Idan Cohen on How Getting Married Changes Your Personal Priorities

In Chapter 1 of 13 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, technology entrepreneur Idan Cohen answers "How Are Your Personal Priorities Changing As You Get Older?" Cohen shares how getting married has intensified things in his life for the better. His priorities change as he thinks less about personal accomplishments and more about what he can do for his family.

Idan Cohen is a technology entrepreneur and product management leader at Samsung Electronics. He co-founded Boxee, which was acquired by Samsung in early 2013. 

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How are your personal priorities changing as you get older?

Idan Cohen: So I-- I mean, I got married this year.

Erik Michielsen: Congratulations.

Idan Cohen: Thank you. I always knew I would be with someone, that I had my own reasons why people should not be in a marriage, I guess, or, you know, should just be a partnership. But I think it's actually-- for us, it turned out to be a wonderful thing. It kind of intensified everything for the better. And I think that that's-- that's kind of how my priorities changed. It's just now thinking not only on personal accomplishments but more of accomplishing things as a family unit, later on, kind of can't wait to, you know, take part in educating kids and I spend a lot of time thinking about how do we want to shape that part of our life and how do we want to live our lives with kids and how should that look like and where will it be and what are going to be kind of the forming experiences for them? I think that's the main thing that's been changing. I kind of spend a lot of time on that.

Erik Michielsen: Did you make time to sit down and talk about that, or did that just come naturally in conversation?

Idan Cohen: It comes naturally over time. And it's interesting. I think in a way, I mean, we're a little older. Well, for New York, maybe not that old, but definitely when you look around at our sort of families and friends, you know, a lot of them already are in-- where we are. But it's actually a great thing and also, both of us are the youngest in-- I mean, in large families, relatively large. So just gives us a lot of examples to learn from, to analyze. So we do spend a lot of time on that.

Lauren Serota on Getting Parent Support Making Career Choices

In Chapter 1 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "Where Has Your Family Been Most Supportive in Your Career Development?" Serota shares how her parents creative a trusting yet objective home environment and why that helped her learn to make better decisions.

Lauren Serota works as an associate creative director at frog design. She is also a teacher at the Austin Center for Design (AC4D). Serota earned a bachelor's degree in industrial design from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Nina Godiwalla on Building Family Bonds in an Immigrant Community

In Chapter 1 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "What Childhood Experiences Have Been Most Fundamental in Shaping Who You Are Today?" Godiwalla shares why she valued her experience being raised in a close knit Persian Indian immigrant community in Houston. She details how it informed her and her husband's decision to raise their two children in that same community. Nina Godiwalla is an expert on diversity, leadership and women in the business world. She is CEO of Mindworks, which provides leadership, stress management, and diversity training to companies all over the world. She is also a bestselling author and public speaker. Godiwalla earned an MBA from Wharton, a MA from Dartmouth and a BBA from the University of Texas.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: What childhood experiences have been most fundamental in shaping who you are today?

Nina Godiwalla: I grew up in a Persian-Indian immigrant community. I really got this sense of community from being in that sort of environment, and, to me, now I have my own family. There are all these elements of community which I took for granted growing up, to me that was normal. My parents took us out for New Year’s, I was always with my family for our weekly events. It was much less just our family time, and everything revolved around our community, whether it was for a big event or for every single weekend, we were with our people in our community. So I think that sort of element has been incredibly impactful because I constantly feel like I have to create a sense of community for my family now when I think about what has had such an impact, and it’s interesting because my husband grew up in a completely different community but it was very much that way too, that they were part of a small community that they were always getting together, and so I think because we grew up in these communities, we both feel that, and it’s interesting because I don’t feel a lot of my other friends sincerely feel that way, and I think, partly, it may be because we’re both from different immigrant communities. I’m not sure if that is part of it, but it definitely—it informs so much of what I do now within my family life. It does inform my professional life as well.

Erik Michielsen: In what ways?

Nina Godiwalla: Well, I think, professionally, so much of what I determined what I would do when I was growing up, what I determined what I would major in, so much of what I was exposed to, from my entire growing up, like the first 18 years, was so much through that community, (chuckles) and so I think it informs all these choices you’re making at such critical times. What am I interested in? What are my interests? Who do I wanna be like? Who are my role models? All gets informed by this community, and you got your parents in this community, and so that was a lot of it, a lot of it was around that.

