Michael Margolis on How Family Relationships Change With Age

In Chapter 7 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are Your Family Relationships Changing as You Get Older?"  Margolis notes what has led to an increasing amount of acceptance and reduced conflict levels over time.  He shares experiences from a previous marriage that caused family friction and how things have changed and improved since that time. 

Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How are your family relationships changing as you get older?

Michael Margolis: A lot less conflict in my family relationships. I would say it’s interesting, it’s been a much greater sense of acceptance of my parents and my brother and likewise the way that I feel with my parents and brother, you know, accepting me as well. Yeah, it’s become a lot easier as time has gone on. I mean, the last relationship I was married for a few years and during that relationship I was with a partner that took a very antagonistic sort of place with my family. So, that I think is something to be very sensitive to and you don’t even realize it because you're trying to please your partner and all the issues that they have with your family, you sort of take it on and I probably created more drama than necessarily needed to be there. 

So, it’s helped to also have a partner now that is far more -- a far calmer disposition in one that she gets along really well with my family and I get along well with hers. So, it’s just been a place of easiness. You know, I never forget though one of my favorite sayings that somebody taught me in my mid-20’s was, you know “Michael, if you think you're enlightened just go spend a weekend with your family”, right? So, all of those patterns, it doesn’t how old you get, you will always be your parents’ child, right? You’ll always be your, you know, I’ll always be my brother’s younger brother.

So, those dynamics are always there but I think as we grow older there’s just, at least for me it’s been a mellowing and a greater sense of acceptance of each other and being able to just spend time appreciating each other. 

Michael Margolis on Improving Online Info Product Marketing

In Chapter 8 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "At This Moment in Your Life, Where Are You Seeking Advice and Coaching?"  Margolis shares how coaches and advisors have been useful as his business has marketed, launched, and grown his online info product business.  He shares how advisors have helped him grow as a leader to help his business refine its culture and value framework for future growth. 

Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: At this moment in your life where are you seeking advice and coaching?

Michael Margolis: There’s a few things I'm really focused on with growing my business right now. One is really the internet marketing playbook for product launches and info product creation and so last year we designed and rolled out a program called The New About Me, teaches people how to reinvent their personal bio into a story. Basically, how do you talk about yourself without sounding like a douche. And, it’s a really fun cool product, people love it, it’s this whole curriculum online and just learning a lot of the fundamentals of not only designing a curriculum or info product but how do you market it and how do you bring in affiliates and joint venture partners and all the various different things for doing a product launch and we’re now taking that to the next level for this Reinvention Summit that we’re doing. 

So, I've got all sorts of coaches and advisors on that that are teaching me about Autoresponder series. We just shot a free video series on storytelling as part of our product launch for this and just seeing all the little devil in the details, which I used to kinda geek out with a little bit and realizing that there’s sort of an exponential curve of where we can take things. So, I'm getting a lot of support there. The second big area is really around editorial. So, we all know the adage content is king. So, in my case, you know, the niche of storytelling is a really unique niche and one that, you could say storytelling is a really hot business trend right now. Everybody’s interested and curious about it especially how it relates to branding and marketing and innovation and social media and culture change. Those are some of the big buckets. Everybody is looking at the storytelling stuff and so I have a lot of opportunities that have come my way for not only creating content but syndicating that content or creating content series and so really getting a lot of support there as well for how we build, get storied into more of both an online destination, right. Sort of an online magazine for the business of storytelling.  And then how we also create sort of key segments or key content series for various different niche audiences whether it’s the self-publishing audience, whether it’s an entrepreneur audience, whether it’s a marketing audience and so on. So, those are the two big buckets from a business perspective. I'm getting lots of coaching and advice from -- on the personal front, it’s really been about sort of a new maturation for the business, which is about growing an organization.  

So, even though there’s an aspect to where we’re at we get story that’s still very much a startup. But now there’s a real team in place. So, I'm really conscious of we’re creating a culture whether we’re consciously thinking about it or not but the decisions that we make are shaping a culture, right? We’re instilling certain set of values. Saying this matters over this. Saying we stand for that. Some of those choices are things that I'm getting a lot of feedback from and inputs so that, you know, I can support as CEO really create the right environment to really empower the development and the performance of all the different people on my team.

Michael Margolis on How to Be a Leader by Taking Care of Others

In Chapter 9 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "What Does It Mean to Be a Leader in What You Do?"  Margolis references the book "The Book of Destiny" and builds upon Mayan leadership lessons to discuss leading in the gift economy. 

Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: What does it mean to be a leader in what you do?

