Jullien Gordon: How to Cultivate an Entrepreneurial Mindset

In Chapter 18 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach and public speaker Jullien Gordon answers "How Are You Helping Others Cultivate an Entrepreneurial Mindset?" Gordon rethinks what it means to have an MBA and repurposes a Masters of Business Administration into a Masters of Value Creation to teach entrepreneurial thinking. He creates a program, Side Hustle, to teach professionals entrepreneurship by starting businesses outside of work. He trains employees to think entrepreneurially about how they can be job creators and push outside of a job description.

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.

Matt Curtis on Creating Impact in a Sharing Economy Job

In Chapter 5 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "What Do You Enjoy Most About Working a Job in the Sharing Economy?" Curtis shares how working in government affairs at HomeAway in short-term vacation rentals has opened his world to the sharing economy, also known as the collaborative economy. Working in a new industry that includes companies like HomeAway, Uber, Lyft, Car2Go, and Airbnb, among others, Curtis is able to contribute by working to design win-win sharing economy government solutions to benefit local communities.

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. 

andall Metting on How to Design a Better Trade Show Booth Experience

In Chapter 13 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Randall Metting answers "What Have You Found to Be the Keys to Creating Successful Project Collaborations?" Metting shares how he worked with his team and trade show staff to create a fresh, innovative booth experience for his product, Dulce Vida tequila. By building a faux tequila distillery, Metting is able to provide consumers a more memorable branded experience.

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. 

Matt Ruby on Running a Profitable Online Entertainment Startup

In Chapter 14 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian and Vooza founder Matt Ruby answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?" Ruby compares what he is building at Vooza with an entrepreneur story about starting a lawn care business. The lawn care business grows slowly and makes money but does not receive attention because it is not glamorous. In the same way, rather than raising venture capital and measuring success by whether or not a major network picks up his show, Ruby takes a nontraditional route, building a profitable online business selling branded content episodes for a web series.

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 Monetizing Web Video With Branded Content Advertising

In Chapter 17 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian and Vooza founder Matt Ruby answers "How Did You Decide to Make Branded Content and Product Placement Central to the Vooza Business Model?" By talking to advertisers, Ruby learns they are more interested in product integration into web series episodes than in running pre-roll advertising. Ruby finds this also benefits his audience, who is more accepting of branded content and product placement than of 30-second block pre-roll commercials.

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. 

Rachel Lehmann-Haupt on Getting a Producer Job at TED

In Chapter 9 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "What Recent Experiences Have Most Influenced the Direction of Your Career?" In 2012, Lehmann-Haupt joins TED Conference to help launch its TED Books digital publishing division. As a multimedia producer, Lehmann-Haupt works with top TED speakers to create tablet-based media products for the TED audience. This ultimately leads her to start her own multimedia storytelling company.

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 Working at TED on the Future of Publishing

In Chapter 10 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "What Did Working at TED Books Teach You About the Future of Publishing?" Working at TED allows Lehmann-Haupt to witness firsthand the business model disruption happening in the publishing industry. As companies like TED build content and audience, they also build distribution capabilities that limit or eliminate needs for big publishing house relationships to distribute content, physically or digitally.

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 Writing Storytelling Copy for Websites

In Chapter 11 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "How is the Practice or Trend of Storytelling Changing?" Lehmann-Haupt finds storytelling is becoming more pervasive as company websites become more reliant on showcasing compelling marketing content. She applies her journalism background to turn ideas into stories that improve client digital branding and marketing.

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. 

How to Reinvent a Media and Publishing Career

In Chapter 13 of 17 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and small business owner Rachel Lehmann-Haupt answers "What New Challenges Are You Facing in Your Media and Publishing Career?" Lehmann-Haupt finds traditional 30-year careers in media and publishing are going away. To succeed in media and publishing, she finds it critical to have a willingness to reinvent herself by building new skills and adapting to new publishing mediums. Further, Lehmann-Haupt gains career momentum by being more entrepreneurial in how she approaches her writing 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. 

Learning Thought Leadership in a Technology Career

In Chapter 13 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, product management executive Ramsey Pryor answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?" Pryor likes working in technology because it gives him a chance to work on the edge of what has been seen and what is to come. To be part of figuring out the future of an industry inspires Pryor to look for companies and careers, including product management at IBM, where he can make a difference as a thought leader.

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.  

Building Software for a Socially Connected Workforce

In Chapter 15 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, product management executive Ramsey Pryor answers "What Has Your Software Product Manager Work Taught You About Team Collaboration?" Working as a product management executive building cloud-based collaboration platforms at IBM, Pryor learns how cloud software is helping users better manage life in a socially connected workforce. As office life becomes less 9 to 5 and personal life, via social media and mobile, becomes more present during office hours, Pryor finds collaboration software can bring a user's life together in and out of business to be more manageable.

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.  

Aspiring to Make an Impact by Improving Teacher Training

In Chapter 1 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, education technology entrepreneur Adam Geller answers "To What Do You Aspire?" Geller shares how he aspires to have a positive impact on the world by transforming the way teachers receive professional development via online observation and feedback.

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 Train Teachers to Make a Greater Student Impact

In Chapter 12 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, education technology entrepreneur Adam Geller answers "How Are You Helping Teachers Improve and Create a Greater Impact With Their Students?" Geller shares how his company has built an online teacher coaching video platform to improve teacher classroom capabilities. By creating an online community, Geller and his team create a cloud-based community of teachers helping teachers improve their practice.

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 Self-Reflection Improves Teacher Effectiveness

In Chapter 13 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, education technology entrepreneur Adam Geller answers "What Role Does Observation and Feedback Play in a Teacher's Professional Development?" Geller finds self-reflection fundamental to improving teacher development. He builds online video teacher coaching platform, Edthena, to create group observation and feedback programs for teachers to improve classroom teaching.

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.

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. 

Preston Smith on Teaching Teachers Common Core Critical Thinking

In Chapter 10 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Has Your Work Experience Taught You About How Education Careers are Changing?" Smith shares how teacher training is shifting from outcome-based training built on No Child Left Behind to input-based training of Common Core standards. Inherent to this is a higher focus on critical thinking and problem solving. As a result, teachers need to adapt training to meet expectations of the new standards while also being flexible to embrace new changes in education such as new classroom technology.

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. 

Mark Graham on Marketing Editorial Content to Social Media Audiences

In Chapter 10 of 15 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, media executive Mark Graham answers "How Are Social Media Short Videos Like Vine and Instagram and gifs Becoming More Relevant to the Work That You Do and the Content That You Produce?" Graham shares how social media platforms offer varying user experiences and those users have expectations on how to interact with content. As a result, Graham learns to use pull marketing to develop editorial content that connects with social audiences on their respective terms across Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, Vine, etc. and build audience relationships.

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.