Phil McKenzie on Identifying Sources of Strength and Struggle

In Chapter 20 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Phil McKenzie answers "At This Moment in Time, What Are the Sources of Strength and Struggle in Your Life?" McKenzie shares how friends give him strength by giving him a space of nonjudgment. He struggles with not having enough time and making sure to do the things that keep him physically and mentally healthy such as going to the gym, doing yoga, and practicing meditation.

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.

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. 

Mike Germano on Getting Better at Teaching Others What You Know

In Chapter 19 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "How Are You Becoming a Better Teacher?" Germano shares how transparency helps him relate his experiences to mentees and staff in need of guidance. By making this connection, he can also find the right fit for students, putting them in a place where they will succeed, while sharing small lessons that over time add up to something larger and more profound.

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 Identifying Sources of Strength and Struggle

In Chapter 21 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, VICE Media Chief Digital Officer Mike Germano answers "At This Moment in Time, What Are the Sources of Strength and Struggle in Your Life?" Germano shares how his wife provides him the support he needs to succeed professionally and how time spent with his son makes him stronger. He also shares his struggle with wanting to please everybody and worrying about too many outsider requests can cause him to lose focus.

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. 

Jullien Gordon on Lessons Learned Building a Personal Brand

In Chapter 10 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business coach and public speaker Jullien Gordon answers "How Has Building Your Personal Brand Opened New Opportunities in Your Career?" Gordon shares why building a brand is fundamentally based on sharing who you are and being authentic about it. It's not about putting on a show, it's about being yourself. From there, it comes down to work - from writing a blog to self-publishing a book to even a Capture Your Flag video. Each way, on its own, connects with people to build brand awareness and, collectively, tells the personal brand story. 

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 Turn Lack of Confidence into a Strength

In Chapter 14 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, strategist and management consultant Hammans Stallings answers "What Role Does Confidence Play in the Work That You Do?" Stallings shares how it is important not only to possess confidence but also to be familiar and comfortable with areas where you lack confidence. Rather that masking these areas, Stallings embraces this and uses it to study and learn from others.

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 How to Identify City Government Best Practices

In Chapter 8 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "How Are You Deepening Your Understanding of How City Government Works?" By working in city government and working with city government in his job at HomeAway, Curtis travels the world and finds ways for local governments to identify and implement best practices from other cities. He finds there is nearly always a case study of a city developing a program or implementing a solution that eliminates for any local government to "reinvent the wheel" on a project, on areas such as economic development and city infrastructure.

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 Measure the Quality of Personal Relationships

In Chapter 2 of 17 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, community leader Bijoy Goswami answers "How Do You Measure the Quality of Relationships in Your Life?" Goswami shares how he measures relationship quality by his ability to stay in a conversation over time and through change. He finds relationship growth is about uncovering one another's mysteries through trust and exploration. The result is a mutual deepening of understanding one another as well as oneself.

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. 

Bijoy Goswami on How to Improve Advocate and Sponsor Relationships

In Chapter 5 of 17 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, community leader Bijoy Goswami answers "What Role Have Advocate and Sponsor Relationships Played in Your Development?" Goswami reflects on what he learned form his mentor, Martin, who passed away over the past year. He finds mentorship, advocacy and sponsorship are all about finding alignment with another to facilitate mutual stewardship. This alignment creates a common ground to help the relationship flourish and generate results through mentorship, advocacy, and sponsor actions.

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. 

Matt Curtis on Why Transparency is Key to Collaboration Success

In Chapter 19 of 20 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Matt Curtis answers "What Have You Found to Be the Keys to Creating Successful Project Collaborations?" Curtis finds the key to a successful project collaboration is being transparent. For Curtis, transparency opens a collaborative conversation or negotiation more directly toward moving forward with a solutions-focused outcome.

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. 

Audrey French on Deciding When to Move in With Your Partner

In Chapter 1 of 21 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, new mother Audrey Parker French answers "How Did You Manage the Transition of Moving in With Your Partner?" French shares how she and her boyfriend had conversations around taking their relationship to the next level. They agree it makes sense to move in together as a next step toward eventually getting married while not putting too much pressure on the relationship and let it develop naturally over time.

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 Overcoming a Fear of Confrontation at Work

In Chapter 18 of 20 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, nonprofit CEO Courtney Spence answers "What Has Experience Taught You About How to Better Manage Confrontation at Work?" Spence shares how avoiding confrontation is a problem she is working to solve as a leader. She notes how she has started to face confrontation as it has come up in her office, especially when she decided to relocate her organization from Austin to San Francisco.

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. 

Randall Metting on the Two Pillars of Building Trusting Relationships

In Chapter 4 of 16 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, Randall Metting answers "How Do You Establish Trust When Building Relationships?" Metting shares how honest and open communication are the two pillars he uses to build trusting relationships. He finds the openness and honesty set clear expectations in the relationship so both sides understand what needs to get done.

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. 

Hattie Elliot on How Finding Love Changes Entrepreneur Aspirations

In Chapter 5 of 15 in her 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, entrepreneur Hattie Elliot answers "How is Your Long-Term Perspective on the Future of Your Business Changing Over Time?" After finding someone special and getting into a committed relationship, Elliot rethinks her long-term goals for her business. Whereas in the past she was patient, she now looks at more aggressive ways to ramp up her business and position it to be sold in coming years.

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.

Matt Ruby on How to Build Workplace Relationship Trust

In Chapter 2 of 19 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, standup comedian and Vooza founder Matt Ruby answers "How Do You Establish Trust When Building Relationships?" Ruby finds building trust in the workplace comes down to communicating honestly and openly with others, from editors to clients, in a way he also would like to be treated. For him that means getting and giving constructive feedback that comes across not as criticism but as a sincere way to help others improve their work.

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. 

Bryan Law on Learning Leadership as Student Body President

In Chapter 8 of 23 in his 2014 Capture Your Flag interview, business strategist Bryan Law answers "What Did Your Experience as Student Body President Teach You About Leadership?" As student body president of his Kellogg MBA class, Law learns to lead in two ways. As a student government leader, he first embraces a philosophy of engaging his team to understand their perspectives to shape the team direction. Second, his work as a class president teaches him that while consensus is optimal, sometimes a leader must make unpopular decisions.

Bryan Law is a Principal in the Global Business Strategy Group at Google and a board member at Angola University. Previously, he was a manager at Monitor, a management consulting firm. He has worked in consulting roles at Watson Wyatt and Mercer. He earned an MBA from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business and a BA from Georgetown University.