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. 

Matt Ruby on Building Team Chemistry Filming a Comedy Series

In Chapter 12 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian and Vooza founder Matt Ruby answers "How Are You Learning to Work More Collaboratively With Different Personality Types?" Ruby finds it critical to build teams that believe in the project and have a willingness to be open and experimental on the film shoot. From the cast to the director to the cameraman and sound engineer, Ruby sees this shared value as a non-negotiable when filming, no matter how different a film team may be.

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. 

Anatole Faykin on Giving Yourself Permission to Pursue Your Passion

In Chapter 12 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What Informed Your Decision to Return to School and Pursue a Bioscience Masters Degree?" Mid-career, Faykin rethinks his career trajectory in entrepreneurship and online marketing and revisits his childhood passion for science. He rethinks his career and chooses to pursue a graduate degree in biosciences to do what has always felt natural and made him feel happiest, learning life science and studying biology.

Anatole Faykin is an Internet entrepreneur and digital marketer exploring new career options. A passionate world traveler and problem solver, Faykin plans to return to graduate school to earn a biosciences masters degree. Previously, Faykin has started multiple companies, including Tuanpin, a Shanghai startup he sold in 2011. He holds an MBA from NYU and a BS in computer science and biology from the California Institute of Technology.

Anatole Faykin on Why Meaningful Work is More Than Accomplishments

In Chapter 13 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "How Are Your Personal Experiences Shaping Your Professional Aspirations?" Now mid-career and having experience working at corporations and starting companies all over the world, Faykin realizes aspirations are less about accomplishments and more about doing meaningful work.

Anatole Faykin is an Internet entrepreneur and digital marketer exploring new career options. A passionate world traveler and problem solver, Faykin plans to return to graduate school to earn a biosciences masters degree. Previously, Faykin has started multiple companies, including Tuanpin, a Shanghai startup he sold in 2011. He holds an MBA from NYU and a BS in computer science and biology from the California Institute of Technology.

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. 

Michael Olsen on Striking a Balance Volunteering and Making a Living

In Chapter 10 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Has Volunteering Impacted Your Learning and Development?" Olsen learns early the importance and reward of volunteering his skills and time. Now in his 30s, he gains a pragmatic point of view on life that he first needs to make a living to support himself and his family. While this may mean Olsen volunteers less in the short term, it also pushes him into a health care career helping others so long term, through work and volunteering, he can make a difference.

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. 

Bryan Law on Finding a Life Changing Volunteer Project

In Chapter 19 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business strategist Bryan Law answers "How Has Volunteering Impacted Your Learning and Development?" As an MBA student at Kellogg business school at Northwestern University, Law meets an Angolan student, Guerra Freitas, and joins him on a volunteer project building a university in Angola. The experience volunteering in Angola proves life-changing for Law, as interaction with the community teaches him a new appreciation for what matters in life and what kind of impact he can create in his volunteer work.

Bryan Law is a Principal in the Global Business Strategy Group at Google and a board member at Angola University. Previously, he was a manager at Monitor, management consulting firm. He has worked in consulting roles at Watson Wyatt and Mercer. He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business and a BA from Georgetown University. 

Bryan Law on What Marriage Teaches About Teamwork

In Chapter 21 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business strategist Bryan Law answers "What Has Marriage Taught You About Teamwork?" As newlyweds, Law and his wife learn that marriage is about making decisions that are best for the couple. He finds making collective decisions with his wife brings a better perspective into thinking about problems and, ultimately, leads to better decisions.

Bryan Law is a Principal in the Global Business Strategy Group at Google and a board member at Angola University. Previously, he was a manager at Monitor, management consulting firm. He has worked in consulting roles at Watson Wyatt and Mercer. He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business and a BA from Georgetown University. 

Parenting Advice on Raising Digital Native Children

In Chapter 7 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, product management executive Ramsey Pryor answers "What Does It Mean for You to Be Engaged in Your Children's Education?" Pryor finds teaching his two children - a kindergartener and a 3rd grader - about setting boundaries on exposures to screens, from TVs to iPads to other electronic devices. Raising digital native children also pushes Pryor to accept responsibility as a parent to keep his kids in a safe learning environment that embraces interactivity without constantly being over their shoulder.

Ramsey Pryor is a product management executive at IBM focused on cloud-based collaboration and security software products. Previously he was VP Product Marketing at Outblaze, acquired by IBM. Pryor earned an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and a BA in Economics and Spanish from Northwestern University. 

Ramsey Pryor on How to Work With Difficult People

In Chapter 16 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, product management executive Ramsey Pryor answers "How Are You Learning to Work More Effectively With Different Personality Types?" Pryor finds working with difficult people is something most everyone experiences at some point in their education or career. He learns to respect that these people may have things going on outside of class or work and to be mindful of this, especially as his own family commitments grow outside of work. He also learns that it helps to try and diffuse tense situations rather than escalate them.

Ramsey Pryor is a product management executive at IBM focused on cloud-based collaboration and security software products. Previously he was VP Product Marketing at Outblaze, acquired by IBM. Pryor earned an MBA from IESE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and a BA in Economics and Spanish from Northwestern University.  

Geoff Hamm on Assessing Fit When Interviewing for a New Job

In Chapter 10 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, mobile business executive Geoff Hamm answers "How Do You Assess Fit When Interviewing for New Job Opportunities?" When interviewing for new job opportunities, Hamm first makes sure he sees value in what the company is building. He then learns about the founders and the values and belief system they have brought to the company. If first-time entrepreneurs started the company, he looks more closely about founder focus and resources in place to keep founders focused on reaching their goals.

