How to Choose a Storytelling Medium Right For You - Scott Gold

In Chapter 12 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "How Do You Determine What is the Best Media or Medium to Tell a Particular Story?"  Gold notes the importance of accepting failure as a means to find the best storytelling medium possible.  He shares how stories sometimes are better told through song and other times are best delivered through writing, physical performance, or recorded media such as audio or video.  He shares approaches to getting into a creative mindset to optimize this decision.  Scott Gold is an author and writer based in New York City.  When not writing, Gold moonlights as a bartender at Char no. 4 restaurant in Brooklyn.  He earned a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. 

How Philosophy Can Improve Non-Fiction Writing - Scott Gold

In Chapter 13 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "Where Has Your Philosophy Education Been Most Impactful in Your Writing Career Development?"  A philosophy education teaches Gold to more fully consider his points and arguments and to make sure they are well supported.  He uses his philosophy toolbox to better articulate his thesis and make his points to communicate more effectively.  Scott Gold is an author and writer based in New York City.  When not writing, Gold moonlights as a bartender at Char no. 4 restaurant in Brooklyn.  He earned a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. 

How Radcliffe Publishing Course Jumpstarts Career - Scott Gold

In Chapter 15 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "How Did Attending the Radcliffe Publishing Program at Harvard University Shape Your Career Ambition?  Gold notes how the course, which since has been renamed the Columbia Publishing Course and relocated to New York City, helped jumpstart his book publishing career.  The course teaches him publishing industry fundamentals and provides him access to industry leaders who provide insight into how publishing careers develop.  The course teaches him about how literary agencies, electronic books, book proposals, agents, rights and publicity work withing the publishing industry.  Scott Gold is an author and writer based in New York City.  When not writing, Gold moonlights as a bartender at Char no. 4 restaurant in Brooklyn.  He earned a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. 

How to Write Better Stories About Food - Scott Gold

In Chapter 19 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "What Elements Do You Look for in Good Food Journalism and Story?"  First, Gold looks for good writing, specifically those who have a command of the language.  Second, good food writers develop a clear and distinct voice.  He shares how despite getting into trouble after criticizing the New Orleans food scene after Hurricane Katrina, Alan Richman remains a great food writer with a distinct voice and vocabulary.  Scott Gold is an author and writer based in New York City.  When not writing, Gold moonlights as a bartender at Char no. 4 restaurant in Brooklyn.  He earned a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. 

How Peer Support Makes Writing Career More Fulfilling - Scott Gold

In Chapter 20 of 20 of his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, author and writer Scott Gold answers "How Has Peer Support Made Your Writing Career More Fulfilling?"  Gold notes how fortunate he is to have a small, close group of food writing friends that functions as both a social and support network.  At events, he is able to talk with peers about the food industry as well as writing.  He notes that while some journalists and non-fiction writers are protective of ideas, his group tends to be more open and sharing.  Scott Gold is an author and writer based in New York City.  When not writing, Gold moonlights as a bartender at Char no. 4 restaurant in Brooklyn.  He earned a BA in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. 

Why Choose Fashion Styling Over Fashion Design Career - Lulu Chen

In Chapter 5 of 10 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, fashion stylist Lulu Chen answers "As an Artist, What Informed Your Decision to Choose Fashion Styling Over Fashion Design?"  Chen gravitates toward magazines, stories, and editorials and, after many years working different part of the industry, chooses fashion design.  She enjoys playing with the different designers' clothing and accessories and being able to use their colors, shapes, and textures as an artist uses a palette.  She finds inspiration from designers who continuously produce new work.  Lulu Chen is a New York City based fashion stylist.  Chen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree studying design and art history from the University of Michigan.

