Matt Ruby on Learning the Nuances of Filmmaking and Scriptwriting

In Chapter 10 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian and Vooza founder Matt Ruby answers "What Experiences in the Past Year Have Most Influenced the Direction of Your Work?" Producing the Vooza web series, Ruby finds it educational learning from experience creating webisodes and evolving the tone when writing new segments. As an established standup comedian now working in a screen format, he also learns nuances of presenting comedy in a video medium and the filmmaking styles, such as cross-cutting, used to do this well.

Matt Ruby is a standup comedian based in New York City. He also founded Vooza, on online comic strip web series that makes fun of tech startup culture. As an actor, director, writer and producer, Ruby leads the creative direction for the team. Before his comedy career, Matt was employee #1 at 37Signals. He graduated from Northwestern University. 

Michael Olsen on Learning Work Ethic From a Big Brother

In Chapter 6 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "Where Did You Learn Your Work Ethic?" Olsen learns work ethic from his big brother, Marc, who leads by example working hard and staying determined to accomplish goals. This shapes Olsen as he develops his own sense of drive and applies it in his own career and life pursuits.

Michael Olsen is a management consultant at Accenture. Previous to Accenture, Olsen earned dual MBA and MPH degrees at Emory University in Atlanta. Olsen earned a BA in symbolic systems from Stanford University and spent the next five years founding an IT consulting company, Redwood Strategies. 

How to Use a Journalism Degree to Teach Middle School

In Chapter 9 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, education technology entrepreneur Adam Geller answers "Where Has Your Journalism Work Experience Been Most Useful in Your Education Career?" Geller finds his journalism degree is most useful on a day-to-day basis as a teacher. He finds the daily test of clearly communicating what he knows so his students can absorb the lessons similar to journalist work articulating information so an audience can internalize the information. As a science teacher, journalist training also helps Geller tailor teaching to learning styles to best engage students.

Adam Geller is founder and CEO of Edthena, a video platform enabling online teacher coaching, peer review, and group learning. He is a recent Education Ventures fellow at the Kauffman Foundation and the founder of Teach For Us, a network connecting Teach for America corps members and alumni. He earned a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a MA from the University of Missouri-Saint Louis.

How to Adapt Parenting as Infants Grow Into Toddlers

In Chapter 19 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, mobile business executive Geoff Hamm answers "How is Your Parenting Approach Evolving as Your Children Grow From Infants into Toddlers?" Hamm shares how as infants, the little babies are about the basics - feeding, changing, sleeping. As his two children grow into toddlers, Hamm finds nearly every moment becomes a teaching moment and learns to make time to have these conversations with his kids.

Geoff Hamm is a business development executive and VP Strategic Alliances at mobile marketing platform start-up Applovin in San Francisco, CA. Previous to Applovin, Hamm held senior sales management positions at Tapjoy, Scribd, Electronic Arts, Yahoo!, Orbitz, IAC and Excite where he built deep relationships with advertisers and brands. Hamm graduated from the University of Illinois.

Preston Smith on What It Means to Be a Leader

In Chapter 13 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?" As CEO, Smith finds leading means putting people in places where they an do their best work. Leading means staying above the politics and not being divisive in his thinking. Leading means framing things in a positive way and avoiding an us versus them mentality. Finally, leading means embracing the responsibility that as a leader he will often be the one needing to make the tough decisions that often will be unpopular.

Preston Smith is co-founder and CEO of Rocketship Education, the highest performing low-income school system in California. After graduating the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Smith joined Teach for America. After three years teaching 1st Grade, he founded a district school in San Jose and became its principal. Smith was selected as a member of the 2010 class of Aspen Institute New Schools Fellows. 

Louise Langheier on Why Tough Mentors Make the Best Mentors

In Chapter 9 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "How Are You Learning to Be a Better Mentor to Young Social Entrepreneurs?" Langheier shares how her mentor-advisor style is about pushing and challenging young social entrepreneurs to succeed. From her own experience co-founding non-profit Peer Health Exchange, Langheier finds mentors who invest in mentees by asking tough questions the mentors who are most likely to be vested in mentee success. She finds encouragement helpful, but finds the "push" or "challenge" the most important part of a mentor-mentee relationship.

Louise Davis Langheier is founder and CEO of Peer Health Exchange, a non-profit that trains college students to teach health education in public high schools. Louise was selected as a member of the 2011 class of Aspen Entrepreneurial Education Fellows, and was named an Ashoka Fellow in 2012. She graduated from Yale University. 

Mark Graham on Leading by Teaching in a Manager Job Role

In Chapter 15 of 15 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, media executive Mark Graham answers "How Are You Becoming a Better Teacher?" Graham shares how in a role that requires him to produce content and manage a team that produces content, he finds identifying teaching moments key to building productive bonds with this team. A big part of this is learning to be a better listener to understand different points of view specific to team members.

Mark Graham is currently a managing editor at MTV Networks. Previously Graham worked in editing and writing roles at New York Magazine and Gawker Media. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.A. in English. 

