Ken Biberaj on Getting Political Endorsements Running for Office

In Chapter 11 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "As a Candidate for Public Office, How Are You Going About Asking for Endorsements?" While campaigning, Biberaj regularly has voter groups representing the environment to union workers to political interests ask for meetings. He tries to meet everyone and, while an underdog, knows those relationships will matter over time if he is elected to serve his community. He also connects with influencers, including former New York Governor David Patterson, to get counsel, support, and, in some instances, an endorsement.

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. 

Ken Biberaj on the Humbling Experience of Running for Office

In Chapter 22 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "What Has Been Your Most Humbling Experience To Date Campaigning for Public Office?" Biberaj notes that the entire process of campaigning is humbling, from working to stand out from rivals to building awareness and name recognition with voters.

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 to Translate Confidence into Effective Leadership

In Chapter 3 of 15 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, Indiegogo CEO Slava Rubin answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" To Rubin, a confident approach is fundamental to his leadership style. He learns early in life things are unpredictable and finds being decisive yet flexible a combination that helps translate his confidence into team confidence. 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.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: What role does confidence play in the work that you do?

Slava Rubin: I think confidence is really important. It’s very easy to not be confident ‘cause there’s a lot of things that go wrong. And when you have employees, and when you have a team, they really rely on leadership, and a lot of leadership has to do with confidence. Often, one of the most important things you can do when deciding between two things is not pick one or the other, but rather make the decision, ‘cause the lack of decision is a decision in itself, usually associated with lack of confidence and can just create a stumble for the whole entire team. So it’s important to take action and deal with the consequences.

Erik Michielsen: Is that something that you’ve learned over time? Are you getting better at or is that something as a core skill you’ve kind of always had?

Slava Rubin: I think the idea of taking action without regret and dealing with the next step associated with it and constant iterating based on feedback is something quite core to, you know, the way I grew up.

Erik Michielsen: Yeah? Tell me more about that.

Slava Rubin: I would say that it has to do with you can’t always project what the future will look like. You know, my dad died when I was a kid, so you can’t just say, “Oh, this is what’s gonna happen in the future and that’s what I rely on.” You gotta be able to be a bit more nimble. And I think that feedback loops are tightening so much that you can get so much more information so much quicker that you don’t have to rely on having long projected answers or predictions, that you can just, you know, have a step forward, get some feedback, and then pivot or move around. Yeah, the idea of standing in place is a decision in itself, so just by moving in one direction or the other, you constantly get more feedback.

Clara Soh on Why Confidence Matters in Health Care Research

In Chapter 12 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, health economist Clara Soh answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Soh shares how she uses economic analysis and statistical modeling to understand future budget planning issues around health care policy such as Social Security and Medicare. She notes the challenge of using different statistical models and methodology to analyze economic impact of health care research and budget estimates. 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 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 Gaining Small Business Operating Experience

In Chapter 14 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "How Are Your Responsibilities Changing As Your Career Evolves?" In his second year as partner in a growing small business, McCormick finds he is getting a better handle on the responsibilities that come with managing business operations. He contrasts the added responsibilities as a small business owner with the incremental advancement in compensation and responsibility working as a lawyer in large law firms. 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. 

Leslie Kerner on How Being Part of a Team Can Bring Out Your Best

In Chapter 4 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "When Are You At Your Best?" Kerner shares how, personally and professionally, being part of something larger brings out her best. In her personal life, it is being part of a community of relationships. Professionally, she achieves the most when leading or being part of a team. She learns this early on competing on swim teams and playing team sports where you have multiple experience levels working together to achieve a common goal.

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 Lifelong Benefits of Being a College Student Athlete

In Chapter 7 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "How Did Your Experience, Walking on the College Swim Team, Change Your Life?" Kerner shares how making the Northwestern University women's swim team as a walk on opened doors in her life to job opportunities, healthy habits, and lifelong friendships. She learns from being surrounded by more talented teammates and works her way to team captain. Over time, the bonds she makes help her get a job at Deloitte and stay relevant year in and out.

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 Ways Parents Can Help You Pursue Your Passion

In Chapter 8 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "Where Has Your Family Been Most Supportive in Your Career Development?" Kerner notes that while her parents have not always understood what she did at work, they were always supportive. Ultimately they find ways to encourage Kerner to pursue her passion to work at the intersection of management consulting and 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 Giving Younger Employees Opportunities to Lead

In Chapter 20 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "How Do You Define and Measure Success in What You Do?" As a general manager, Kerner owns bottom line responsibilities to make sure her business unit is growing and profitable. Beyond P&L measures and metrics, she measures success based on her ability to create ways for younger employees to take on more responsibility and become the next generation of company leaders.

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 What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder

In Chapter 1 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?" After years coming up with ideas for new technology products, Hinkle learns to better handle rejection by not marrying himself to any one idea. As a 31-year old, Hinkle notes the challenge of working with recent college graduates who may be more current on the latest technologies and finding ways to stay current with trends while also embracing his own experience. 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 Ways to Reduce Stress and Perform Under Pressure

In Chapter 8 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" Hinkle shares steps engineers and project managers can take to reduce stress when working under deadline pressure. Specifically, he notes how it can be helpful to be less focused on the project deadline and more focused on doing your best work. He finds imposing time pressures can compound small problems and make developers and engineers feel helpless. He also warns against doing all-nighter work as it may cause more harm than good with regard to work quality. 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 a Supportive Family Can Open Doors in Your Education and Career

In Chapter 1 of his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "Where Has Your Family Been Most Supportive in Your Career Development?" Kolko shares how his wife has helped him achieve work goals by making sacrifices so he could grow into new phases of his career. Moreover, Kolko shares how his parents always supported his education and rarely challenged his choices. As an educator, Kolko sees how students make higher education and career choices and challenges the status quo and the need for a college degree. 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.

Jon Kolko on How Recognition Can Strengthen a Marriage

In Chapter 3 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "What Has Marriage Taught You About Teamwork?" As an introvert who has been married for over 12 years, Kolko finds the support he gives to and receives from his wife happens in communal settings and is built on giving and receiving recognition and appreciating one another. 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.

Jon Kolko on Ways to Measure the Quality of Design Education

In Chapter 15 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "How Do You Measure the Quality of Education Your Institution Provides Its Students?" Kolko shares how his school has developed assessment methods to measure design student creative learning. He shares how he teaches students to critique work and how the process develops student confidence, drive and passion. 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.

Matt Curtis on Improving Public Speaking Skills by Singing Karaoke

In Chapter 15 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, HomeAway government relations director Matt Curtis answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" For Curtis, performing under pressure in his work means presenting to or speaking to elected public officials. He shares how performing karaoke and singing karaoke has helped him get more comfortable standing up in a crowded room and presenting with confidence. 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.