Cathy Erway on Resisting Temptation When Asked for Advice

In Chapter 17 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and food writer Cathy Erway answers "How Have You Learned to Give Better Advice When People Ask You for Help?" Erway shares how it is important to resist temptation to give advice on topics where you may have a personal agenda. Instead, she finds it better to be patient and try to filter away personal or selfish bias to focus on the person asking for advice.

Cathy Erway is an author, food writer, freelance copywriter, radio show host and teacher focused on healthy food advocacy. Her second book, "The Food of Taiwan: Recipes From the Beautiful Island" is a cookbook featuring Taiwanese recipes ranging from homestyle dishes to street food favorites. Her first book, "The Art of Eating In" developed from her blog "Not Eating Out in New York".  Erway earned a BA in creative writing from Emerson College. 

Cathy Erway on Gaining Respect for Exercise Habits and Routines

In Chapter 19 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and food writer Cathy Erway answers "What Role Do Habits and Routines Play into Your Pursuit of Living a More Fulfilling Life?" Erway shares how she is learning to appreciate healthy habits and routines more and more in her early thirties. She notes how it still comes with a balance between good habits and bad habits. Erway puts a priority on getting into healthier routines such as weekly yoga and more regular exercise.

Cathy Erway is an author, food writer, freelance copywriter, radio show host and teacher focused on healthy food advocacy. Her second book, "The Food of Taiwan: Recipes From the Beautiful Island" is a cookbook featuring Taiwanese recipes ranging from homestyle dishes to street food favorites. Her first book, "The Art of Eating In" developed from her blog "Not Eating Out in New York".  Erway earned a BA in creative writing from Emerson College. 

Phil McKenzie on Finding Incredible Kindness Traveling Abroad

In Chapter 4 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Did Traveling Abroad This Past Year Teach You About Yourself?" McKenzie shares how traveling overseas during the past year has reinforced how rich the world is with kind and generous people. McKenzie constantly meets new people in new places and is overwhelmed how willing people are to support him on his journey.

Philip L. McKenzie is the Founder of Influencer Conference, a global content platform that brings together tastemakers in the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology to discuss influencer culture. Previously, he led an influencer marketing agency and was an equities trader at Goldman, Sachs & Co. He earned an MBA from Duke University and a BBA from Howard University.

Phil McKenzie on Asking for and Receiving Critical Feedback

In Chapter 17 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Type of Feedback Do You Respond to Best?" McKenzie shares why he prefers constructive or critical feedback over positive feedback and reinforcement and how he seeks it out and uses it. He finds getting pushback criticism is especially helpful when you are very passionate about something and may not be able to see faults in an approach.

Philip L. McKenzie is the Founder of Influencer Conference, a global content platform that brings together tastemakers in the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology to discuss influencer culture. Previously, he led an influencer marketing agency and was an equities trader at Goldman, Sachs & Co. He earned an MBA from Duke University and a BBA from Howard University.

Phil McKenzie on How Financial Planning Goals Change With Age

In Chapter 19 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "As You Get Older, How Are Your Financial Planning Goals Changing?" McKenzie shares how life in his 40s has shifted his attention from personal financial security to focusing on caring for aging parents, siblings and relatives. He shares how this translates into creating a sense of urgency as an entrepreneur to create focus and structure that creates greater financial stability.

Philip L. McKenzie is the Founder of Influencer Conference, a global content platform that brings together tastemakers in the arts, entrepreneurship, philanthropy and technology to discuss influencer culture. Previously, he led an influencer marketing agency and was an equities trader at Goldman, Sachs & Co. He earned an MBA from Duke University and a BBA from Howard University.

