Mike Germano on Taking a Company From Basement to Boardroom

In Chapter 10 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "Reflecting Back, What Do You See As the Defining Stages of Your Entrepreneurial Journey?" Germano shares what he learned from starting a digital media company in a basement through growing Carrot Creative into a social media agency leader and selling the business to VICE Media. He discusses failures, including having a Middle East office expansion not work out, and successes, building a team and now, as an entrepreneur who sold a business, to mentor the next generation of entrepreneurs.

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 Opening Up About Entrepreneurship Struggles

In Chapter 11 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "Now That You Have Sold Your Company, Do You Feel Like You Can Be More Open About Sharing Your Entrepreneurial Story?" Germano shares how much of a relief it was to sell his company, Carrot Creative, and be able to open up more about the struggles the company faced as it grew. He shares stories about last-minute family loans to cover expenses and times when he and his partners had to show confidence when things were unstable.

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. 

Matt Curtis on Building Leadership Skills in a Director-Level Job Role

In Chapter 15 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "What Leadership Skills are Becoming More Relevant to You As Your Career Progresses?" Curtis shares that in his director-level role, the two leadership skills that stand out are 1) embracing the experience learning from failures and mistakes and 2) the importance of being encouraging and positive independent of team size.

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 Finding Strength and Struggle Losing Nearly 250 Pounds

In Chapter 20 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "At This Moment in Time, What Are the Sources of Strength and Struggle in Your Life?" Curtis shares how this applies to his weight loss journey. After starting at a high weight of 490 pounds, Curtis is closing in on a 245-pound milestone. He shares how challenging it has been to lose those final 25 pounds given his desire to live life fully and travel extensively with his girlfriend. He shares how she has given him strength by providing him emotional support on his journey.

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 How to Turn Constraints Into Opportunities

In Chapter 16 of 17 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, community leader Bijoy Goswami answers "How Are You Learning to Do More With Less?" Goswami shares how it is not about doing more with less but recognizing that doing more with more is a better way achieved by taking a different point of view on the situation. He references the bootstrap metaphor from the Baron Munchausen story where Munchausen pulls himself up by magical bootstraps to have himself and his horse from drowning in a swamp.

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 Why to Have Advocates and Sponsors in Your Life

In Chapter 13 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "What Role Have Advocate and Sponsor Relationships Played in Your Development?" French shares how sposors and advocates - people who not only give advice but provide support to help put that advice to work - have been instrumental in both her personal and professional growth. Professionally, CLEAResult president Glenn Garland, who advocates for her as she learns through failure. Personally, French's best friend advocates for French as she becomes a new wife and a mother.

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. 

Courtney Spence on How to Value a Relationship

In Chapter 19 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, nonprofit CEO Courtney Spence answers "How Do You Measure the Quality of Relationships in Your Life?" Spence shares how she measures the quality of relationship in her life by the trust and loyalty she sees in others. She finds trust is about not breaking your word or commitment. As far as loyalty goes, she finds it comes down to what Coach Royal said, "Dance with the one that brung you."

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. 

Hattie Elliot on How Building a Business is Like Raising a Child

In Chapter 9 of 15 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Hattie Elliot answers "How Are the Stakes Increasing as You Invest Another Year Building Your Own Company?" As a small business owner, Elliot finds raising a small business is like raising a child. In the early infancy stages, she is more forgiving of wrinkles but as it matures, she is less forgiving and more focused on a plan. She learns to embrace getting older and becoming more confident and assured in her approach to raising the business.

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.

Hattie Elliot on What It Means to Be a Leader Running a Small Business

In Chapter 14 of 15 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Hattie Elliot answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?" Elliot shares how being an entrepreneurial leader running a small business starts with waking up each day and making the most of it. It means fighting through adversity and challenge, staying honest with others, being optimistic about reality, and never playing the role of a victim.

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.

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.

How to Gain Confidence by Facing Failure and Fear

In Chapter 16 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Lehmann-Haupt finds that confidence is everything. She defines authentic confidence as what you develop after facing fear, feeling scared, being insecure and having moments of failure. Through these hard times she gains confidence in her ability to pick herself up, work through the creative process, and make changes necessary to be successful.

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. 

Preston Smith on Joining Teach for America After Graduating College

In Chapter 3 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "Why Did You Join Teach for America After Graduating College?" Smith shares how growing up in a low income community with underperforming schools helped him connect to the Teach for America mission. He finds the program an opportunity to make a community impact right after college. The program helps him pay back his student loans and leads while making a difference and finding inspiration to build an education career.

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.

Yoav Gonen on Turning 40 and Planning for the Future

In Chapter 18 of 19 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, New York City reporter Yoav Gonen answers "What is on Your Mind as You Turn 40 This Year?" As he hits the age 40 milestone, Gonen notes that like it or not, you are forced to reflect. After a tough 39th year full of challenges including a physical injury and recovery, Gonen looks ahead to fully embracing 40 and making the most out of the year ahead. 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.