Simon Sinek on Managing by Turning Followers into Leaders

In Chapter 13 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" Sinek shares what he has learned about management from retired Navy submarine captain David Marquet, author of "Turn the Ship Around." Sinek learns the importance of turning followers into leaders by supporting them, trusting them, and encouraging them to make decisions and take ownership. Sinek notes how the approach is more parenting than managing and results in greater employee engagement. Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. Sinek is the author of two books, "Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Come Together and Others Don't" and "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". He is a public speaker, an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a Brandeis University graduate.

Simon Sinek on Improving Writing Skills by Embracing the Unfamiliar

In Chapter 18 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "How Are You Challenging Yourself to Improve As a Writer?" Sinek shares how he embraces challenge and works to improve his writing by trying new things such as writing fiction. He notes going to unfamiliar places helps him build both competence and confidence as he develops his writing skills. Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. Sinek is the author of two books, "Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Come Together and Others Don't" and "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". He is a public speaker, an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a Brandeis University graduate.

Lauren Serota on Building Creative Direction Communication Skills

In Chapter 9 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "How Are You Learning to Communicate More Effectively?" Serota finds more exposure to the world and to people helps her understand how to communicate differently to different people. In her job role, she is responsible for giving creative direction to designers. She notes how designer personalities differ and how she finds it helpful tailoring feedback - conceptual to tactical - when working with them. She notes how she carries this awareness into her work presenting in meetings and facilitating in classrooms.

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). 

Lauren Serota on Building Skills to Be a Better Teacher

In Chapter 15 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "How Are You Becoming a Better Teacher?" As an instructor at the Austin Center for Design, Serota evolves her teaching style and course design as she gains experience. She brings in anecdotes from her studies and work to give students a foundation until they can gain their own experiences and build their own base. She works with faculty to continuously improve courses based on best practice research. In class, Serota deconstructs complex concepts into simpler pieces that allow students to stay focused and hone understanding of the core concepts.

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).

Lauren Serota on Teaching Students Design Thinking

In Chapter 16 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and educator Lauren Serota answers "What Does It Mean to Teach Someone to Think Like a Designer?" Serota notes there is a nature versus nurture element of teaching students design thinking techniques. As a teacher, Serota tries to find student learning styles and adapt her teaching to those who grasp creative and design thinking and those who struggle to grasp them.

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 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)

Fabian Pfortmüller on Making a Plan to Manage Company Growth

In Chapter 18 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur and community builder Fabian Pfortmüller answers "What Procedures and Processes are You Putting in Place to Manage Company Growth?" At Holstee, Pfortmüller and his leadership team adopt a transparent management style of sharing P&L information with the employee team. Additionally, Holstee holds monthly meetings to engage employees in quarterly strategy planning for the upcoming quarter. Structure is also found in a more rigorous budgeting process that helps the company understand its successes and shortcomings. 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.

Doug Jaeger on Performing Under Pressure in a Creative Career

In Chapter 7 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and brand marketer Doug Jaeger answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" Jaeger shares how he first learned to perform under pressure working in advertising at TBWA/Chiat Day agency. There he learns what it means to be a creative designer who can stand out by performing under deadline pressure. He compares this skill to an athlete practicing and working up to a big shot in a big game. Jaeger also shares how doing deadline-based work has allowed him to use stress as an ally and motivational tool. Doug Jaeger is co-founder and creative director at JaegerSloan Inc. where he focuses on brand and experimental marketing for clients such as Squarespace, Samsung and PwC. He is an adjunct professor at New York's School of Visual Arts (SVA) and co-curator of JnrlStr. He graduated from Syracuse University.

Doug Jaeger on Managing and Motivating Creative Project Teams

In Chapter 13 of 14 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, creative director and brand marketer Doug Jaeger answers "How Are You Learning to Better Manage and Motivate Teams?" Jaeger finds how he works best in spurts and builds his management style around this on and off approach. He makes sure to check in with his team when taking breaks from his own work and make sure there are no obstacles in their way. He favors this more casual approach over planning regular meetings. Doug Jaeger is co-founder and creative director at JaegerSloan Inc. where he focuses on brand and experimental marketing for clients such as Squarespace, Samsung and PwC. He is an adjunct professor at New York's School of Visual Arts (SVA) and co-curator of JnrlStr. He graduated from Syracuse University.

Clara Soh on How to Work Smarter and Perform Under Pressure

In Chapter 15 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, health economist Clara Soh answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?" An avid rock climber, Soh approaches challenges mindfully and deliberately. In her health care policy work, she learns to manage pressure by looking for context when making decisions in high stakes situations. 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.

Clara Soh on What It Means to Be a Leader

In Chapter 17 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, health economist Clara Soh answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?" To Soh, leadership is about setting clear expectations and being present to support team members as they then work to accomplish the goal or complete the project. She uses structure and frameworks to keep her team organized and focused on its goals. As a rock climber, Soh shares how climbing has taught her leadership skills, especially the need to be considerate of the implications your actions while have on those following you when lead climbing a route. 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.