Courtney Spence on How to Make Negotiation Less Stressful

In Chapter 17 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, nonprofit CEO Courtney Spence answers "What Role Do Negotiation Skills Play in Your Work?" Spence shares how, like confrontation, she traditionally does not enjoy negotiating. To make negotiating less stressful, she tries to bring in trusted teammates for the negotiation. Additionally, she finds it helpful to keep your higher purpose in mind so as to not get lost in the details during the negotiation process.

Courtney Spence is founder and CEO of Students of the World, a nonprofit empowering a diverse network of student and emerging filmmakers to apply storytelling skills in purposeful work. She is also the Founder and CEO of CSpence group, a creative agency building millennial-focused content and programs for brands. Spence earned a BA from Duke University. 

Marketing Advice on Finding the Right Event to Promote Your Product

In Chapter 8 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Randall Metting answers "What Factors Help You Determine Where to Direct Your Marketing Resources?" Metting shares his process for finding the best events to promote and market his product, Dulce Vida tequila. He and his team assess a variety of factors, from cost to competition to human resources to audience size, to narrow event options to those with highest impact potential.

Randall Metting is a brand development and marketing manager at Dulce Vida Spirits in Austin, Texas. Over 17 years, he has built brands in spirits, luxury real estate and lifestyle, music, and sports industries. He has been a radio personality at KGSR Radio and a marketer at a hyperlocal startup acquired by NBC Universal. Metting earned a BA in Advertising from the University of Florida and started his career at The Coca-Cola Company. 

How to Take a New Brand From Market Entry to Market Penetration

In Chapter 10 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Randall Metting answers "What is the Process of Taking a New Brand From Market Entry to Market Penetration?" Metting shares how he and his team are planning and executing market strategy to build upon new market entry to deepen market penetration and product sales. The team starts by refining target market options. It then invests in event marketing across Steinberg Springs music festivals to the New Orleans Tales of the Cocktail conference. Through the process, Metting and his team hone product marketing and positioning while building the brand.

Randall Metting is a brand development and marketing manager at Dulce Vida Spirits in Austin, Texas. Over 17 years, he has built brands in spirits, luxury real estate and lifestyle, music, and sports industries. He has been a radio personality at KGSR Radio and a marketer at a hyperlocal startup acquired by NBC Universal. Metting earned a BA in Advertising from the University of Florida and started his career at The Coca-Cola Company. 

When to Stop Bootstrap Funding Your Business and Get Investors

In Chapter 6 of 15 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Hattie Elliot answers "What Informed Your Decision to Stop Bootstrapping Your Business and Pursue Outside Capital?" After years using her own money to fund the business, Elliot opens to taking outside investment capital. While still capable of bootstrap funding the business, the emotional and physical stresses prove another reason to change direction and raise money. 

Hattie Grace Elliot is the founder and CEO of The Grace List, a social networking company that creates destination events and experiences to forge lasting personal and professional connections across its young professional members. Elliot graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she studied economics, philosophy, and politics.

3 Insider Tips on Finding a Small Business Investor

In Chapter 10 of 15 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Hattie Elliot answers "What Advice Do You Have for Small Business Owners Considering Taking on an Investor?" A small business owner who brought on an investor over the past year, Elliot shares three ways to improve the investor solicitation process. First, she notes the importance of doing due diligence to hone a business plan and financial model. Second, using the models, calculate the amount of funding you will need and map the use of funds out over a timeline to make sure you raise the right amount. Third, finding an investor comes down to matchmaking and finding the right person with the right motives to be your business partner.

Hattie Grace Elliot is the founder and CEO of The Grace List, a social networking company that creates destination events and experiences to forge lasting personal and professional connections across its young professional members. Elliot graduated from the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where she studied economics, philosophy, and politics.

Matt Ruby on How to Find Branded Content Advertisers for a Web Series

In Chapter 18 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian and Vooza founder Matt Ruby answers "In television, we see the big automotive brands making big plays and obviously there is an Apple computer in every HBO show, but you also tailored your branded content and product placement to your audience with Vooza. So how did you go about finding the right fit for potential advertisers to put on a show?" Ruby shares how finding advertisers for his web series starts with reaching out to people to start a conversation. From there he has been able to find people doing similar projects and websites and look at who is advertising with them. As he has built audience and advertiser relationships for branded content and product placement, Ruby returns to existing relationships - people who understand his business - for new campaigns and projects.

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 Career Benefits of Writing College Application Essays

In Chapter 7 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Become Better at Your Job?" Faykin shares how writing graduate school application essays has helped him think more deeply about his career goals and why he is choosing a specific school and a specific field of study at a specific point in his life. He finds this introspective writing process transferable to a business career where asking similar questions can help him grasp bigger picture ideas and potential outcomes.

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 Leaving a Cushy Corporate Job to Start a Company

In Chapter 8 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What Do You Consider the Milestones to Be in Your Online Marketing Career?" Faykin shares his biggest moment: leaving a cushy, secure corporate marketing job to start a company. He shares how much he had to learn about online marketing going through a trial and error process while building a startup company in China. Over time, by testing online marketing campaigns on Google ads and Baidu ads, he finds success as an entrepreneur running his own business.