Clara Soh on Cultivating a Rock Climbing Passion

In Chapter 10 of 20 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, health economist Clara Soh answers "What Steps Have You Taken to Cultivate Your Passion for Rock Climbing?" Soh shares how rock climbing has challenged her across physical fitness, emotional focus, relationship building and adventure traveling. She finds value exploring new locations and new routes, seeking out trusted climbing partners, and advancing her climbing skills through training and practice and learning from failure. 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.

Leslie Kerner on Parenting Advice for Working Moms Raising Two Kids

In Chapter 2 of 21 in her 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, education software company executive Leslie Kerner answers "What Challenges Have You Faced Raising Two Young Children While Working Full-Time?" In her 5th year of parenting and now a mother of two young boys, Kerner shares that successful parenting is less about doing everything right and more with doing your best with the understanding that you never will be perfect. This approach helps Kerner adapt her work and home approach to meet the emotional challenges in her life.

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.

Jon Kolko on Why Confidence Matters in Creative Jobs

In Chapter 11 of 16 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and designer Jon Kolko answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Kolko notes why confidence is fundamental in a creative design career, namely that in a work environment where repeated failure is a given, resiliency is everything. Having a creative career making things depends on having the confidence to iterate past the failures to get to solutions and solve problems. Jon Kolko is VP of Design at MyEdu and the Founder and Director of Austin Center for Design (AC4D). He has authored three books on design and previously has worked in design roles at Austin, Texas venture accelerator Thinktiv and global innovation firm frog design. He was a professor of Interaction and Industrial Design at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) and earned his Masters in Human Computer Interaction (MHI) and BFA in Design from Carnegie Mellon University.

Phil McKenzie on Why Patience is Key to Small Business Success

In Chapter 11 of 18 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Problems Are You Trying to Solve to Grow Your Business?"  McKenzie finds impatience is the greatest challenge he faces.  The more he wants to do to grow his business, the more resources he needs.  McKenzie learns to set priorities that align with incremental goals and manage that time constraints that come with things like closing a deal and getting paid on that deal. 

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

Hattie Elliot: How to Stay Composed and Perform Under Pressure

In Chapter 12 of 19 in her 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, female entrepreneur Hattie Grace Elliot answers "What Does It Mean to Perform Under Pressure in the Work That You Do?"  Elliot embraces working in complicated environments with many moving parts.  Experience and reflection teach her to stay calm and be mindful of what is most important when unexpected things happen in her event planning and destination travel business. 

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.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: What does it mean to perform under pressure in the work that you do?

Hattie Elliot: Wow, I think that that’s one of the reasons that I can do what I do. When you’re dealing with so many people and so many personalities and so many vendors, and then on top of that, just kind of any sort of production, planning these trips, these events, these destinations, you know, it’s a perfect storm, there’s always gonna be, you know, anything and everything you can imagine could go wrong, will at some point. It will. It just—It’s just the nature of the beast, it’s the nature of the business.

So being able to not freak out, not like completely lose my marbles, but keep calm, has really—Number one, I think I would absolutely hate, hate, hate, hate what I do if I got freaked out easily. It takes a lot to ruffle my feathers, that’s like one positive attribute I have, like, it really takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. So—but I really genuinely I don’t think could work in the business I did if I couldn’t operate under extreme pressure and extreme kind of crazy circumstances as if nothing’s happening and the sun is shining and the grass is green, and there’s birds tweeting, and rainbows everywhere, like, sometimes you just gotta just keep your eye on the prize and compartmentalize when everything is—when shit is hitting the fan, just like, you know, great, awesome, like, we’ll put that shit in the corner there and pretend there’s like rainbows and butterflies and just, you know, and just, you know, move forward, and it’s part insanity and part brilliance I think that it takes to do that but it’s what I do.

And I think it’s the reason I’ve been able to be successful at the business that I’m in. And I think for people that I know, I used to—I have to say this is learned. I have not always been like this. I’ve really, through the years, made a vested effort, and it’s part of this whole idea of really acknowledging and reflecting where you are. I think it gives you a really, a healthy and honest perspective on what really matters. So if the electric goes out, if, you know, the—we’re on a trip and, you know, literally, like, shit hits the fan and a holding tank explodes onto the boat which is a foul situation, don’t get me wrong. It kind of makes you realize, honestly, if no one’s dying, and no one’s sick, that everything else is kind of like, you can figure it out, you can MacGyver it, you know, it gives you that kind of perspective when you’ve really gone through adversity, you really realize what matters and, yeah, and maybe that’s why it takes a lot to ruffle my feathers. But I feel like I’ve got a pretty, you know, healthy perspective on what’s worth really, you know, having a breakdown about, and there’s not much.