Rise and Play Podcast

⭐️ Exclusive partnership promotion: Get DevGAMM tickets 15% off with the promo code: devgamm15 ⭐️

In this episode, Sophie welcomes Maria Chyrvona, the CEO of DevGAMM, to discuss the evolution of the gaming conference since its inception in Ukraine in 2008. They dive into the personal and professional experiences that shaped DevGAMM, including navigating the challenges of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine.

Maria shares insights into the organization of events, their business model, and the unique values that make DevGAMM's events feel like a community and personalized experience. Don’t miss out on the upcoming DevGAMM Lisbon event on November 14-15, notable speakers including John Romero, and an exciting indie developer contest with cash prizes of $100,000!

For more info, check the DevGAMM Awards 2024 info and how to submit your game.

00:37 Guest Introduction: Maria from DevGAMM

01:49 The Origins of DevGAMM

07:59 Challenges and Resilience During the War In Ukraine

17:26 Business Model and Event Organization

24:42 Creating a Unique And Personalized Event Experience

37:28 Upcoming DevGAMM Lisbon Event in November and Indie Game Awards Prize. Get event tickets 15% off with the promo code: devgamm15

44:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

⭐️ Exclusive partnership promotion: Get DevGAMM tickets 15% off with the promo code: devgamm15 ⭐️

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What is the impact of coaching and what should you expect when you receive coaching?

Some even ask: What is the ROI of coaching?

In this special coaching episode, host Sophie Vo sits down with Hannah Mattil, the Senior Team Lead for Research Operations at PlaytestCloud. They reflect on Hannah’s personal and professional growth over six months of leadership coaching.

Hannah shares her journey from initial skepticism about coaching to the valuable lessons and self-awareness she gained. They discuss the importance of self-reflection, receiving and acting on feedback, and setting clear goals. Hannah emphasizes how the coaching experience has helped her develop confidence, composure, and a deeper understanding of her strengths and weaknesses.

This episode is a testament to the transformative power of coaching and its impact on leadership and personal development. Sophie Vo openly shares her unique approach and process to coaching, with her 16 years of leadership in games.

For people considering coaching, this episode will highlight what to expect, and when is the right time to invest in yourself.

Coaching is a process that needs full readiness from the coachee for the most optimal outcome.

01:37 Special Episode: Hannah's Leadership Journey

03:33 Hannah's Background and Entry into Gaming

05:08 The Coaching Journey Begins

10:33 Overcoming Challenges and Building Confidence

13:01 Reflecting on the Coaching Experience

26:34 Applying Coaching Lessons in Real Life

29:49 Final Thoughts and Advice on Coaching

35:30 Conclusion and Call to Action

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

In this new episode, we sit down with Charlotte Gailledreau, a French game studio founder, narrative RPG enthusiast, and ex-Game Lead at the Oh Bi Bi and Gumi studios. Charlotte shares the story of founding her game studio, Sunny Lab, in 2022 alongside her associate Hugo Sahuquet.

They discuss their journey from mobile to console & PC gaming, the significance of storytelling in their projects, and the trials of fundraising and team building.

Charlotte opens up about the emotional and practical challenges of being a first-time CEO, emphasizing resilience, community support, and the importance of maintaining a balanced life. The episode is a heartfelt exploration of the unspoken difficulties in the gaming industry in 2024 and offers valuable insights into the personal and professional aspects of leading a game studio.

Be sure to check the upcoming launch of their new game The Witch’s Bakery 🥐 on Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sunnylabgames/witch-bakery-paris-2d-adventure-rpg

01:45 Charlotte Gailledreau’s decade as a product leader in gaming

02:47 Charlotte's Background and Sunny Lab

04:16 Building Sunny Lab: Challenges and Wins

20:43 The 2024 Rollercoaster Of the Fundraising Journey

34:13 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

38:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🙋🏻‍♀️ Need A Coach? Book a call with me and let’s figure it out together!

📆 🇩🇪 Don’t miss out on our networking event with Kolibri in Berlin on Sept 5th

Space is limited: Save your spot HERE!

💡 Get more leadership resources on: riseandplay.io

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

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This story serves as an inspiring example for all independent studios considering their funding options in 2024, reminding us that collective willpower and fearlessness can be as powerful as more seniority and money.

In this episode of Rise and Play, guest host Shelby Moledina returns.  Shelby is a Game Director and Film Director with 30+ titles shipped, and 20+ years of experience at large and small companies (WB Games, DeNA, Double Loop Games, and more).  This week, she speaks with Ayla Derrick, the founder of Cave Bear Games, an all-volunteer studio that went unexpectedly viral earlier this year.

