Growing up in Canada, I used to love a walk in the early morning, when the streets are quiet and the sun was shining. Walking in the morning is still very refreshing... and if I can, I will walk to my first meeting or appointment.

Even back in elementary school, I was a leader, but a leader who didn't know how to channel my leadership skills in a constructive way. When I was younger, it probably came out as being more of a bossy little kid.

Most of my ideas come from drawing patterns across conversations I have with different types of people - technology investors, young fashion design students, a CEO. This variety is stimulating and offers many different perspectives on the things I am thinking about.

I had long had an instinct about there being a role for me in a creative industry. Maybe I didn't listen to that voice as much earlier on, but when it had become a deafening sound in my head I realised I had to go and explore it.

I went to Carnegie Mellon for a year and a month or two, and then I dropped out because I got a movie. I didn't anticipate ever leaving school - I was a really serious drama student - and then that happened, and my life sort of took a turn.

As for what's the most challenging aspect of teaching, it's convincing younger writers of the importance of reading widely and passionately.

What I'd like to pass on to my children is the thirst for knowledge. It's something I experience every day that I learned from my father. He always taught me that no matter how long you've done something, you can always learn something new and be better at what you do.

If we can show the world that there are students in all sorts of communities who don't have the material they need for a great education, that will be the first major step to doing something about it.