Ken Biberaj on What It Takes to Win a City Council Primary Election

In Chapter 23 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "What Will It Take For You to Get the Votes Necessary to Win Both the Primary and the Election?" Biberaj breaks down exactly what he must do to win on September 10th. He discusses grassroots campaign strategy elements from analyzing data to registering voters to getting them to vote on election day.

Ken Biberaj is currently a 2013 Democratic Candidate for City Council in New York City. 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 Biberaj was Florida Research Director for the Kerry-Edwards for President Campaign. Biberaj 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. 

Slava Rubin on How Specialist Job Roles Help Young Companies Grow

In Chapter 15 of 15 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Indiegogo CEO Slava Rubin answers "How Are Your Recruiting Priorities Changing as Your Company Grows?" Rubin shares how growing from 15 to 60 employees has shifted hiring needs away from generalist or "athlete" skills sets and toward specialist skill sets. As structure is added to manage organizational growth, job roles and responsibilities also get more structured and specific. Rubin shares why it is important to constantly evaluate these shifts to maintain company culture. Slava Rubin is CEO and co-founder of Indiegogo, the world's largest crowdfunding platform. Indiegogo empowers anyone, anywhere, anytime to raise funds for any idea—creative, cause-related or entrepreneurial. Prior to Indiegogo, Rubin worked as a management consultant. He earned his BSE degree from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Transcription

Erik Michielsen: How are your recruiting priorities changing as your business grows?

Slava Rubin: We’re constantly meeting to re-org the company as it evolves in terms of the size, and as part of that, when you’re smaller, you want more of an athlete, which is you’re not exactly sure what they’re good at, but they can just be a valuable asset to the company, they can be versatile, and you start getting bigger, you don’t want people who are just athletes, you wanna have them start specializing. So you can almost think of it in basketball terms. Sometimes you just have five great athletes, or sometimes you have like the 7-foot-3 guy as the center and he’s exactly the center, and this other guy is a 3-point shooter and he can’t do anything else, but it’s actually nice to have those really locked down pieces if that’s where you need to focus on, if you have those other athletes. So as you have more specific roles, it’s important to get those specific recruits, but it’s a balancing act as we’re evolving from more athlete-driven to finding some specific focus.

Erik Michielsen: And how do you maintain that culture as you’re shifting from focusing on athletes to more specialists?

Slava Rubin: I think that’s a great question. You need to constantly evaluate on the specific role. Is this somewhere where you can still go with an athlete or is it somebody that’s so precise where their experience needs to be so clear, and their knowledge base subject matter expertise is so unknown that they need to be a specialist? And every position has a different evaluation

One of the specialist positions that we just hired for was actually our head of international. So that was one of those things where it’s hard to be an athlete to just say, “Oh, I think you’re or she is really smart, and I think they can figure it out.” It’s really nice when that person has done international for years and they have gone to those examples and those experiences and be like, “Oh, that’s a problem. That’s gonna be problem. You’re gonna deal with this. I know this is gonna happen.” That’s where being a specialist helps.

Clara Soh on How Rock Climbing Brings Out Your Personal Best

In Chapter 16 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, health economist Clara Soh answers "When Are You At Your Best?" Soh finds she is happiest when out rock climbing. The concentration and focus climbing brings pushes Soh to give her best and in return the feeling she receives from the experience brings her great joy. The joy is apparent in the office and Soh explains how your passion can help you connect to others including your boss. Clara Soh is a health economist and Senior Director of Policy and Research at a pharmaceutical trade organization in Washington, DC. Previously, Soh held senior roles at Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research (KPCHR) and Health Policy Research Northwest (HPRN). Soh earned her Masters of Public Administration (MPA) in Policy Analysis and Healthcare Public Finance from the NYU Wagner School and a BS in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University.

James McCormick on How to Give Better Advice When Asked for Help

In Chapter 20 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "How Have You Learned to Give Better Advice When People Ask You For Help?" McCormick gives better advice by listening more and talking less. When giving career advice, he asks questions to learn specific details of an individual's circumstance so he can be more helpful. 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 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.

Chris Hinkle on Why to Be a Software Engineer

In Chapter 6 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "What Do You Enjoy Most About Being a Software Engineer?" Hinkle most enjoys creating products for the world to enjoy and use. He also values the job responsibility for high quality craftsmanship that comes with his work. Hinkle shares why concentration is a useful software engineering job skill that helps him solve complex problems in his work. 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 Organic Ways to Lead and Motivate Teams

In Chapter 10 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" Hinkle shares that while he does from time to time need to instill motivation and be a leader, he finds he is more comfortable crafting work collaboratively with teams and less interested managing teams. By creating great work together with his teams, Hinkle finds the career advice and motivational aspects occur naturally in the process. 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 How to Use Buckets to Manage a Busy Schedule

In Chapter 6 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "What Do You Find Are the Keys to Managing a Busy Schedule and Getting Things Done?" Kolko shares how he uses bucketing to break down his commitments and work through tasks. He shares how he has learned how much capacity he has to take on projects and why he needs to say no to thing above and beyond five things to do. 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.