How to Turn Unpaid Internship Into a Paid Entry Level Job - Lulu Chen

In Chapter 6 of 10 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, fashion stylist Lulu Chen answers "What Advice Do You Have for Young Fashion Professionals to Stay Encouraged From That Transition of Unpaid Internships to Paid Entry Level Jobs?"  She shares how aspiring fashion professionals working unpaid internships need to stay positive and keep trying and building experience.  She notes if the love is there, opportunities will emerge.  Contacts and relationships matter and Chen shares how they are fundamental to making the transition.  Lulu Chen is a New York City based fashion stylist.  Chen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree studying design and art history from the University of Michigan.

How Fashion Advertising and Editorial Projects Differ - Lulu Chen

In Chapter 7 of 10 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, fashion stylist Lulu Chen answers   "How do Ad or Commercial Jobs Compare and Contrast with Editorial Magazine Jobs?"  She finds magazine jobs are more aspirational and offer greater creative freedom compared to advertising and catalog work.  They also have more freedom to incorporate a wide array of brands.  However, Chen notes how catalogs are catching up creatively, progressively turning to a "magalogue" focus that, while covering only one brand, integrates more of the creative and story elements seen traditionally in editorial or magazine work.  Lulu Chen is a New York City based fashion stylist.  Chen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree studying design and art history from the University of Michigan.

How to Adapt Creativity From Project to Project - Lulu Chen

In Chapter 8 of 10 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, fashion stylist Lulu Chen answers   "How Does Your Creative Freedom Vary from Job to Job?"  Chen notes the challenge of finding balance between structured projects and those offering more creative license and open-endedness.  She compares her outlook to artists who accept commissioned work to pay bills and creative projects with limited financial reward.  Lulu Chen is a New York City based fashion stylist.  Chen earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree studying design and art history from the University of Michigan.

How Changing Consumer TV Habits Create Data Analyst Jobs - Ken Rona

In Chapter 10 of 13 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, data analytics expert Ken Rona answers "How is the Move to Digital Television Affecting Analytics and Audience Measurement?"  Rona notes that traditionally, audiences are measured by Nielsen panels, samples which monitor a select number of families and their aggregated viewing patterns.  From an analytics perspective, Rona finds it fascinating how media consumption is progressively more digital, which eliminates need to do samples and opens doors to move into census analysis.  Rona is currently VP Audience Insights and Ad Sales Partnerships at Turner Broadcasting.  Previously, Rona has worked in roles in data analytics at IXI Digital and AOL and management consulting at McKinsey & Co.  He earned a BA and MA in Political Science from Stony Brook University and a PhD in Behavioral Economics from Duke University. 

Online Advertising Strategy Design Considerations - Ken Rona

In Chapter 11 of 13 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, data analytics expert Ken Rona answers "What Should a Media Company Consider When Designing Online Advertising Strategy?"  First, Rona first considers how people are going to consume content.  This informs what technology platform gets used.  Dynamic ad insertion is a second priority.  Third, and most important, Rona urges media companies to use or create high quality original content.  Rona is currently VP Audience Insights and Ad Sales Partnerships at Turner Broadcasting.  Previously, Rona has worked in roles in data analytics at IXI Digital and AOL and management consulting at McKinsey & Co.  He earned a BA and MA in Political Science from Stony Brook University and a PhD in Behavioral Economics from Duke University.

Learning Leadership Language to Motivate Teams - Ken Rona

In Chapter 12 of 13 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, data analytics expert Ken Rona answers "What Leadership Skills are Becoming More Relevant as Your Career Progresses?"   Rona first makes the distinction between leadership and management, where managing is tracking tasks, holding each other accountable and working in teams.  He then discusses how he learns to turn a recognition conversation into a business impact one by using leadership language.  Rona is currently VP Audience Insights and Ad Sales Partnerships at Turner Broadcasting.  Previously, Rona has worked in roles in data analytics at IXI Digital and AOL and management consulting at McKinsey & Co.  He earned a BA and MA in Political Science from Stony Brook University and a PhD in Behavioral Economics from Duke University. 

