Cathy Erway on Being Confident by Standing Behind What You Write

In Chapter 10 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, author and food writer Cathy Erway answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Erway shares how being confident as a writer means publishing your own words and standing behind what you write. As an experienced freelance writer, Erway learns to be confident about writing knowing that once something is published it cannot be taken down like a blog entry.

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 Managing an Overseas Long-Distance Relationship

In Chapter 3 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "What Has It Been Like Managing an Overseas Long-Distance Relationship?"  McKenzie finds it challenging not being physically present in a long-distance relationship and finds workaround ways to stay connected. He uses WhatsApp and Skype tools to bridge that presence gap and finds ways to communicate consistently to keep the bonds strong in between visits.

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.

Jullien Gordon on Learning to Leave Work at Work

In Chapter 4 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach and public speaker Jullien Gordon answers "What Have You Learned About Managing Expectations at Home While Building a Business?" Gordon shares how he decided to stop working from home and get an office. He shares how he uses the office space to create a boundary between work and home so he can be more present at night with his wife and focus on her and not work.

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. 

Jullien Gordon on Investing in Coaches to Improve Life and Career

In Chapter 8 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach and public speaker Jullien Gordon answers "At This Moment in Your Life, Where Are You Seeking Advice and Coaching?" Gordon shares how investing in coaches has helped him personally and professionally. Professionally, Gordon hires a marketing coach to get clear on his audience and better understand their needs. Personally, Gordon and his wife invest in a relationship coach to help them identify, set and achieve goals and priorities as a married couple.

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. 

Jullien Gordon on Committing to Help an Alcoholic Family Member

In Chapter 12 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach and public speaker Jullien Gordon answers "How Do You Measure the Quality of Relationships in Your Life?" Gordon shares how he measures relationships based on deep or frequent contact. He notes how he has reprioritized the relationship he has with his mother, a recovering alcoholic. Going through Al-Anon, a program for relatives of alcoholics, Gordon realizes he can do more than hand off responsibility to his mom's Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) sponsor. He chooses to make a daily commitment to call his mom each day and be there for her on her recovery journey.

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 Staying Passionate About a Fast-Changing Job

In Chapter 1 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "How Are You Learning to Use Your Passions in New Ways?" Stallings shares how working at frog design gives him new opportunities to learn all the time. Stallings finds the wide variety of projects and wicked problems that come with his work huge motivators to stay curious and embrace a passion for learning new things.

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 Improving Complex Problem Solving Skills

In Chapter 6 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "How Are You Improving How You Assess and Solve Complex Problems?" Stallings shares how dedicating himself to constantly practicing problem solving in his work is allowing him to progressively develop mastery-level skills. He notes how, over time, things slow down and he is more capable to see things clearly. Working with teams helps him evolve academic thinking into practical, personalized thinking around specific client problems.

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 Balancing Service and Self in How You Live

In Chapter 19 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "How Are You Better Learning to Balance Service and Self in How You Live Your Life?" Stallings shares how it is about staying aware and curious about finding the things that matter and blocking out time for them. He notes it is a balance because after this time he leaves to continue his discovery process.

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

Bijoy Goswami on How to Make Progress By Living in the Present

In Chapter 11 of 17 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, community leader Bijoy Goswami answers "As a Business Owner, How Do You Decide What Time Horizon to Focus on in Your Work?" Goswami finds he is more capable of achieving goals by living in the present and not making long-term plans. He embraces living on a journey that often takes unexpected turns and gives himself flexibility to take those turns when things go differently than planned.

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 Setting Aspirations as a New Mother

In Chapter 4 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "To What Do You Aspire as a New Mother?" French shares how her aspirations as a new mom are about being present to her newborn son and trusting the path that develops rather than forcing a particular path upon the child. She and her husband remind each other to empower their son to make his own choices and find his own path.

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 How to Do More With Less After Having a Baby

In Chapter 14 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "How are You Learning to Do More With Less?" French shares how having a baby has pushed her to have more meaty and substantive conversations. It has also pushed her to make sure her friends and family connections are true friendships to maximize the meaningfulness of the conversation.

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 How to Measure the Quality of Personal Relationships

In Chapter 17 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "How Do You Measure the Quality of Relationships in Your Life?" French shares how she measures relationship quality by intimacy level, a feeling a connectedness, and an experience of realness. When these are present, she finds both sides of a relationship can open up, be vulnerable, and share in a way that is mutually enriching and supportive.

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 What It Means to Contribute at Work Each Day

In Chapter 12 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, nonprofit CEO Courtney Spence answers "On a Daily Basis, What Does It Mean to Contribute in the Work That You Do?" For Spence, she finds making a daily contribution comes down to staying composed and being present as a leader. By maintaining positivity and sheltering adversity she may be facing outside of work, she is able to rise to the challenge of being a team leader at work.

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. 

Preston Smith on Being Present for Your Kids When Traveling for Work

In Chapter 20 of 22 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, elementary charter school network CEO Preston Smith answers "What Does It Mean for You to Be Engaged in Your Children's Education?" As CEO of a growing company, Smith is challenged by time-consuming work commitments, from traveling to meetings to doing an executive MBA, as he works to be a present parent at home to his two young kids. He learns to make sure he has touch points with his kids when traveling and have some kind of presence at school events such as games or dances even if he is not there physically. To ensure he has time at home, he blocks out Friday nights and Monday nights for family time.

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. 

Mark Graham on How Having a Baby Puts Life Balance in Perspective

In Chapter 3 of 15 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, media executive Mark Graham answers "How Has Becoming a Father Put Your Life in a New Perspective?" Three months after having a baby, Graham shares how having a son has given him a new appreciation for finding balance in his life. From being a husband to being a father to having a career, Graham sees the importance of being present where you are to be devoted and successful.

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.

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. 

Simon Sinek on How to Collaborate on Projects More Successfully

In Chapter 9 of 23 in his 2013 Capture Your Flag interview, author and public speaker Simon Sinek answers "What Have You Found to Be the Key to Creating Successful Project Collaborations?" Sinek notes collaborative success comes from first being clear on goals and how the individual and team will contribute to those goals. Clarity here creates motivation built upon shared values and beliefs teams can use to successfully work together. Sinek notes how self-centered behavior breaks down trust and the ability to form long-term collaborations. Using ad agencies as an example, Sinek shares how breakdowns in transparency and respect impair collaborative potential. Simon Sinek teaches leaders and organizations how to inspire people. Sinek is the author of two books, "Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Come Together and Others Don't" and "Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action". He is a public speaker, an adjunct professor at Columbia University and a Brandeis University graduate.