Mike Germano on Balancing Service and Self to Live a Fuller Life

In Chapter 5 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "How Are You Learning to Better Balance Service and Self in How You Live Your Life?" Germano shares just how much changed in his life when he learned his wife was pregnant with their first child. He notes how before it had been about serving others and then, with the baby on the way, it made him realize he needed to take care of himself. This meant putting family first and making time away from the office. It also meant putting a higher priority on eating healthier and exercising more regularly. He notes how selling his business helped give him financial freedom to better balance work and home and, with this, actually be able to give more at work each day.

Mike Germano is Chief Digital Officer at VICE Media, a global youth media company based in Brooklyn, New York. Germano joined VICE Media via its 2013 acquisition of Carrot Creative, a social media agency he co-founded and led as CEO. 

Mike Germano on Debunking the Business is a Family Myth

In Chapter 6 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "How Was Creating a Company Like Building a Family?" Germano often hears how building a company is like raising a family. He disagrees and debunks the "business as family" myth, noting that while you can pivot from a business model or stop a business you cannot stop a family.  He notes while you can fire employees you can never fire your kids. Germano notes that, yes, caring is a part of both, however family decisions and business decisions have very different contexts.

Mike Germano is Chief Digital Officer at VICE Media, a global youth media company based in Brooklyn, New York. Germano joined VICE Media via its 2013 acquisition of Carrot Creative, a social media agency he co-founded and led as CEO. 

Mike Germano on Knowing When to Concede and When to Confront

In Chapter 18 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "What Has Experience Taught You About How to Better Manage Confrontation?" Germano shares how he is better at working through larger confrontations. He struggles with smaller confrontations, where he often gives in to appease the other side. Larger conflicts, however, motivate him to stand up for his team and work to win for his side. Mike Germano is Chief Digital Officer at VICE Media, a global youth media company based in Brooklyn, New York. Germano joined VICE Media via its 2013 acquisition of Carrot Creative, a social media agency he co-founded and led as CEO. 

Mike Germano on Identifying Sources of Strength and Struggle

In Chapter 21 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "At This Moment in Time, What Are the Sources of Strength and Struggle in Your Life?" Germano shares how his wife provides him the support he needs to succeed professionally and how time spent with his son makes him stronger. He also shares his struggle with wanting to please everybody and worrying about too many outsider requests can cause him to lose focus.

Mike Germano is Chief Digital Officer at VICE Media, a global youth media company based in Brooklyn, New York. Germano joined VICE Media via its 2013 acquisition of Carrot Creative, a social media agency he co-founded and led as CEO. 

Jullien Gordon on Shifting Priorities to Put Family First

In Chapter 2 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach and public speaker Jullien Gordon answers "How Are Your Personal Priorities Changing As You Get Older?" Gordon shares how being married for over two years has taught him the importance of putting his wife first and prioritizing family over work. Building the bonds of marriage with his wife opens Gordon's eyes to be less independent and to serve his wife as a husband.

Jullien Gordon is a business coach and consultant to organizations, individuals and teams who want to increase performance, motivation, engagement and retention. Gordon is also a public speaker on career planning for colleges, conferences, and corporations. He earned a BA from UCLA and MBA and M. Ed degrees from Stanford University. 

Hammans Stallings on How to Make Rejection an Ally Not an Enemy

In Chapter 10 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "How Are You Learning Better Ways to Handle Rejection?" Stallings accepts that rejection is part of learning and embraces the process of being rejected. Working in innovation, Stallings finds rejection a normal occurance that is part of risk-taking, failure, learning and development. He notes that working on ethnography studies in people's homes teaches him that skills learned handling rejection are transferable to managing expectations in relationships too.

Hammans Stallings is a Principal Strategist at frog design. Previously Stallings 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.

Hammans Stallings on Why Working Internationally is a Good Career Move

In Chapter 17 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "How Has International Work Experience Contributed to Your Professional Development?" Stallings finds working internationally has been a fundamental benefit to both his personal and professional growth. Working in distant places teaches him to think differently about people, culture, choices and values and then bring what he learns back into his own culture at home in the United States.