Stacie Bloom on Using Trial Jobs to Explore Science Career Options

In Chapter 7 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Stacie Grossman Bloom answers "What Did You Find Most Challenging About Teaching College Biology at Bard College?" Teaching biology at Bard College while doing her post doc work at Rockefeller University, she finds it easy to connect with college students. She uses the opportunity to explore career options and find out if teaching is a good fit. Teaching one college class helps Grossman Bloom rule out that as a career option and she continues using the exploration and trial approach in other pursuits, including a role at Nature Medicine. Grossman Bloom is the Executive Director at the NYU Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously, she was VP and Scientific Director at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). She earned her PhD in Neurobiology and Cell Biology at Georgetown University and did a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in New York City. She earned her BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Delaware.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: What did you find most challenging about teaching a biology class at Bard College?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: College students.

Erik Michielsen: How did you connect with them?

Stacie: As a post doc it wasn’t that hard to connect with a college student. I still felt like that was kinda my life. I was making no money. I was in jeans and sneakers all the time. I felt like a kid still and I felt like a student still. I think they probably looked at me very differently.

At the time I was trying to explore career options for myself. I thought, “maybe I’d like to be a college professor.” And that was a way for me to rule it out.

But it was a great opportunity to see if that was a good fit for me.

Erik Michielsen: What did you learn about yourself through the experience?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: I learned that for me, it was important for me to do trial runs of things before I went full-fledged into them. When I started at Nature and left the lab, I was doing it just two days a week as an intern. That’s what really was a good way for me to see, to test the waters. And, same thing with teaching. So, take on one class at a college, try it out, see if I like it. I didn’t like it, so I didn’t do it.

Stacie Bloom on Leaving Academia for a Science Industry Job

In Chapter 9 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Stacie Grossman Bloom answers "What Did You Find Most Challenging Transitioning Out of Science Bench Research Into the Field?" Working in a protective university science environment as a post doc, Grossman Bloom finds the greatest challenge leaving the security of the academic culture for outside work. By building a strong working relationship with her boss, Nobel Laureate Paul Greengard, she is able to test an outside opportunity by interning twice a week at Nature Medicine.

Stacie Grossman Bloom is the Executive Director at the NYU Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously, she was VP and Scientific Director at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). She earned her PhD in Neurobiology and Cell Biology at Georgetown University and did a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in New York City. She earned her BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Delaware.

Transcription: 

Erik Michielsen: What did you find most challenging transitioning out of science bench research into the field?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: I think the most challenging thing was getting my mind readjusted to the fact that I was leaving that track. You know, that’s the only track I really knew and then I was entering into sort of uncharted territory. I think also the university is a very protective environment. Nobody is--It’s not like at a law firm where you have x number of years to make partner, and if you don’t make partner, you sort of have a tough decision to make. You can waiver around in a university lab as a post doc for infinity and nobody is ever going to kick you out. So, making the decision to leave a track and leave the security of the university atmosphere, I think was the most challenging.

Erik Michielsen: How did you get over it?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: I just did it; it was like ripping off a band-aid. I did it more slowly than others. I was really fortunate, I was in a laboratory, as a post doc, of a Nobel laureate who was very flexible in what he allowed me to do and let me leave the lab part-time to pursue an internship at Nature Publishing Group. Nature is a great scientific journal and it’s based in New York City. And he let me sort of dip my toe in the water and feel it out. And, I got the internship at Nature and then when it came an offer for a full-time position, it was a little bit easier than pulling off a band-aid.

Stacie Bloom on Reasons to Work in Science Writing and Publishing

In Chapter 11 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Stacie Grossman Bloom answers "What Have You Enjoyed Most About Science Writing and Publishing?" She enjoys being an effective communicator of science in a realistic way. From a publishing perspective, she finds value seeing research results and unpublished data before others see it.

