers "How Do You Define Stewardship and Why is It Becoming More Important to Your Work?" Goswami shares how he sees life as a journey and how being a steward to a person can help them live most fully. After years stewarding or coaching others in an ad hoc way, Goswami looks for ways to more systematically affect change in others.

Bijoy Goswami is a writer, teacher, and community leader based in Austin, Texas. He develops learning models to help individuals, organizations and communities live more meaningfully. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University.

Hammans Stallings on Becoming a Role Model Leader

In Chapter 19 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, innovation strategist Hammans Stallings answers "What Goals are You Setting as You Look to What Comes Next in Your Business Career?" Stallings shares how his point of view on management and leadership have evolved with experience. In order to do better work, Stallings acknowledges the need to empower teams with frameworks, tools, and motivation that will get greater results. He questions the selfish nature of a leader or manager and thinks about how this plays against the talent development and team motivation outcomes that come from effective management and leadership.

Hammans Stallings is a Senior Strategist at frog design. Previously he worked in 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 and a BA in Economics and Psychology from the University of Virginia.

Learning to Reflect More and Get to Know Yourself Better

In Chapter 5 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, real estate developer Brett Goldman answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?" Goldman shares how he reflects more as he gets older. Reflecting helps him better understand why and how he makes decisions and improves how he learns from decisions and even mistakes. Reflecting helps him be more comfortable with who he is, what he chooses to do and when he chooses to do things.

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.

Jason Anello on How Aspirations Get More Money Motivated

In Chapter 20 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experience Grows?" As a creative, Anello shares how his aspiration has always been to make work like play. As he builds a company, he becomes more aware of how making money can also be an aspiration and help him make a greater difference in his work.  He finds challenge reconciling his creative mindset and money motivation.

Jason Anello is a founding partner and creative director at Manifold Partners, an award-winning creative advertising agency. Previously, Anello worked in creative leadership roles at Yahoo!, Ogilvy & Mather, and Digitas. A passionate foodie and traveler, he runs the Forking Tasty food blog and supper club series.  He earned a BFA from University at Albany.

Mike Germano on When to Promote an Employee to Partner

In Chapter 7 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Carrot Creative social media agency CEO Mike Germano answers "How Is Your Business Partnership Structure Changes As Your Company Grows?" As the company grows, Germano and his founding partners see jobs get more specialized and roles become less evenly distributed. Germano learns that what comes next requires hard decisions, including adding new partners and parting ways with a founding partner.

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