Nina Godiwalla on Why to Raise Your Children Near Their Grandparents

In Chapter 3 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "How Are Your Family Relationships Changing As You Get Older?" After having children, Godiwalla realizes the importance of raising her children around the support and influence of her parents. She learns from being around her parents, learns more about her family history and culture, and is able to give her children valuable time with their grandparents. Nina Godiwalla is an expert on diversity, leadership and women in the business world. She is CEO of Mindworks, which provides leadership, stress management, and diversity training to companies all over the world. She is also a bestselling author and public speaker. Godiwalla earned an MBA from Wharton, a MA from Dartmouth and a BBA from the University of Texas.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: How are your family relationships changing as you get older?

Nina Godiwalla: My family relationships are changing significantly since I had children. I grew up in Texas, and then I left for a long time, and I kind of had the mindset where, “Why would I go back? I have all these incredible opportunities professionally, geographically,” and I didn’t necessarily really think about going back.

Now that I have children, I think everything changes because it goes back to that community of being raised by people that I value what they think. I see my parents with my children, with their other grand—my sister’s children, and I think there’s no way I can miss that. There is no way I could take my kids away from that, and I think part of it is just being older, our generation tends to have children older, so there’s not that much time my kids will have with my parents. It’s actually a limited time where my parents can go out and do things and be active. I don’t know what’s gonna happen in 15 years from now, so I—that has changed significantly because I wanna be as close as I can to them, because I want my kids close to them, and, from that, I’m learning so much from being back around my parents, because I’ve stepped away for a long time, so, suddenly, I’m learning so much just from being around them as well.

Erik Michielsen: Such as?

Nina Godiwalla: I don’t know much about of our religion. I’m not very informed. I grew up in this very tight-knit community but I don’t know basic things about our religion. I don’t know family stories because it was kind of we’re in this crazy, crazy, everyone’s busy. They’re taking us to dance class, they’re taking us to this class, but now I’m coming back when they’re not so crazy, crazy, they were tired, things aren’t so crazy, crazy, they were tired, and they have time to think about, “Oh, you know what? When I grew up and I didn’t hear all these stories when I grew up, we were too busy,” they were too busy doing too many things, so I’m starting to learn more about our family.

And my grandfather was brilliant, and, actually, he was very sentimental, and my mother had written all these letters, she was an immigrant to the U.S., and she moved here when she was 17, and she would write my grandparents, her parents, all these letters about what they would do day-to-day, and so, it’s basically when we were born, from so long ago, and my grandfather saved every letter, and he had it all documented with the date and the time, I mean it was just amazing, and that’s history. I mean it’s for years. We’re talking letters for about 30, maybe 40 years of letters, and so there’s a whole story that I’m so excited. My mom and I, we’ve talked about sitting down and she’s just gonna read them to me, and that I told her that Indians are very big on giving jewelry, and I said I don’t want your jewelry, I don’t care about your jewelry, I said I want the letters, give me the letters, ‘cause that’s history, those were the important things.

Nina Godiwalla on Parenting Shifts for the Infant to Toddler Transition

In Chapter 4 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "How Is Your Parenting Approach Changing as Your Children Grow From Infants Into Toddlers?" A mother of an infant and a toddler, Godiwalla shares how needs shift from physical to emotional as the child makes the infant to toddler transition. She learns negotiation - especially at bedtime - is not always rational and works through the mental challenges that come with it. Nina Godiwalla is an expert on diversity, leadership and women in the business world. She is CEO of Mindworks, which provides leadership, stress management, and diversity training to companies all over the world. She is also a bestselling author and public speaker. Godiwalla earned an MBA from Wharton, a MA from Dartmouth and a BBA from the University of Texas.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: How is your parenting approach changing as your children grow from infants into toddlers?

Nina Godiwalla: Well, with infants, I feel like the challenges seemed to be less physical. You’re thinking with the newborn it’s the staying up all night, the physical exhaustion, the carrying them, the feeding them, meeting their basic physical needs is basically where I feel like it has been so much with the babies, and then with a toddler, I have a toddler now and I’m thinking a lot of it is these bizarre negotiations that make absolutely no sense to me.

So it’s just every time I say anything, there is a counter offer. So it’s like, “We’re going to read two books.” “No, three books.” “Okay, fine, we’re gonna read three books.” “No, one book.” “I don’t understand the negotiation here, you’ve lost me.” I mean and then I don’t even know how to approach it, it’s like this isn’t even rational, like how am I supposed to deal with this?