Michael Margolis: I read this book that’s actually about the Mayan prophecies, and it was written by a Mayan elder and there was something really remarkable in there that talked about leadership and had a definition of what makes a leader. We often forget to ask that question like, “What makes a leader? What makes you a leader?” We often think about it in the political context or we think about it in the corporate board room and it’s about power and it’s about who’s in charge and all of these things that are often times more about ego and self-appointedness and a whole bunch of other things but this book defined leadership in such a brilliant beautiful way. It’s called the Book of Destiny, by the way. Really cool book. And it said real simply, “You become a leader by taking care of those around you“. It’s that simple? Wait a second, well, if you take care of those around you really well, what happens? Those people naturally turn to you and look at you as somebody who is looking out for their welfare, looking out for the needs of the community, of the tribe, of the village. 

So, how do we become a leader, well it’s this notion of taking care of others, right? Which is why you have to bring that spirit. This is the power of the internet, of the gift economy. The gift economy is something that is actually hard wired into us as human beings. This is my background as a student of anthropology. We think about gift economy, it goes back to the times when we were out hunter-gatherers out on the savannah and you might have a good day, you might have bad day hunting. Well, so if you came back to the village and you had nothing to share but your friend Joe just brought in the wooly mammoth, well gift-economy means you’re gonna share what you got or what Joe got rather.  He’s gonna share with others because Joe knows he’s gonna have a bad day some point down the line. As that evolved over time, the notion of being a leader was the privilege for instance if the village would come together for a big feast. There was no greater privilege and honor than to be the benefactor to feed the village. It was a signal of your power and position but it was also a responsibility. It was a privilege and responsibility. 

So, that notion of gift-economy actually is what fuels the internet, right. It’s why people talk about free. The power of free on the internet. So, the notion of having a gift to be able to start a relationship from that place. It’s like going to a dinner party without a host gift. Dude, don’t be that guy, right. If you’re gonna go over to somebody’s house, you bring something whether it’s a bottle of wine, a fruit basket, some chocolate in my case but you bring something. It sets a tone. It acknowledges, hey we’re entering into a relationship. So, that’s a really powerful way. Simplest way to become a leader: is 1. Take care of others and 2. Think about what are the gifts that you have to share, not just in abstract terms but literally create a gift. Create an e-book. Create an info product. Give something away for free that is of high perceived value. Not some nickel and dime little thing but something that people go, “Holy crap. This thing just changed my life and you just gave that away for free?” If you are able to give that away for free I can’t even begin to imagine how much more you’ve got behind the curtain. What else do you have? Sign me up. What can I buy? I wanna go deeper. So, that’s I think the power of being a leader. Becoming a leader is having some gifts and not being afraid to share them.

How Schedule Discipline Improves Daily Productivity - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 10 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are You Learning to Be More Disciplined in Your Work?"  Margolis shares his ambitious vision and steps he has taken, decisions he has made, to get clear on purpose and specific steps necessary to achieve goals.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

How to Cultivate and Mature Your Creative Process - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 11 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How is Your Creative Toolbox Changing?"  Margolis shares how he is shifting his creative inspiration from outside-in to inside-out.  He details how the stimulation is shifting from external to internal, specifically working with the experience, knowledge and tools gained to create and produce.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

How Online Business Refines Social Media Marketing - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 12 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are You Learning to Use Social Media More Effectively in Your Business Pursuits?"  Margolis shares how social media marketing is fundamental in growing his online info product business.  He notes why his team has been changing its social media approach, in particular with data analytics and conversation marketing, as the company grows.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

The Rewards of Project Collaboration - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 13 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "What Do You Find Most Rewarding About Collaborating With Others on Projects?"  He notes how and when magic happens when collaborating with others, citing David Logan's book, "The Power of Triads" as an example.  Margolis details how chemistry, role, and story each contribute to making a collaborative team effort more powerful.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

How to Set Measures of Success in Life and Work - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 14 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Do You Define and Measure Success in What You Do?"  Margolis separates success measures by business and life.  He talks about progressively increasing leverage and scale to create more revenue via passive online income streams, including core curriculum to teach storytelling to the world.  Personally, he sets success measures around achieving liberation or freedom from constraints and attention to wellbeing.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

Why the Bio is the New Resume - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 15 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "Why Do You Believe the Bio is the New Resume?"  Margolis goes into depth about the fundamental principles that make your bio or story - a narrative construction of self - more important to job matchmaking than a resume.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

How to Be a Better Storytelling Teacher - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 16 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are Your Becoming a Better Storytelling Teacher?"  He notes how we teach what we need to learn most and how this continues to shape his continuing education in how he teaches storytelling.  He notes a progressive comfort with his approach and knowledge and how it translates into improved presence, lesson planning, and listening.  Margolis also shares what he has learned about game dynamics' influence from Jane McGonigal and her book "Reality is Broken".  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