Stacie Grossman Bloom is the Executive Director at the NYU Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously, she was VP and Scientific Director at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). She earned her PhD in Neurobiology and Cell Biology at Georgetown University and did a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in New York City. She earned her BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Delaware.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: What have you enjoyed most about science writing and publishing?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: Being able to take a very jargon-y, niche-y, scientific finding and translate it into a way that the mass of people can understand without overselling it, I think is a really important skill. I would say that’s the thing that I’ve enjoyed the most: being able to be an effective communicator of science in a realistic way. In terms of publishing science, that’s such an easy answer for me. The thing that I’ve enjoyed the most is having the privilege of seeing these research results before anybody else sees them. As an editor at a high-level scientific journal you’re really in a great position because you really have this amazing privilege of seeing unpublished data. In the scientific world unpublished data is -- you never get access to unpublished data. Everybody is scared that you are gonna steal it, you’re gonna use the findings and publish it first. So, being in that position where you are the first person to see the unpublished data and then determining whether that data is of high enough quality and importance to be published in the highest tier of scientific journals.

Stacie Bloom on Building a Professional Network in a Science Career

In Chapter 12 of 19 in her 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, Stacie Grossman Bloom answers "How Did You Turn Extensive Travel as a Science Editor into Building a Better Network?" Regular travel to conferences and labs provides her a platform to meet new scientists, authors, and reviewers and build relationships over time. Peer professional relationships help Grossman Bloom use publishing contacts - first Nature Medicine and then Journal of Clinical Investigation -to build her network.

Stacie Grossman Bloom is the Executive Director at the NYU Neuroscience Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center. Previously, she was VP and Scientific Director at the New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS). She earned her PhD in Neurobiology and Cell Biology at Georgetown University and did a post-doctoral fellowship at Rockefeller University in New York City. She earned her BA in Chemistry and Psychology from the University of Delaware.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen: How did you turn extensive travel as a science editor into an opportunity to build a better network?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: You know, one of the things that was great about working at Nature Medicine was getting to go to all of the scientific conferences and all of the lab visits all over the world. Those are great opportunities for networking. One skill that I think is important to have as a scientist is the ability to interact socially with other people. And so, being at a conference in a far away place is a great opportunity to have a drink with someone, have dinner with someone, talk to someone, become friendly with someone, and then stay in touch afterwards.

Erik Michielsen: As someone that has changed job functions a couple of different times, how did you keep that networking relevant in what you do?

Stacie Grossman Bloom: The best network I built up was really when I was at Nature Medicine. Just the pool of authors and reviewers and scientists who I worked with there, that became a really important resource for me. So when I left Nature Medicine I went to another journal called The Journal of Clinical Investigation, the reason I went to The Journal of Clinical Investigation was because my former colleague from Nature Medicine hired me to work there, so that was a key factor. But, even at the New York Academy of Sciences I was able to bring that whole network with me. There are still a lot of scientists that I work really closely with who I met way back when, I was just starting out, when I had just left the lab. I would say now through my work with the academy, that network grows and grows and grows.

Scaling Crowdfunding Startup IndieGoGo Globally - Slava Rubin

In Chapter 2 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, IndieGoGo co-founder and entrepreneur Slava Rubin answers "Since We Last Spoke a Year Ago, What Has Been the Most Exciting Thing to Happen in Your Life?" Rubin points to the growth of his company, IndieGoGo, and is now used in over 158 countries by 22,000 users. He notes how four films featured at South By Southwest 2011 were crowd financed on IndieGoGo and how media exposure, including Good Morning America, continues to spread the company's project crowdfunding message. Rubin is co-founder and CEO of IndieGoGo.com, a crowdfunding startup whose platform helps individuals and groups finance their passions. Before IndieGoGo, Rubin worked in management consulting for Diamond Consulting, now a PWC company. Rubin founded and manages non-profit Music Against Myeloma to raise funds and awareness to fight cancer. He earned a BBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Transcript: 

Erik:  Since we last spoke a year ago, what’s been the most exciting thing that happened in your life?

Slava Rubin:  Well, I mean IndieGoGo is doing well.  It’s really about scaling the business and growing. I mean, now IndieGoGo has over 22,000 campaigns in 159 countries.  There is millions of dollars that are being distributed, millions of page views every month.  Since we last talked, we’ve been – you know, even in the last few weeks, we’ve been on Good Morning, America, or the New York Times, or Channel 7 News in New York. And we opened up where really anybody can create a campaign to absolutely anything, and just the excitement of the team as we’re hiring folks, and everybody being so excited to be a part of IndieGoGo, and making people’s dreams of raising money possible.