So I think it has been a lot more of a mental challenge and I joke about it. Sometimes, I said recently to my mother-in-law, I said, “Oh, I can’t wait sometimes until he’s 15,” and she said, “You think you have to stay up now, you think you have things you have to think about now, it will be much more complicated, negotiations you have when they’re 15,” and so I can’t even think beyond the toddler stage, but, for me, I just definitely see it will be a lot more trying emotionally. Right now there’s a lot of craziness and enjoyment. I mean I think of it as joy. People ask me with the second child, “What’s the adjustment?” A lot more crying and more laughing, but I think the crying outweighs the laughing, unfortunately. (laughs)

Nina Godiwalla on How Life Changes After Having a Second Child

In Chapter 5 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "What Challenges Have You Faced Raising Two Young Children While Working Full Time?" Godwalla shares how having a second baby has significantly changed her social life. With the added responsibility at home, working mom Godiwalla and her husband realize that the reality of having a second child is that your social life, from date nights to seeing friends, will get constrained. Nina Godiwalla is an expert on diversity, leadership and women in the business world. She is CEO of Mindworks, which provides leadership, stress management, and diversity training to companies all over the world. She is also a bestselling author and public speaker. Godiwalla earned an MBA from Wharton, a MA from Dartmouth and a BBA from the University of Texas.

Transcript

Erik Michielsen: What challenges have you faced raising two young children while working full time?

Nina Godiwalla: I have to say what happened for us, what fell off the bottom is, where we are challenged is, with the second kid, especially, it cut off our social life a lot, it cut our social life significantly. So we used to have it to where, “Okay, I’ll take it. You go out tonight. I can go out with my friends later,” so we weren’t doing a lot of things together, because it’s usually, when we travel, we’re gone for work, so it doesn’t really justify we’re not gonna take a vacation, and we don’t leave our kids and go on a vacation together, but our time together, after the second child, has been cut significantly, just spending any time together alone, or going out and socializing.

We’re actually both fairly disciplined people, so we just see this as a situation, whereas I know a lot of other friends will say to me like, “Oh, you have to still socialize and do all sorts of things,” and I just, I do—I enjoy being with my kids, and, to me, I see it as, for the next couple of years, it will be this way, and even with my husband, when we’ve had our first kid, we said, “Oh, we’re gonna do a weekly date night,” a month, weeks later, and I thought, “Maybe we’ll do monthly,” we don’t do either.

Maybe it has only been a couple of years now, but it doesn’t bother me that much, and he has more of a kind of a discipline, logical mindset too where we both kind of see it as this is just it is what it is right now, and we’re not gonna, probably not spend a lot of time alone, it’s gonna be the four of us together and just deal with it, and we’re not gonna spend a lot of time with our friends, and when we do spend time with friends, it’s when we have the whole family together, and it’s just this chaotic—it’s they have their two or three other children, we have our two children—our conversation is so broken. You just started to say something, and then someone’s kid is screaming over, so it’s these broken conversations that there was no real in-depth conversation, but at the same time, it is what it is right now.

Erik Michielsen: Is that something where you have to just kind of feel out other couples and their kids and figure out, “Are we all okay in this environment here?”

Nina Godiwalla: I think other parents get it because they can’t have the conversation either. They are really trying. Before I had kids I was one of those unforgiving people where I really felt like, “Can they—?” I still remember it, I have a friend that I could hear her baby crying in the background, and I was thinking, and I’d be in the middle of telling her something, and I thought, “Can she just not leave the kid for a minute or two and let me finish talking or telling my story?” And it’s just interesting, as a parent now, I mean I see things so differently, like if I hear someone’s kid crying, I’m like, “I will talk to you later.” I just I don’t want you to have to try and listen to me and listen to the kid screaming at the same time.

My mindset is so different. Before, I was very harsh on parents, so I had a long way to come, and now I’m just incredibly forgiving. If I see somebody with like a kid on a plane, I try and let them know like a million times that whatever their child does is perfectly fine because I won’t fly with my children. I don’t bring my children on a plane, and everyone always makes fun of me because I fly, I’m flying for business and they’ll say, especially on the East Coast, like, “Do you really have children?” Because I fly here fairly frequently, but none of—and I have a lot of friends here, and they said, “I’ve never seen your children, like this is mysterious that you really have children.” “Oh my God, I don’t fly with my kids.” I mean that’s my—and so it’s that sort of I know what a challenge it is and I don’t even wanna go there. (laughs)

Fabian Pfortmüller on Why to Take Employees on a Destination Retreat

In Chapter 12 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur and community builder Fabian Pfortmüller answers "Why Did You Plan a Month-Long Employee Retreat and What did the Experience Teach You?" Taking Holstee employees on a month-long destination retreat in Oaxaca, Mexico teaches Pfortmüller the value of getting out of the office and coming together as a team to bond as a family. This family culture element allows teambuilding to develop naturally through the shared experiences of going somewhere new and experiencing it together as a team. Fabian Pfortmüller is co-founder of Holstee, a socially conscious online marketplace, and Sandbox Network, a global community for young entrepreneurial people. Pfortmüller graduated from Columbia University.