How to Sell Your Vision More Effectively - Michael Margolis

In Chapter 17 of 17 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, educator and entrepreneur Michael Margolis answers "How Are You Getting Better at Selling Your Vision?"  Margolis finds it happens by translating his vision into concrete content, events, and programs including classes, seminars, webinars, blogs and social media.  He discusses the important of creating building blocks in an online experience to progressively socialize your vision or truth into a shareable reality.  Michael Margolis is founder and president of Get Storied, an education and publishing platform dedicated to teaching the world how to think in narrative.  He earned a B.A. in Cultural Anthropology from Tufts University. 

What Gets Easier and What Gets Harder - Mike Germano

In Chapter 1 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "What is Getting Easier and What is Getting Harder in Your Life?"  Germano shares why it is getting easier to deal with the hard things.  He finds it progressively challenging managing past and present relationships as your career and company grow, in particular those early relationships that helped get the business off the ground. 

Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen: What’s getting easier and what’s getting harder in your life?

Mike Germano: What's getting easier and what's getting harder after 7 years in business, I would say that it's getting much easier to deal with the hard things. And knowing that they’re always gonna constantly come up and no matter how much you plan, insanity is always gonna happen, and you can take a deep breath, and you're gonna get through this, and there's gonna be 8 more in the future, so... I always think that that's at least reassuring and something I try share with every fellow entrepreneur. What's getting harder is now making sure I manage relationships correctly and these are -- you know, I'm a very -- I get very connected with people in terms of, one, to see them succeed or having conversations with them and people who’ve helped you succeed, it's now getting harder managing those relationships, and as you grow, and as you -- you know, your company grows, or as your career grows, making sure you're making enough time for the people who helped you get there, but also not spending too much time working on things that might not be beneficial to you and your business, and so it's getting harder managing your time with all the past relationships you've built up.

Erik Michielsen: Yeah, what's an example of that?

Mike Germano: An example of that is, you know, one of the first people that you build -- you know, we did our first project for 7 years ago, you know, you -- we learned a lot and they were there, and, you know, our company has grown in 7 years, and now you're getting phone calls from that person, saying, "Hey, you know, I believed in you, and I now want you to build this huge project. We have no money, you know, and I want you to do all this stuff." And you gotta sit back, and you gotta -- you know, you tip your hat 'cause you pay respect 'cause the person, you know, believes in you, first, or when no one else but yet, you don't want to -- you know, you're on a path where your company is going and it -- if it doesn't fit with it, you know, if it was any other client, you would've never even picked up the phone, or said, "Thank you but, no thank you." But, you know, making sure you manage that to be respectful for people who've gotten you there, but also know how that might impact where you're currently going.

What Makes Social Media Work Meaningful - Mike Germano

In Chapter 2 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "What Makes Your Work Meaningful?"  After seven years in business, Germano finds creating engaging social experiences using innovative technology most rewarding.  He shares an example from a Red Bull mobile marketing campaign.  Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

How to Enjoy Work by Constantly Seeking Challenge - Mike Germano

In Chapter 3 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "What Do You Enjoy Most About What You Do?"  Germano finds joy in both the independence and the new challenges running a company provide.  Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

Where to Find Inspiration Outside of Work - Mike Germano

In Chapter 4 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "Where Do You Find Inspiration Outside of Work?"  Germano shares the inspiration he gets as a newlywed in his marriage.  He also highlights how underdog stories give him energy and inspiration.  Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.

How Entrepreneur Learns Work and Home Life Balance - Mike Germano

In Chapter 5 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "What Have You Learned About Managing Expectations at Home While Building a Business?"  Germano acknowledges the great challenge pulling himself away from long work hours and better setting and adhering to expectations with his partner.  Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

What Marriage Teaches About Teamwork - Mike Germano

In Chapter 6 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "What Has Marriage Taught You About Teamwork?"  Germano finds he likes married life more than he expected.  He highlights how formalizing the relationship creates more openness and helps him better understand responsibilities.  Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University. 

How Family Relationships Change With Age - Mike Germano

In Chapter 7 of 19 in his 2012 Capture Your Flag interview, social media ad agency CEO Mike Germano answers "How Are Your Family Relationships Changing as You Get Older?"  After many years where his family did not understand his entrepreneurial journey founding his company, the family learns to respect Germano and his co-founders for following their social media passion.  Mike Germano is co-founder and CEO of DUMBO, Brooklyn based social media advertising agency Carrot Creative.  Previously, Germano ran for and was elected to public office in Connecticut.  He is a graduate of Quinnipiac University.