Ayla, a newcomer to the game industry with a background in education, shares how and why she started Cave Bear Games in 2024, which has been a historically apocalyptic year in the games industry.  Ayla discusses how she harnessed CBG's viral success to build the studio, and to spread the wealth far beyond CBG by creating a strong volunteer and junior game dev community.  We cover essential topics such as the importance of trusting your instincts to find your own way to solve problems, networking with genuine passion, and fostering a positive studio culture.   

Ayla and Cave Bear's journey make it clear that there's real power in taking fate into your own hands.

02:19 Starting an All-Volunteer Studio, for Junior Devs

20:25 Growing the Team AND a Dev Community...at the Same Time

33:04 Using a Newcomer's POV to Tackle Business Challenges in Novel Ways

37:36 The Importance of Communication, Genuine Outreach, and Passion

47:22 Like PB&J: ADHD and Game Development

54:18 Final Thoughts and Future Plans

💡 Get more leadership resources on: riseandplay.io

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Thanks for listening to Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

In this inspiring episode, we switch roles with Shelby Moledina, as our new co-host on the show who interviews Sophie Vo to share her journey of breaking barriers within the gaming industry, focusing on building inclusive and conscious game companies and studios.

Sophie discusses her experiences in establishing key projects like Rise and Play, her role as CEO and co-founder of Kylan, a new game studio in Vietnam, and transitioning from corporate structures to startup environments. She highlights the importance of leadership, pitching, fundraising, and above all alignment within co-founder teams.

Shelby and Sophie discuss the challenges and learnings from their entrepreneurial ventures (Shelby was the co-founder of the studio Double Loop Games which closed in 2023), underscoring the significance of personal growth, connections, and embracing changes in the pursuit of their missions. Sophie also introduces her upcoming project, Olivya, aimed at innovating at the intersection of coaching, technology, and games.

01:30 Special Co-host: Shelby Moledina

02:26 The Birth of the Podcast Rise and Play

04:30 Navigating Leadership and Consciousness In Business

08:19 Fundraising and Building a New Studio in 2024 (Kylan)

14:07 Personal Growth and Overcoming Fears

16:11 Lessons from the Co-Founders Journey

25:37 Discovering Sophie’s ‘Why’ out of games

33:09 Continuing the leadership journey with Olivya

💡 Get more leadership resources on: riseandplay.io

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Thanks for listening to Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

Share your opinion on the future of game monetization in their market research survey with a chance to win Gamesforum tickets!

In this episode of Rise and Play, new cohost Tiffany Keller joins the podcast. Tiffany has spent the past decade in product management across several billion dollars plus earning franchises at three of Gaming’s top five acquisitions and the most downloaded games of the decade. She sits down with Joanne Lacey, COO and Board Director at Adinmo, a privacy-first in-game monetization platform working with free-to-play mobile game publishers and developers.They dive into her path to the executive suite in multiple ad ecosystem roles that span Board Director of the trade body shaping GDPR for mobile, senior roles in multiple start-ups that have gone on to be acquired by larger companies and a Board Trustee for a cancer charity. Jo shares her leadership philosophy as a “Defender” to foster team cohesion in remote working, even during instability such as the Ukraine conflict. Jo shares how Adinmo is shaping the evolving relationship between the gaming and advertising industries- highlighting the importance of understanding the intersection of player behavior and brand values to create valuable ad experiences in games.

For those experiencing layoffs or wanting a change, Jo advises how your career could branch out into adjacent game ecosystem roles.

Take their survey now for a chance to win Gamesforum tickets: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RGKZDK3

02:46 Introducing Joanne and Adinmo

07:21 Jo's Career Journey

17:58 Leadership and Company Culture

22:04 Navigating the Gaming and Advertising Ecosystem

26:15 Product Market Fit and Industry Trends

34:31 Career Insights and Opportunities

37:51 Conclusion- Take their market research survey now!

💡 Get more leadership resources on:

https://www.riseandplay.io/

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

Thanks for listening to Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.

We're excited to have on this episode a new podcast host at Rise and Play: Nina Kim. Nina is a Senior game designer who previously worked on games like Merge Dragons, Cozy Grove, and Sea of Thieves. With a deep interest in wholesome mechanics and approaches to well-being, Nina strives to contribute to nurturing creative teams within the industry. Let's give her a warm welcome on the show 👏. In this episode, we interview Crystin Cox, the Director of Business Strategy for Xbox Game Studios Publishing. Crystin shares her journey from theatrical design to a career in gaming, her early experiences in QA, and her transition into leadership roles. We cover leadership practices on how to give feedback in complex corporate environments, effective management training, and how to navigate cultural differences in business. Crystin also talks about her passion for LiveOps, her holistic approach to strategy, and her experience running the podcast 'The Art of LiveOps'.

