Story in a Bottle

As the tech industry has evolved there is one thing that has separated those who have been successful from those who were not - and that is their adaptability to change. This is a quality that Bart Mroz, CEO of SUMO Heavy Industries, has exuded nearly all his life - since the young age of 12 when he came to the US from Poland without being able to speak a word of English. Since then he has experie...

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 t...

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 a...

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)...

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 R...

Alex Leo is a news content and product development expert - with a resume that includes roles at ABC news, Reuters, and most recently as VP of Audience Development at the Daily Beast. And while there's no shortage of great experience in the field, as it turns out, her education in the space began much earlier. Growing up with two writers as parents - her mom for Family Circle, amongst others, and...

As technology has evolved, the distribution channels for audiences and consumption of content are at an all time high, the world of journalism is facing unprecedented pressure to "evolve or die." This problem, however, is not new. It's an ongoing struggle for balance that's existed since news organizations appeared online over two decades ago. No one knows this more than Gabriel Snyder. As a write...

As both a journalist and digital strategist, with a background in social media marketing for large brands and a passion for politics, the stars seemed to align for Nisha Chittal during this past election cycle. Nisha helped lead major news organizations like NBC and MSNBC in their content production and distribution across emerging platforms and nontraditional channels like Facebook and SnapChat,...

As the dust settles on a historical election season and people continue to comb through all of the factors that lead to its results - one thing remains top of mind: the role of digital. Derek Parham, who acted as Deputy CTO of the Hillary Clinton campaign, offers some behind-the-scenes insights into the most internet-centric campaign to date; his integral role within the digital team which operate...

As the world of journalism continues to evolve, so does the role of writers who exist within it. Enter Dana Schwartz. While her resume calls her an Arts and Entertainment writer for the Observer, that's hardly encompassing of her "day job." At 24, she has an impressive background; starting as a pre-med student at Brown before doing an about-face to pursue her passion in writing - and the many aven...

Charles Adler embodies the true spirit of being a maker in the age of the internet - starting with the inception of an idea through prototyping, beta testing and ultimately launching and evolving as he goes. It's a process he's developed and perfected over the course of his career - with myriad roles including UX designer, visual designer, developer, founder, and more - in both on and offline comp...

Sara Chipps is, first and foremost, a developer. At a very young age, growing up in New Jersey she was intrigued with the internet and all the possibility it held. As a student, she pursued coding with a passion - overcoming the hurdles that come along with being a woman in a field traditionally dominated by men. Her current startup, Jewelbots, which makes smart friendship bracelets that are desig...

One of the themes of Story in a Bottle is that there's no one path to a career in ___. Soren Bowie, a writer and editor at Cracked, is certainly the embodiment of that. While Soren was always interested in entertainment, his path to comedy writing was a winding one. From starting out as a child actor and star of some straight to DVD films, to getting paid to watch movies for a living as a DVD qual...

Gizmodo Night Editor Eve Peyser always knew she wanted to be a writer. However, it was a chance encounter at a bar with a college friend paired with her talent for comedy that has landed her firmly at the intersection of journalism & comedy, especially as a powerful (and hilarious) voice on Twitter. Starting out as a sex and dating reporter, she would often mine her personal life for editorial con...

Author Robert Simonson always knew he wanted to be a writer, but even in his early career, never imagined where he ultimately ended up. Starting out as a theatre reporter in New York, but he grew tired of the beat and made a bold move into the world wine of wine to find more of a community. However, it was this change in trajectory, which corresponded with the cocktail revival in the US around 200...

"We're living in an era where companies can stand for something," says Susan McPherson, founder of McPherson Strategies, a consultancy that connects brands and social good. Starting out as a journalist at USA Today, Susan's road to entrepreneurship has been filled with unexpected twists and turns. With her dad's words of "nothing is a prison sentence" in her head, Susan took risks, from changing t...

Merrill Brown has worn many hats over the course of his career in journalism; beginning at the Washington Post to founding editor-in-chief of MSNBC.com, he's seen first hand the evolution of the industry. From printing to mass distribution and the improvement of tools to help information spread faster, it's never been an industry that benefit from resting on its laurels. Over beers at ABC Beer Co....

One of the unfortunate, universal truths of humanity is that, at one point or another, everyone deals with the loss of a loved one. Be it a family member, close friend, spouse or partner, grief can manifest in many forms and stages, and so while it's not novel in concept, it affects everyone completely differently. For Rebecca Soffer, the loss of both of her parents inspired her to seek company in...

A natural entrepreneur is someone who, despite his best effort, can only excel in business when he works for himself. However, when he can also focus that drive with the clear vision to see opportunity where others do not, he's passed litmus test as a true innovator. Tony Mugavero is just that. As co-founder and CEO of Virtual Reality platform Littlstar, Tony and his team come up with innovative w...

One of the most valuable characteristics an entrepreneur can possess is having a well-rounded background of roles and perspectives over the course of his or her career - establishing a baseline of context and experiences to better serve in business pursuits. It's a quality that is not lost on Jenna Matecki, founder of Matecki & Co. When considering her path, on the surface, it seems obvious that s...

As technology continues to evolve and consumer habits shift so do trends in content creation in order to reach people in myriad ways. And while there is no end in sight, Will Mayo, founder of Spoken Layer is doubling down on sound. Growing up with dyslexia and overcoming the challenges that came along with it as a student, Will has not only appreciated this medium, but thrived because of it - bene...

Gillian Morris, founder of travel app Hitlist, has a story that is unsurprisingly filled with travel; from family trips to Canada as a kid, a stint living in a bell tower in Paris, and journalist gig in Turkey, she's certainly appreciated many points of view across the globe. That's how she became the unordained travel agent of her immediate friends and family, and despite her initial tech ineptit...

A strong investment thesis can help VCs sift through the plethora of companies that come their way. With Primary Ventures, Brad Svrluga's second venture firm, he's focused on companies that are solving real problems with SAAS products for both businesses and the general public. Over Mezcal, Brad talks about his path to venture after shortly considering a career in chemistry, his quick shot up and...

Caitlin Strandberg has a resume that spans many industries and roles -- from studying history in undergrad and a MBA from Harvard post-grad, to a stint in content creation and publishing in the music world, to hands-on founder apprenticeship at noteworthy startup, Behance — she's appreciated many perspectives. However, over Arnold Salazars (an homage to her hometown in Florida that she shares with...

In the high risk world of venture capital, investors need to not only be savvy, but also innovative. Charlie O'Donnell stands out in the crowd as one such VC whose process is nothing less than unorthodox. The native New Yorker and sole partner of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures sets his own rules - taking meetings literally anywhere with anyone, resulting in one of the most diverse portfolios (including...