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 Leaving a Job to Pursue a Bioscience Masters Degree

In Chapter 10 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "What Experiences in the Past Year Have Most Influenced the Direction of Your Work?" After working many years in technology startups and Internet marketing consulting, Faykin looks to do something that more closely aligns with his passions. He revisits his childhood passion for life sciences and decides to return to graduate school and earn a biosciences masters degree.

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 How to Assess Fit Applying to Grad School Mid-Career

In Chapter 14 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Internet entrepreneur Anatole Faykin answers "How Did You Assess Fit When Deciding Where to Apply for Bioscience Graduate Programs?" As an internet entrepreneur now mid-career, Faykin looks for bioscience grad schools who support entrepreneurial thinking and blend learning science in labs with applying science in business. Ultimately, he identifies three graduate programs that fit his criteria and applies to each of them.

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 Finding Career Direction in Your Thirties

In Chapter 1 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Are Your Aspirations Changing as Your Experience Grows?" Olsen shares how his aspirations are less about achievement in his 30s than they were in his 20s. They are less about comparing himself against others and more about understanding himself better. He finds returning to graduate school helpful in this regard and uses the time to personalize a career path in line with not his younger aspirations but instead his current aspirations.

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 Choosing a Career in Health Care Management

In Chapter 3 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "When are You at Your Best?" Olsen finds he is at his best when working on something important that directly impacts people he serves. He finds working in health care a more direct way to help people than, for instance, working in finance or insurance, and consequently earns his MPH MBA degree and commits to health care management consulting.

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 Research Career Options While in Graduate School

In Chapter 9 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "How Did You Research Career Options While Attending Graduate School?" While doing a joint business school and public health graduate program, Olsen finds each school treats career planning very differently. Business school career planning is more structured around personality test analysis to identify fit for career paths. Olsen finds public health school career planning more open-ended. In both programs, Olsen focuses on meeting the experts invited to speak at the schools. There he gets advice that in order to build a long-term career in social entrepreneurship, a good place to start is working a corporate job before transitioning into social enterprise.

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 How Reflection Informs Personal Growth

In Chapter 17 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Role Has Reflection Played in Shaping Your Personal Growth?" Olsen shares measuring personal growth is dependent on being able to successfully reflect. He notes how he prefers structured reflection over unstructured reflection to learn from his past to plan his future.

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 Deciding Where to Move After Getting a Job Offer

In Chapter 18 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, management consultant Michael Olsen answers "What Has Been Your Approach to Determining What City is Best Suited for You?" Olsen receives a job offer from Accenture and is told he can choose to live in any city where Accenture has an office. Olsen uses Microsoft Excel to structure his thinking and make a more informed decision on where he and his girlfriend should go, ultimately deciding on San Francisco.

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. 

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt on Moving From New York to San Francisco

In Chapter 5 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "How Has Moving to a New City Created Positive Change in Your Life?" Working in media and publishing, Lehmann-Haupt finds New York City to be, as her mentor Clay Felker puts it, "about power and who's up and who's down." Upon arriving in the San Francisco, she finds the Bay Area culture to be more about ideas and experimentation and open-mindedness to new possibilities. Lehmann-Haupt connects with the culture, joins TED Books to work on the future of digital media publishing and ultimately launches her own firm, StoryMade.

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt is a writer, editor and multimedia content strategist. She is the owner of StoryMade, a storytelling studio that creates new media content solutions for businesses. Previously, she was a founding editor and multimedia producer at TED Books, designing TED Talk content for tablet computers. She is the author of "In Her Own Sweet Time", published in 2009. Lehmann-Haupt earned a BA from Kenyon College and a Masters in Journalism from UC-Berkeley. 

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt on Seeking Advice From Working Mom Friends

In Chapter 17 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "At This Moment in Your Life, Where Are You Seeking Advice and Coaching?" Lehmann-Haupt shares how she gathers working mom friends she respects to help her shape next steps in her life as a working mom. She finds her friends understand her needs as someone trying to be a good mom and strike the right work-life balance in an aspiring career.

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt is a writer, editor and multimedia content strategist. She is the owner of StoryMade, a storytelling studio that creates new media content solutions for businesses. Previously, she was a founding editor and multimedia producer at TED Books, designing TED Talk content for tablet computers. She is the author of "In Her Own Sweet Time", published in 2009. Lehmann-Haupt earned a BA from Kenyon College and a Masters in Journalism from UC-Berkeley. 

Bryan Law on Going Back to School for a Kellogg MBA

In Chapter 7 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business strategist Bryan Law answers "What Informed Your Decision to Return to School and Earn an MBA?" After working several years working in human capital and HR consulting, Law goes back to school to get an MBA at Kellogg. The Kellogg MBA experience helps him develop skills in business strategy and student government leadership that open an opportunity for him to work in management consulting.

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, a 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.