James McCormick on How Family Can Support Your Career and Life Decisions

In Chapter 1 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "Where Has Your Family Been Most Supportive in Your Career Development?" McCormick notes that his parents have provided consistent support and it has always been about helping him find something that engages and challenges him and helping him make sure he has thought through the decision before making it. 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. 

James McCormick on Managing Job Pressures in a Recruiting Career

In Chapter 9 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" McCormick notes the high stakes that come with helping his professional clients make job changes. He learns to manage the pressure in his work by being calm and consistent and aware of his emotions. As his work also involves competing against other firms to fill jobs for hiring clients, performing comes down to reliability to make the right match. 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. 

James McCormick on Learning Teaching Skills by Raising a Child

In Chapter 11 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "How Are You Becoming a Better Teacher?" Raising a 2-year old son, McCormick learns the importance of patience as it pertains to teaching and instructing. By creating calm situations he is able to understand all parties involved and provide better instruction as a teacher. 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.

James McCormick on Growing Small Business Client Relationships

In Chapter 12 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "How Are Progressively Longer-Term Relationships Changing How You Do Business?" McCormick notes the importance of balancing his small business sales goals between serving existing clients and new business development. Growing the business by opening offices in new cities helps his small business serve its existing clients. As the company grows, McCormick and his teammates make it a point to introduce new hires to existing and new clients. 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. 

James McCormick on How to Build Cross-Functional Knowledge at Work

In Chapter 13 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "How Have You Learned to Work More Effectively Across Different Disciplines?"  Experience provides McCormick cross-functional learning experiences he then can apply in serving clients and training new employees. He learns from his father that often the only way to build institutional knowledge is to embrace the continuous learning experience that creates it in a career. 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. 

James McCormick on How to Be More Confident Doing Your Job

In Chapter 16 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" In his executive recruiting work placing law professionals, McCormick shares where and when confidence is most important. This involves understanding what you know and what you do not know when helping clients or candidates find or fill jobs. 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. 

James McCormick on Implementing an Employee Development Plan

In Chapter 17 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "What Procedures and Processes Are You Putting in Place to Manage Company Growth?" The first non-founding partner, McCormick and the founding partners establish processes and procedures to roles and employee development practices to help the company grow. In this regard, structure serves a key strategic role for the future of the business. 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. 

Randall Metting on How to Start a Blog That Builds Your Personal Brand

In Chapter 1 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, brand marketer Randall Metting answers "How Did Starting a Blog Help You Build Your Personal Brand?" By channeling his passions for music, food, culture and his dog Shiner into a blog, Metting brands himself "The Unofficial Mayor of Austin".  The blog allows him to cultivate his passions and tell the story of Austin while building meaningful community ties. Randall Metting is a brand marketer working for Dulce Vida Spirits in Austin. Metting has built a career on helping companies and non-profits develop integrated marketing strategy and brand development programs. As "The Unofficial Mayor of Austin, Texas" Metting authors the randallmetting.com community blog. He is also an on-air radio personality for 93.3 KGSR radio in Austin. Metting earned a B.S. in Advertising from the University of Florida.

Randall Metting on How to Find Brand Sponsors for Nonprofit Events

In Chapter 5 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, brand marketer Randall Metting answers "What Approach Do You Take to Find Brand Sponsors for Non-Profit Events?" Metting shares how making local a priority has helped him find great nonprofit event sponsors. Even when working with national organizations such as Cure Duchenne, a muscular dystrophy nonprofit, Metting finds success bringing on local sponsors to help create more impactful fundraising and awareness building events. has Randall Metting is a brand marketer working for Dulce Vida Spirits in Austin. Metting has built a career on helping companies and non-profits develop integrated marketing strategy and brand development programs. As "The Unofficial Mayor of Austin, Texas" Metting authors the randallmetting.com community blog. He is also an on-air radio personality for 93.3 KGSR radio in Austin. Metting earned a B.S. in Advertising from the University of Florida.

Humor and Other Leadership Skills You Use More as Your Career Grows

In Chapter 10 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Courtney Spence answers "What Skills Are You Using More As Your Career Advances?" Spence embraces humor - in particular learning not to take herself so seriously - and finds it incredibly helpful in her professional development as a nonprofit leader. She sets goals to develop stronger relationships and learns to hand off responsibility and put the right team members in the right places. 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.

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 It Means to Be Trustworthy

In Chapter 12 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, leadership philosopher Bijoy Goswami answers "How Are You Learning to Work More Effectively With Different Personality Types?" To Goswami, being trustworthy means being true to where you are and what you believe. By presenting yourself truthfully, trust ensues.  He notes trust and happiness are not achieved by reaching a destination, but rather are achieved by being true to yourself.

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.

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 Building Long-Term Client Relationships

In Chapter 12 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "How are Progressively Longer Term Relationships Changing How You Do Business?" Doing multiple ad campaigns and projects for clients such as Microsoft allow Anello and his team to better understand the client business, from its brand to its products to the client team personalities. The experiences create reference points Anello uses to deepen the Microsoft client relationships and build upon past projects with new creative projects.

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 How Long-Term Clients Help Business Scale

In Chapter 14 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Carrot Creative social media agency CEO Mike Germano answers "How Are Progressively Longer-Term Client Relationships Changing How You Do Business?"  Germano notes how he learns to appreciate the possibilities that come with longer-term client relationship.  Over time, as client relationships become longer term and projects more strategic, Germano uses the increasing commitments to build company infrastructure to support business growth. 

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. 

Phil McKenzie on Using Positive Thinking to Reflect and Grow

In Chapter 4 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?"  McKenzie finds reflecting on a weekly basis helps him understand what is going right and where he can improve.  He finds taking a positive approach to looking for what went well each week helps him celebrate success and build momentum for his next week. 

Philip L. McKenzie is the Founder and Global Curator of Influencer Conference, a global content platform that brings together tastemakers in the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology to discuss the current and future state of influencer culture. Prior to that, he was Managing Partner of influencer marketing agency FREE DMC and an equities trader at Goldman, Sachs & Co.  He earned an MBA from Duke University and a BBA from Howard University.

Phil McKenzie on How to Improve Virtual Team Communication

In Chapter 18 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "How Are You Learning to Communicate More Effectively?"  McKenzie finds he is able to communicate more effectively by communicating more frequently.  Managing a distributed team from over the world, McKenzie finds more regular communication that is visual and verbal helps keep his geographically dispersed virtual team on the same page. 

Philip L. McKenzie is the Founder and Global Curator of Influencer Conference, a global content platform that brings together tastemakers in the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology to discuss the current and future state of influencer culture. Prior to that, he was Managing Partner of influencer marketing agency FREE DMC and an equities trader at Goldman, Sachs & Co.  He earned an MBA from Duke University and a BBA from Howard University.

Cathy Erway on Using Reflection to Hone Writing Focus

In Chapter 6 of 17 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, writer and healthy food advocate Cathy Erway answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?"  Writing a memoir and charting two years of her life helps Erway focus on healthy, just, local and seasonal eating advocacy projects.  Writing, from blog or recipe posts to magazine articles, provides Erway a timeline of experiences she can reflect upon and learn from over time. 

Cathy Erway is a Brooklyn-based author, part-time cook, freelance writer, radio host and teacher focused on healthy food advocacy.  Her first book, "The Art of Eating In" developed from her blog "Not Eating Out in New York".  She earned a BA in creative writing from Emerson College.