Yoav Gonen on How Personal Priorities Change With Age

In Chapter 19 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "How Are Your Personal Priorities Changing as You Get Older?" As he gets older, Gonen finds he puts a greater priority spending doing the things he loves with those he loves the most, namely family and friends. With age, Gonen finds he has a better grasp of what he wants out of life and what relationships, including being an uncle, bring him joy. Yoav Gonen is a reporter and City Hall Bureau Chief for the New York Post daily newspaper. Previously he spent nearly six years covering the education beat for the New York Post. Gonen earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan and a Masters in Journalism from New York University.

Tricia Regan on Learning Values and Work Ethic From Role Model Parents

In Chapter 3 of 15 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, filmmaker Tricia Regan answers "Where Did You Learn Your Work Ethic?" Regan tells the story of learning her work ethic from her mother and father. Her father tells her "There's no job worth doing that's not worth doing well" and instills in her the importance of doing work with integrity. Tricia Regan is an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker known for writing, directing and producing documentary films, including the Emmy-winning "Autism: The Musical". She also has worked extensively in non-fiction television for A&E, ABC, FOX, Lifetime, MTV Networks and NBC. Regan earned a bachelors from Binghamton University and masters from New York University. 

Ken Biberaj on What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder

In Chapter 1 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?" Biberaj notes campaigning for office has helped him get better at talking to strangers. Campaigning for over a year, Biberaj learns to get into a daily routine of meeting voters. During this time, he becomes a father and with his wife, learns that the joys of fatherhood come with the sacrifice of not sleeping as much.

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 Aspiring to Be a Role Model Father Just Like His Dad

In Chapter 2 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "To What Do You Aspire as a Father?" Biberaj notes how his role model father inspired his public service career goals, including running for City Council. As he thinks about how he will raise his newborn son, Hudson, Biberaj looks to the ideals his father taught him - from working hard to playing by the rules to focusing on helping other people. 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 Getting Parenting Advice Before Becoming a Dad

In Chapter 3 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "How Did You Go About Getting Advice as You Prepared for Parenthood?" Biberaj notes his policy was to ask everybody for advice. He focuses much of his inquiry asking his parents and wife's parents. As a new parent, Biberaj learns how physical it can be to care for a newborn baby. 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 How Life Experiences Change Your Aspirations

In Chapter 5 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City Council Candidate Ken Biberaj answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experience Grows?" Biberaj finds assessing each of his aspirations in a vacuum helps him with goal setting. Personally, as a new father, he is putting a priority on spending more time at home to be the best father he can be. Professionally, he tries to understand what is in his control and what is not and to focus his efforts on what he can do to make a difference in his community.

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. 

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 How Summer Camp Can Teach Responsibility

In Chapter 2 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "What Childhood Experiences Have Been Most Fundamental in Shaping Who You Are Today?" For McCormick, it was about growing up in a very steady and stable family environment. He shares how going away to Sanborne western boys and girls summer camp in Colorado taught him responsibility while opening his eyes to the world of the mountains and great outdoors. 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 Work Ethic From Two Inspirational Grandfathers

In Chapter 3 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "Where Did You Learn Your Work Ethic?" McCormick learns his work ethic from both of his grandfathers. The first starts a small business making automotive parts and teaches his grandson the benefits of being engaged in your work. The other teaches James the importance of studying and how concentration in schoolwork can lead to positive attention at home. 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 Doing What is Best for His Family and Future

In Chapter 21 of 21 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, legal search and consulting firm executive James McCormick answers "What Steps Are You Taking to Do What is Best for Your Family and Your Future?" McCormick prioritizes his home life to make sure his son gets proper attention and is introduced to a wide array of experiences. He makes sure to carve out time with his wife in a schedule that gets far busier with children. At work he makes it a point to create an inclusive culture where everyone plays a role helping to grow the company. 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 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.