Erik Michielsen:  What feeling do you get when you think about, you know, what type of projects are being built, and what effect it’s having on communities, on people’s lives?

Slava Rubin:  I mean it’s amazing.  We’re here at South-by, right?  And there’s only a certain number of South-by movies that get in and there’s only a certain of South-by music that gets in.  At IndieGoGo, we’ve had four films that got in, got funded through IndieGoGo, and musicians that got funded through IndieGoGo.  We have people road-tripping to South-by, by funding they get through IndieGoGo.  So just to know that there are all these tens of thousands of people here at South-by and a number of them all facilitated their dreams to get here through IndieGoGo, it’s just really quite incredible.  And you were at the IndieGoGo party, and that was – that was fun too.

How Crowdfunding Empowers a New Storytelling Generation - Slava Rubin

In Chapter 10 of 12 in his 2011 Capture Your Flag interview with host Erik Michielsen, IndieGoGo co-founder and entrepreneur Slava Rubin answers "How is Crowdfunding Empowering a New Generation of Storytellers?" Rubin shares how the rise of online payments and social media sharing have sparked new ways to finance passion projects. From cause supporters to business creators to artists, Rubin finds fulfillment seeing his company, IndieGoGo, provide them means to make dreams come true. Rubin is co-founder and CEO of IndieGoGo.com, a crowdfunding startup whose platform helps individuals and groups finance their passions. Before IndieGoGo, Rubin worked in management consulting for Diamond Consulting, now a PWC company. Rubin founded and manages non-profit Music Against Myeloma to raise funds and awareness to fight cancer. He earned a BBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Transcript: 

Erik Michielsen:  How is crowd funding empowering a new generation of storytellers?

Slava Rubin:  You know, ten years ago, even five years ago, you have no YouTube; you have no Facebook; you have no MySpace; you have no Twitter.  You barely have attachments in emails.  You don’t really have as much transaction happening via credit card.  You definitely do not have the word ‘Obama’ being used anywhere.  And it’s just incredible that just in a number of years you start taking all these trends and resources, you put them into one place, and you create a platform like IndieGoGo, which allows anybody to raise money for absolutely anything.  And now you find out that if you give them these tools, everybody in the world is passionate.  Everybody in the world wants to create a campaign or fund a campaign.  It’s just not so easy for them to do that.  Now with IndieGoGo, we provide them those tools, and now all of a sudden, all these musicians, video game artists, business creators, cause supporters are making incredible, incredible stuff, and it’s just a world of validation, and now they can follow their dreams.  

We have a great example of that with Elaine Zelker, a mom in Pennsylvania with three kids.  She is a registered nurse and really focused on her day-to-day job, so that she can provide for the family with her husband.  And she’s always wanted to be in photography but never took that risk.  She gets on IndieGoGo, raises money, creates this gallery in a photo book, she gets exposure, and now is on Good Morning, America. Gets on Good Morning, America.  People see it left and right.  She gets a major agent from New York to wanna push out her book.  So now she has gone from, you know, super conservative, registered nurse of Pennsylvania to somebody who has thousands of dollars to do her photography that she loves, turning in to her business, and now has an agent out of New York.  It’s just incredible as you see people following their passions and that IndieGoGo can support those dreams.

Erik Michielsen:  And how did that make you feel to be part of that?

Slava Rubin:  I love it.  The coolest thing about IndieGoGo is different than just a, should we say, ‘search engine’, or maybe a regular e-commerce site, or even some whiz-bang amazing stuff that’s happening here at South-by, people love using IndieGoGo.  It becomes part of them and their fabric.  They get the emails when they get the money and it says you got money, and it’s just so exciting ‘cause it’s just little bricks being added to their foundation of a dream, and it’s awesome.