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 Improving Quality Grade School Choices for Parents

In Chapter 8 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Inspires You Most About the Charter School Education Model?" To Smith, improving education quality comes down to creating a market of choices so parents can choose the best school for their child. While Smith notes not all charter schools translate into higher quality choices, he makes a point that charter schools represent a central way to innovation education by creating higher quality school options for parents and their kids.

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 Finding Meaning Living in the Moment

In Chapter 4 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing As Your Experiences Grow?" Langheier shares how her personal aspirations are becoming less specific and more focused on being present in the moment. Nine months pregnant, Langheier shares how starting a family is fundamental to this, as is being present as a friend and as a citizen.

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. 

Louise Langheier on Improving Scenario Planning Forecasting Skills

In Chapter 12 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, social entrepreneur Louise Langheier answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Become Better at Your Job?" Langheier shares how she is working on middle case scenario planning to complement best case and worst case scenario planning. After years focused on extreme scenarios, Langheier learns to appreciate the middle ground and focus team efforts there.

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. 

Conrad Doucette on 3 Things to Know Before Becoming a Dad

In Chapter 5 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, musician and digital strategist Conrad Doucette answers "What Are Three Things You Wish You Knew Before Becoming a Dad?" Doucette shares what he learned in the first weeks of fatherhood and gives advice to expecting dads. First, he learns not to be so worried in the first few days after the baby comes home. Second he learns that a baby and its belongings take up a lot more space than you would think. Third he learns how much he loves being a dad and how it has made him kinder and more present in his life.

Conrad Doucette is a Brooklyn musician and the drummer for the band Takka Takka. He has performed with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, The National, Alina Simone, and many other leading acts. When not performing music, Doucette is the communications and brand director at music licensing and publishing startup Jingle Punks. Doucette earned a BA in History from the University of Michigan. 

Conrad Doucette on Giving Better Advice When Asked for Help

In Chapter 17 of 17 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, musician and digital strategist Conrad Doucette answers "How Have You Learned to Give Better Advice When People Ask You For Help?" Doucette puts himself in the shoes of the person asking for advice. In his younger years he would have dispensed advice based on his point of view rather than the perspective of the person asking for advice.

Conrad Doucette is a Brooklyn musician and the drummer for the band Takka Takka. He has performed with Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, The National, Alina Simone, and many other leading acts. When not performing music, Doucette is the communications and brand director at music licensing and publishing startup Jingle Punks. Doucette earned a BA in History from the University of Michigan. 

Idan Cohen on Searching for a Role Model Mentor

In Chapter 13 of 13 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, technology entrepreneur Idan Cohen answers "At This Moment in Your Life, Where Are You Seeking Advice and Coaching?" Cohen shares how he feels the need to find a coach or mentor to provide support that complements what he receives from his wife, friends and peers. He recognizes he has a need and desire to do this and then shares his approach to thinking about what type of role model mentor would be best for him.

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: At this moment in your life, where are you seeking advice and coaching?

Idan Cohen: That's a good question because I could use someone a little older, a little wiser. I mean, obviously I have a support group and just friends and peers and Christina, but I do feel like I would benefit from having someone that I see as some kind of a role model that I can talk to and formulate a little bit more what I want my path to be. I've been thinking about it. I'm not sure how to do it. I'm not sure who is the right person. I've never approached anyone. I assume that anyone I would approach would be happy to help. I think that it's more that I want to figure out, like, what domain that person is coming from. And also is somewhat aligned with where-- what domain I want to see myself in the next 5 or 10 years. If and when I embark on something, on a new adventure that-- where is that going to be? Same path that I've been taking now-- I've taken now, or something different? So I think that that's one of the main kind of thoughts when I think about it-- I mean, threads

Nina Godiwalla on Training Leaders to Step Up and Speak Up

In Chapter 7 of 18 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and entrepreneur Nina Godiwalla answers "When Someone Asks You, 'What is Your Mission', How Do You Respond?" In her diversity and leader training work, Godiwalla strives to teach those in power to "Step Up and Speak Up" to support those with less or no power. She examples of this as it relates to diversity issues in the office as well as in more general meeting environments where credit for ideas and work is often taken by senior staff who just restate another's idea or work. 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: When someone asks you, “What is your mission?”, how do you respond?

Nina Godiwalla: I think one of the major messages I have is really focused on step up, speak up, and it's about being able to, when you’re in a place of power, really being able to take your power and help other people that might not be in power, and those apply to both my focuses, leadership and diversity, and that applies from a diversity standpoint, so such a small example is if you’re in a room and you hear an inappropriate joke about a certain minority group, if you’re not part of that minority group, it’s the most important thing, and it makes you feel a little bit uncomfortable, a lot of times we’d just gonna look the other way. The most important thing for you to do at that moment is be able to say something and be able to stand up for that group because that group has been criticized and it’s an opportunity for you as not being a part of that.

And I think from a leadership standpoint which I’m focused on is being in a place of power, whether you—wherever you are. You don’t even have to be high in the hierarchy or whatever it is, but a great example was we were just talking in a meeting, we were at the State Department, we were having this talk about how people repeat, someone gives their credit to the wrong person, so a very senior person says, basically, he repeated what someone else said, and everyone kind of starts giving credit to the senior person who said it, 15 minutes before, two other people had already mentioned it, and we’re giving examples of what’s a way to actually remind people that that’s not the right person, that’s not the person that really said it, and it’s something along the lines of, “Oh, well, Joe, that’s a great point—that’s a great way that you’ve summarized Sandy’s comments earlier, that’s—that was really impressive the way you did it concisely,” or something like that, and, basically, giving back credit to the person that did it. And if you are the most senior person in that room, it’s even more important for you to do that because you’re acknowledging to the rest of the staff, I’m aware of where that came from, and even if you’re not the most senior person, you’re in that room, and so you have an opportunity to bring attention to that, so it’s those sort of things, always making an impact, whether you formally have a hierarchical place or not.