Matt Curtis on Turning Low Self Esteem into High Self Confidence

In Chapter 14 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, HomeAway government relations director Matt Curtis answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Recalling his twentysomething years battling obesity, Curtis remembers his self esteem problems and depression battles. Over time, Curtis learns to take a more confident approach and emulate Bill Clinton, and using a smile and undivided attention to win over a room. Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was communications director for Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas.

Courtney Spence on How Children Ground You and Remind You Family Comes First

In Chapter 4 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Courtney Spence answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" Newly engaged Spence shares how having her fiancee's 5-year old daughter has given her a more holistic perspective on life that puts family front and center. The experience allows her to take a step back and appreciate her family relationships and get a healthy separation from work. 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: How are your personal experiences shaping your professional aspirations?

Courtney Spence: This last year has been one of a lot more personal experiences, I guess, I would say. I got engaged.

Erik Michielsen: Congratulations.

Courtney Spence: Thank you. I, you know, have now a wonderful 5-year-old child in my life that I love, and what it has done for me is it has grounded me in a way that makes me realize what’s really important. And, again, there’s a lot of theme my family for me right now, and, you know, the things that really matter are the ones that you love most. And so, when you go through difficult times in your career, in your company, they don’t seem as insurmountable as they might have seemed a few years ago, and I think that’s because I have, you know—with the kind of the blending of this new family of mine, I now understand so many more things about just life in general that I don’t think I could have seen or understood before, so it has been a pretty profound year for that.

Erik Michielsen: Tell me more about that.

Courtney Spence: Especially when there is a child that you love, this daughter that I love, I am fiercely protective of her, and I get scared sometimes, or I get, you know, inspired, or l laugh a lot more than I did before, I mean just the range of emotions that comes with that, and it comes with seeing the kind of stepping back and starting to see the generations of my family, and spending more time with my parents, and my siblings, and my cousins, and then my new family, There’s a lot of just real understanding of just what’s important, and you see it daily. You see it daily. And what it makes me wanna do is when I do go to work, or when I am working, or if I’m working Friday night on my computer, I wanna work faster, better, smarter, harder, because I wanna wake up Saturday morning, go to the park, and that’s just a new—that’s something that has been pretty new for me, so.

Courtney Spence on Managing a Busy Schedule to Get Things Done

In Chapter 13 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Courtney Spence answers "What Do You Find Are the Keys to Managing a Busy Schedule and Getting Things Done?" For Spence, staying productive and getting things done comes down to two things: prioritizing and delegating. With effective prioritization comes more effective focus on the right tasks. She finds delegating tasks to the right people also helps her get the focus to help her be more productive at work. 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 Parker on When Not to Take Relationship Advice From Friends

In Chapter 8 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Audrey Parker French answers "How Have You Learned to Give Better Advice When People Ask You For Help?" Reflecting back to when she was running a fast-growing business, French notes how she was constantly getting advice on how to solve her life problems, namely relationships. She realizes that there is a time and place for this and that it is okay to give yourself space to not ask for or take advice and instead to address these challenges in due course. 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.

Brett Goldman on How College Summer Jobs Teach Hard Work Ethic

In Chapter 3 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, real estate developer Brett Goldman answers "Where Did You Learn Your Work Ethic?"  Goldman shares how he first learned work ethic from his father and how it influenced early jobs in his life. Working summer jobs while in college, Goldman paints houses and sharpens his work ethic doing cold calls.  The perseverance needed to get business is a skill he still uses today working in real estate. 

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.

How Deal Due Diligence Improves Investing Confidence

In Chapter 10 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, real estate developer Brett Goldman answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work that You Do?" For Goldman, confidence is fundamental in making real estate deals. He builds confidence in the preparatory due diligence research work he does understanding the property, market, location, terms and other elements of a real estate deal.

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 Living a Work Hard Play Hard Life

In Chapter 4 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "What Steps Are You Taking to Do What is Best for Your Family and Future?" Anello shares how he and his wife are both Type A personalities and are very comfortable with a "Go, Go, Go" lifestyle that puts career first today while leaving room for fun adventures along the way.

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 Building a Talent Acquisition Business Strategy

In Chapter 13 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Carrot Creative social media agency CEO Mike Germano answers "How Are Your Recruiting Priorities Changing As Your Company Grows?"  Germano discusses the recruiting, interviewing and hiring processes his social media advertising agency has developed over time to recruit top millennial talent and managerial talent.  He shares how initiatives such as online interviewing tests and dedicated college campus recruiting - for example the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) - has helped the company find the right Gen Y and millennial talent.  Moreover, he shares how he presents a value proposition around engaging and rewarding work when recruiting managers from larger digital ad agencies. 

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 How to Better Manage Your Meeting Commitments

In Chapter 5 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage Your Time and Commitments?"  McKenzie learns to make meeting plans with a more restrictive start and stop times.  This helps him better focus on the conversation and allows him to have more meetings. 

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 Iterating a Lean Startup Business Model

In Chapter 9 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "How is Your Business Model Evolving as You Gain Experience?"  In three years operating his global event series, McKenzie evolves his business from a vocational-based platform to a values-based platform.  By honing business goals around core values - transparency, innovation, creativity, mindfulness - McKenzie and his team are better able to align operations and strategy to community and partner needs. 

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.