Hammans Stallings is a Principal Strategist at frog design. Previously Stallings 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.

Matt Curtis on The Benefits of Improving Posture at Work

In Chapter 13 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "What Skills Are You Working on Right Now to Become Better at Your Job?" Now 42 years old, Curtis shares how using a standup desk has made him realize posture is a key job skill. The desk helps Curtis improve his posture and be more productive at work. As a more engaged employee, he then works on practicing patience to be more positive at the office.

Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was deputy to Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn. He has represented the City of Austin at the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities. In 2011, Curtis joined the Harvard Kennedy School Urban Policy Advisory Board to work on national best practices facing American cities. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas. 

Matt Curtis on Making the Shift From Negative to Positive Thinking

In Chapter 14 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "What Does It Mean to Be Living More Positively in Your Life?" Curtis recognizes the bad things that happen when he is negative and shifts his behavior to overcome negativity issues in his life and not be a downer. He focuses on positive thinking and positive behavior and finds that negative thinking attracts negative people and positive thinking attracts positive people.

Matt Curtis is the director of government relations at HomeAway Inc. Previously he was deputy to Austin mayors Lee Leffingwell and Will Wynn. He has represented the City of Austin at the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities. In 2011, Curtis joined the Harvard Kennedy School Urban Policy Advisory Board to work on national best practices facing American cities. He earned his bachelor's degree in radio, television and film from the University of North Texas. 

Bijoy Goswami on Helping Others Be More Accountable to Themselves

In Chapter 4 of 17 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, community leader Bijoy Goswami answers "What Role Does Living Up to the Expectations of Others Play into How You Live?" Goswami finds his challenge is about ensuring the people he works with on self-reflection coaching exercises remove expectations from him and shift them to accountability for themselves. As a teacher employing a self-interrogation model with others, Goswami works to create a space where these people can more clearly realize the expectations on him are to be a reflective mirror back to those he helps.

Bijoy Goswami is a writer, teacher, and community leader based in Austin, Texas. He develops learning models to help individuals, organizations and communities live more meaningfully. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University. 

Bijoy Goswami on How to Assess Wellbeing Using Journey Capital

In Chapter 9 of 17 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, community leader Bijoy Goswami answers "What is Journey Capital?" Goswami shares how journey capital is a way of measuring how one can experience life by using time to measure change and growth. He contrasts journey capital with human capital and knowledge capital as measures of personal and professional development.

Bijoy Goswami is a writer, teacher, and community leader based in Austin, Texas. He develops learning models to help individuals, organizations and communities live more meaningfully. Previously, he co-founded Aviri Software after working at Trilogy Software. Goswami graduated from Stanford University. 

Audrey French on How Becoming a Mom Puts Life in a New Perspective

In Chapter 3 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "How Has Becoming a Mother Put Your Life in a New Perspective?" French shares how having her first baby has made her appreciate both her parents and the process of life better. After having a baby, she no longer identifies as a child and instead sees herself as a parent generation of a new generation of children.

Audrey Parker French is a new mother living with her husband and son in Austin, Texas. Before leaving work to focus on family, French co-founded CLEAResult, an energy management consulting firm she helped grow to #144 on the 2010 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies and then sell to General Catalyst Partners. She graduated from Wake Forest University. 

Audrey French on Discovering Maternal Instincts After Having a Baby

In Chapter 7 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "What Maternal Instincts Have You Developed After Having Your Baby?" French shares her experience having a baby was more about discovering maternal instincts than developing them. French finds that the skills are simply latent until the baby is born and, once the child is delivered, her instincts to feed and provide for the child are constant and paramount.

Audrey Parker French is a new mother living with her husband and son in Austin, Texas. Before leaving work to focus on family, French co-founded CLEAResult, an energy management consulting firm she helped grow to #144 on the 2010 Inc. 500 list of fastest-growing private companies and then sell to General Catalyst Partners. She graduated from Wake Forest University.