What are Pros and Cons of a Stealth Mode Product Strategy - Dan Street

In Chapter 20 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview, software entrepreneur and Loku founder and CEO Dan Street shares the pros and cons of going stealth mode versus releasing a product and iterating. Street initially makes his product available for the market and then realizes the company was not prepared to support market interest. He then decides to pull the product back behind the stealth mode curtain to focus features, integrate feedback, and prepare for a re-introduction complete with improved marketing and service. Street is the founder and CEO Loku, previously named Borrowed Sugar, which develops Internet software to strengthen local communities. Previously, Street worked in private equity at Kohlberg, Kravis, and Roberts (KKR) and management consulting at Bain & Co. He earned a BA in music and business from Rice University.

How to Prepare Clients for Digital and Social Media Projects - Mike Germano

In Chapter 16 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares why setting client expectations is fundamental working with brands and larger advertising agencies. Germano's business is often the digital agency on a project, working through an "agency of record" who owns the brand marketer relationship. Germano shares what he has learned creating digital media and social media campaigns and how he has managed client expectations doing so. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative. Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

Why Teachers are Classroom Superheroes - Mike Germano

In Chapter 15 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano reflects on a "Classroom Superhero" project his company developed for the National Education Association teachers union. The project resonates deeply with Germano's passion and respect for teachers and gives him a platform to contribute to education through new media. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative. Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How to Help Brands Innovate With Social Media - Mike Germano

In Chapter 14 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares one of his greatest challenges - finding ways to encourage clients to think more creatively. He relies on communication and participation to drive understanding and acceptance. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative. Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How Consumers Control the Brand Marketing Experience - Mike Germano

In Chapter 13 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares why participation plays such a key role creating a brand experience. He notes brands are no longer tailored by the advertiser alone. Rather, customers and consumers are now taking ownership of how a brand is communicated online and offline. Participation allows advertisers and marketers a means to engage and support customers, in effect collaborating with them to define a brand and establish the aspirational attractiveness that come with it. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative. Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How to Manage Digital Marketing Campaign Expectations - Mike Germano

In Chapter 12 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares what he is learning about executing on creative marketing campaigns. Building team and client trust is important to set expectations with both. As trust in the relationship and process - rather than the outcome - builds, Germano sees his company shift from a launch early, launch often approach and to a more account management centric philosophy. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative. Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

Why the Biggest Brands Are Not Always the Best Clients - Mike Germano

In Chapter 11 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares what he has learned planning sales strategy at his company. Big brands often get the most attention and top employee wish lists, yet Germano finds smaller or less popular brands to be the best clients. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative. Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut. He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How Learning From Failure Helps Small Business President Lead - Mike Germano

In Chapter 10 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares how learning from failure has made him better.  Failure acts as a motivator and helps Germano learn and better prepare himself and, more importantly, his teams for future projects.  It educates him on how to better plan client strategy and staff client teams.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

How Small Business Founder Role Changes as Company Scales - Mike Germano

In Chapter 9 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares how he is adapting his co-founder role to meet the changing needs of his growing small business co-founders, team, and clients.  As the company adds larger clients and staff to support them, Germano hands off responsibilities to a capable team and looks for new ways to grow the business.  He looks into international expansion opportunities in addition to other ways the company can invest in its future.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

How to Adjust Talent Strategy as Small Business Grows - Mike Germano

In Chapter 8 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares how his growing small business is forcing management to revisit hiring strategy.  Built upon hiring young passionate talent on potential, company growth now challenges management to reconcile aligning talent decisions with a company culture that meets team and client expectations.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

How Hiring Strategy Shapes Small Business Company Culture - Mike Germano

In Chapter 7 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares how talent strategy has shaped his company's culture.  Germano and his management team strike a balance between bringing on young, energetic staff and experienced staff.  He learns that a single poor hiring decision can have a strongly detrimental effect on company chemistry and culture. Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How New Office Investment Helps Recruit and Retain Top Talent - Mike Germano

In Chapter 6 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares how investing in a new office space has helped his company attract and develop top talent.  He positions the new office to potential employees like a football coach positions a new stadium to recruits.  The new office space creates a stronger collective company purpose and culture.  The environment benefits recruiting as well as existing employee wellbeing.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How Lawyers Help a Small Business Grow - Mike Germano

In Chapter 5 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares how his team has learned to appreciate and work with lawyers.  He notes how building a business progressively raises legal issues that determine the success or failure of the company.  As a result, Germano and his team learn the value of investing in legal services.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

How to Find Mentors In New Media - Mike Germano

In Chapter 4 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares how the company is developing industry mentoring relationships.  Germano and his team initially identify with a Brooklyn-based new media agency entrepreneur, Mike Lebowitz, after reading a Harvard Case Study on Lebowitz's company Big Spaceship.  Over time Germano and team build rapport with Lebowitz and learn from someone a few years more experienced in the industry.  This relationship, in turn, pushes Germano and his team to identify and mentor younger new media companies in the same way they receive mentoring and advice from Lebowitz and the Big Spaceship team.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How to Align Business Partnership Interests as Company Grows - Mike Germano

In Chapter 3 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares the challenges associated with managing business partner relations during a period of company growth.  He notes that early days, when the company was struggling, everyone simply worked hard.  After achieving success, it becomes more difficult as different partners have different ideas what the company should do.  Germano finds tremendous value having two other partners so consensus can be reached on difficult decisions.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

What are the Challenges Going into Business With Friends - Mike Germano

In Chapter 2 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares the big challenges starting a business with close friends.  He notes how the hardest part is when personal things come up that force you to choose between being a business partner and a friend.  It runs counter to focusing 100% on the business but Germano notes that friends all come first and that long-term it is best for everyone involved.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

What Makes a Good Business Partner - Mike Germano

In Chapter 1 of 16 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, social media expert and Carrot Creative president Mike Germano shares what he feels makes a good business partner.  Willingness to fully commit to the business tops Germano's list.  This creates security through ups and downs of the entrepreneur roller coaster ride.  He notes the difficulty involved starting a business and shares that if it were easy, everyone would do it.  Germano is co-founder and president of DUMBO, Brooklyn based new media agency Carrot Creative.  Before Carrot Creative, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

How Artist Finds Inspiration to Restore Creative Energy - Tricia Regan

In Chapter 10 of 10 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, director and filmmaker Tricia Regan shares how she finds inspiration from outside sources after experiencing a string of bad luck. Working in television, she finds inspiration from two colleagues who are working on side film projects. She builds upon this inspiration by working through "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron to better connect to her creative voice. Regan is an Emmy-Award winning filmmaker. She directed, produced and shot "Autism: The Musical." When not shooting documentary films, Regan has worked as a director, producer, and writer at ABC, NBC, FOX, and Lifetime. She earned a bachelors from Binghamton University and masters from New York University.