Story In A Bottle Podcast

At the height of the information age, emphasis on education is also at an all-time high and conversations about the best approach and paths to success are in abundance. Sehreen Noor Ali, VP, Business Development at Kaplan, not only confronts this from a business perspective, but has been considering the multitude of options for many years. Over grapefruit spritzers, she recalls her personal path through formal education, with many years of post graduate studies and nontraditional, as she learned during her days at the State Department, and finally now, as a mom who is looking for the optimal environment for her daughter to thrive. It’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all model, which has benefit from her warrants consideration ensuring her continued success.

What You’ll Learn:

- How governments use social media to impact diplomacy

- The importance of understanding your learning style - finding the right way to maximize it

- How education has had to adapt in the world of digital

- Why you should worry about being well-rounded vs. well-educated

Direct download: SIAB_SAli_v3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:54am EDT


When it comes to content - on the internet or otherwise - people usually fall predominantly into a category of “consumer” or “creator,” but can you be both? Alex Zalben’s passion for entertainment started at a young age - with a love of Monty Python that overshadowed his apprehension of public performing and a desire to write that catapulted him into a career of sketch comedy. However, over time and experience in both the comedy scene in NYC and professionally at Marvel, MTV and TVguide.com, he’s used his unique perspective to blur the lines and stay true to both aspects of his passion - a true appreciator (and self-proclaimed nerd) of the art he loves and a contributor who furthers the art himself.

Direct download: SIAB_AZalben_v3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:23am EDT

Arikia Millikan is a journalist and entrepreneur with a resume that boasts digitizing traditionally print-centric brands. It’s a career that’s given her a fair share of behind-the-scenes experiences with the epidemic that’s overtaking the industry - the continued and steepening uphill battle of maintaining the right motivation in the world of news and content. Over Bloody Marys (with a fun twist) at Fools Gold in NYC, she explains how her unique approach in applying engineering principles paired with a “squeaky wheel” reputation help her press forward and innovate within this challenging space.

What You’ll Learn:

- The harm in not keeping balance in the separation between content and revenue in the world of publishing.

- Why it’s valuable to apply approaches from other disciplines when innovating and evolving media.

- How improved tools can make all the difference in quality content creation.

Direct download: SIAB_AMillikan_v3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:28am EDT

If you’ve ever dreamed of your hobby becoming a career, Austin Smith’s story will resonate with you. Growing up in Des Moines, Iowa, Austin’s earliest interest was music, which led him to be the music director at his dad’s church at the ripe old age of 13. Going on to study music Washington University, technology was just a side interest that he didn’t know could be a career.

Over Zinfandel from Ridge Vineyards, Austin talks about the most formative experience of his career, how hacking his customer service job with technology helped him realize that maybe it was time to turn that side interest into a job, and how working on technology for The Observer and The Economist led him to form Alley Interactive with his business partner, Matt Johnson, to simplify life for the people creating journalism and to help people connect with the world around them.

What You’ll Learn:

- How going with your gut, being willing to figure it out as you go along, and partnering with the right people can lead to a great business.

- How working in a service job early on helps you relate to people throughout your career.

Direct download: SIAB_ASmith_v3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:46pm EDT

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