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 Ways to Promote Your Local Blog and Increase Traffic

In Chapter 3 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, brand marketer Randall Metting answers "What Do You Do to Promote Your Blog and Drive Traffic to It?" Writing a local blog, RandallMetting.com, about the Austin food and entertainment scene, Metting creates a Top 10 Rankings to rate his favorite places and venues. He adds detail and then shares his post with the ranked place via social media. Metting finds the venues appreciate his approach and proceed to invite him to visit them to learn more about their businesses and the teams who work there. 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 Using Design and Programming to Express Your Ideas

In Chapter 7 of 10 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, software engineer Chris Hinkle answers "How Do You Bring Together Design and Programming in Your Work?" Hinkle shares how he has learned design and programming separately to express his ideas by building digital products. He learns to turn ideas into products by first learning computer programming and second, through practice, experimentation and feedback, design. 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 Designing Products That Improve User Engagement

In Chapter 8 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "What Problems Are You Trying to Solve at MyEdu?" Working at an internet company focused on designing job search products to help millennial college students find meaningful employment, Kolko finds the process comes down to understanding user engagement. He compares and contrasts user engagement and experience between college student users and job recruiter users. 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 Why Confidence Matters in Creative Jobs

In Chapter 11 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Kolko notes why confidence is fundamental in a creative design career, namely that in a work environment where repeated failure is a given, resiliency is everything. Having a creative career making things depends on having the confidence to iterate past the failures to get to solutions and solve problems. 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 Learning the Nuances of General Management

In Chapter 12 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" As he gains general management experience managing larger design teams at MyEdu, Kolko learns to handle challenging situations and help individuals and teams execute by using hands-off and hands-on techniques. 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.

How Nonlinear Thinking Facilitates Innovative Problem Solving

In Chapter 13 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, innovation strategist Hammans Stallings answers "How Are You Developing an Innovation Process to Help How You Solve Problems?" Stallings notes the non-linear and interdisciplinary inquiry or thinking that comes with producing innovation often is at odds with how organizations are structured. These silos block potential cross-fertilization that comes with approaching problems with resources and tools - ethnography studies, case studies, etc. - that may not be readily available in any one business or organizational unit.

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.

Improving Class Syllabus Design by Setting Teaching Goals

In Chapter 16 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, innovation strategist Hammans Stallings answers "How Has Preparing to Teach an Innovation Class Helped You Clarify Your Teaching Goals?" Stallings finds preparing to teach a Masters of Business Innovation class at CEDIM in Mexico City pushes him to rigorously edit and hone the material in advance of the class. His focus is to distill what he knows into story format that will connect with his students and also be useful reference material for years to come.

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.

Brett Goldman on What You Need to Close a Real Estate Deal

In Chapter 13 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, real estate developer Brett Goldman answers "What Requirements Are Necessary for a Real Estate Deal to Happen?" When a buyer and seller enter a negotiation, there must first be a willingness to buy and a willingness to sell. This, Goldman notes, is not guaranteed when someone lists a property or someone inquires on a property. Goldman looks at seller incentives such as financial distress instances of foreclosure and bankruptcy to identify issues outside price that play into the deal. This opens new options to get more creative in putting together a 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.

3 Ways to Handle Pressure and Excel in a Creative Director Job

In Chapter 9 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" Working in advertising creating experiential marketing events, Anello details the three areas where he needs to handle the pressure.  The first is in pitch meetings. He learns to understand he will never be in control and learns to let go. The second is in coming up with ideas. Here, he learns to set expectations that the ideation process is anything but consistent. The third is executing a marketing event and blending your plans with a need to adapt on the go.

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.

Jason Anello on Getting a Guerilla Marketing Event to Go Viral

In Chapter 10 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "What Did Doing a Zynga Blood Drive Project Teach You About Doing More Effective Guerilla Marketing?" To promote a new Zynga mobile game, Anello and his team send 100s of Zombies into the streets of New York City, trailing them with rhubarb and hibiscus mint flavored "blood pops." By handing out tiny stickers, Anello is able to get people to share the Zombie experience online and create a nationwide buzz that ties back to the Zynga game release.