01:27 Meet Crystin Cox

02:18 Crystin's Journey into Gaming

05:10 Early Leadership Challenges

07:19 Management Training and Growth

13:52 Cultural Influences in Leadership

20:46 Joining Xbox Game Studios

30:29 The Art of LiveOps Podcast

35:32 Future Goals and Balance

Check Crystin's excellent podcast on Live Ops: https://open.spotify.com/show/1CWGHYnXqsXeivngmKqENq

💡 You will find more leadership resources on https://www.riseandplay.io/

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it and leave a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.

In this new episode, we interview Charlotte Lavergne, who shares her journey co-founding Supercosi Games in 2020, a mobile studio focused on evergreen games.

Charlotte shares the context of bootstrapping the company in 2020 until they raised 2M€ in 2022. She also discusses the challenges of raising seed/Series A funding through VCs in 2024, despite having healthy financial results. She explains her strategic process focusing on evergreen games and the multiple iterations that led their team to find their 'hit' title in 2023: Word Search Puzzle Challenge, and how they keep scaling the game in 2024.

This episode is an open-hearted testimonial about the ups and downs of being a game entrepreneur, reminding all founders that whatever you are going through this year, you are not alone. We do the best with what we have and can control, and try to survive the wave(s) 🌊

01:55 Meet Charlotte Lavergne: From Gameloft to Supercosi Games

03:58 Charlotte's Early Career and Transition to Gaming

09:55 Founding Supercosi: The Journey Begins

14:19 Building the Team and Early Prototypes

20:14 Fundraising and Scaling Up

29:14 Challenges and Learnings in 2024

34:43 Final Thoughts and Reflections

💌 Don't forget to subscribe to Rise and Play for further news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.riseandplay.io/blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it on Spotify, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or simply share it with a friend.

In this episode, we delve into an inspiring conversation with Emma Delage, CEO of Studio Camelia. Emma shares her journey from working at Ubisoft Paris to founding her own independent game studio based in Montpellier, France. We cover the challenges and wins of starting a new game company, focusing on JRPGs, and navigating the complexities of fundraising and Kickstarter campaigns. Emma's story exemplifies resilience, conviction, and the importance of staying true to one's vision, offering invaluable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and independent game developers, when plans A, B, C and D fall apart.

Congratulations to Studio Camelia for closing their Kickstarter Campaign: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/studiocamelia/seed-a-vibrant-tribute-to-jrpg-classics

Follow their JRPG Alzara: https://studio-camelia.com/

02:28 Meet Emma Delage: CEO of Studio Camellia

03:46 Emma's Journey Before Studio Camellia

05:36 The Birth of Studio Camelia and JRPG Passion

09:50 Building the Team and Early Challenges

13:47 Funding the Dream: From Surveys to Investors

19:33 Kickstarter Success and Community Support

29:18 Values and Vision: Creating a Unique Studio Culture

32:31 Reflections and Future Aspirations

💌 Don't forget to subscribe to Rise and Play for further news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.riseandplay.io/blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it on Spotify, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or simply share it with a friend.

How to combine games and education, and is there a case for it?

We interview Melissa Cash, co-founder and CEO of PokPok, a company creating educational and engaging digital content for children. They discuss the challenges and strategies of developing non-addictive, educational content for young children, focusing on the importance of designing tools that integrate seamlessly with a parent’s daily life.

Melissa shares insights into her entrepreneurial journey, balancing professional and personal life, and highlights the critical role of networking as a CEO. We also touch on PokPok’s unique approach to early childhood education and the importance of community and collaboration in achieving success.

Pok Pok, raised $3 million in seed funding in 2022. The company was founded in 2019 after it spun out of Snowman, the small studio behind award-winning iOS games Alto’s Adventure, Alto’s Odyssey, Skate City and others.

Pok Pok is a great example of how games can be taken beyond the gaming industry to consumer and educational apps. Learn more about Pok Pok: https://playpokpok.com/

03:02 Melissa's Journey to Pok Pok

12:08 Building the Product

16:09 Marketing and Business Model

19:15 Challenges and Parental Concerns

23:20 Balancing Toddler Activities and Screen Time

24:03 The Healthy Screen Time Debate

24:40 Understanding Pok Pok's Unique Value

26:15 Challenges and Differentiation in the Market

30:36 Team Composition and Educational Approach

33:18 Reflections on Entrepreneurship

39:02 Balancing Family and Business

41:34 Future Plans and Excitement

43:27 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

💌 Don't forget to subscribe to Rise and Play for further news: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.riseandplay.io/blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ If you enjoyed today's episode make sure to rate it on Spotify, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, or simply share it with a friend.