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.

Pitch Advice on How to Better Present Your Creative Capabilities

In Chapter 11 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "How Have Your Client Experiences Evolved the Way You Present Your Capabilities When Pitching New Business?" Working in experiential marketing that combines physical and digital environments, Anello learns through experience to focus less on the creative flair of past projects and more on the core problems his team has solved for clients and the ROI and results the work has generated.

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.

Jason Anello on the Importance of Process in a Creative Business

In Chapter 13 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "What Procedures and Processes Are You Putting in Place to Manage Company Growth?" Anello shares how he first learned the importance of process learning from his father, an auto mechanic, about how to take apart a bicycle. Early in his ad career working at Digitas, Anello learns how process actually helps a team generate creative. Now, as he grows his small agency from its founders to a larger team, Anello puts those lessons to work in structuring the business.

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.

Jason Anello on Hiring Generalist Talent to Grow Small Business

In Chapter 16 of 20 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and Manifold ad agency co-founder Jason Anello answers "How Are Your Recruiting Priorities Changing As Your Business Grows?"  Now that his creative agency is at the 10 employee level, Anello notes the need tp hire talent for a flexible structure that blends generalist job skills across an advertising agency model of account management and creative departments.  He finds it is less about going deeper in a particular category and more about hiring, for example a developer, that can work laterally across teams. 

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.

Phil McKenzie on Rebranding a Small Business

In Chapter 12 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Steps Have You Taken to Build Your Company Brand?"  After three years building his business, McKenzie realizes aesthetic steps were needed - changing the logo, updating branding topography, and redesigning the website.  These updates play into a business model evolution that includes monthly event series, greater two-way communication on the website, and free downloadable knowledge. 

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 How to Find a Literary Agent Right For You

In Chapter 5 of 17 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, writer and healthy food advocate Cathy Erway answers "What Advice Do You Have for Writers Looking to Build a Literary Agent Relationship?"  Erway notes the two literary agent sources, the sole proprietor agent and the literary agency.  She gives advice on how to build a relationship with the agency and its agents that is in line with your long-term career goals as a writer. 

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.

Jullien Gordon on How to Make Your Work More Lasting

In Chapter 7 of 21 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach Jullien Gordon answers "How Are You Learning to Make Your Work More Lasting?"  Gordon shares why he focuses on creating processes, not products or services, he can give to others.  By helping them incorporate processes into their work and habits, Gordon sees the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy that affects positive change in those he serves.  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 make your work more lasting?

Jullien Gordon: I was having this conversation with my wife, who’s also my coach, the other day. And you know there’s a difference between selling a product, selling a service, and selling a process. And what I think I’ve created is a process. When you think about processes, you think about things like Six Sigma, that’s a process that organizations have adopted for quality control and when somebody’s adopted a process, it becomes part of their life. You can use a product here and there. You can use a service here and there. But a process is something that actually has to get integrated into your entire life and your way of being.

And so I’m trying to create and structure my work in such a way where it’s a process that you can adopt bits and pieces of on a regular basis. You know, one of those processes that I’ve established is the New Year Guide and that’s a process that people are integrating into their lives at the beginning of every year. It’s how do I go look at my goals and my intentions for the upcoming year. How do I evaluate and celebrate what I accomplished in the year before and that’s just part of the process and to the extent that I can continue to grow that year after year after year after year, it’s going to only expand and grow. Another process that I have is my thank account or my gratitude journal and that’s a process that I do daily in order to shift my mind from a mindset of scarcity to a mindset of abundance. And there are other people who have adopted this process into their life, and so I’m trying to instill processes into people’s lives and that’s how I think it will be long lasting, even beyond my life here on earth.