Just checking in! We will be switching our show format to every two weeks. Fear not, we'll be back in your ears with great content after the holiday break and what is hopefully a short recovery from surgery. Until next time!By Holodeck Media

Today's episode features Claire Graves, President of The Webby Awards. Each year, The Webbys highlight excellence in digital art, media, design, content, and more. Also each year, you hear your favorite major podcast hosts begging you to vote for their show to win a Webby Award. Claire and I talk about the history of The Webbys, internet trends, an…

Today's fantastic guest is Rebecca Longawa is the Founder and President of Happy Warrior (which helps brands with strategy and partnerships) and the CEO of Women’s Carball, the second largest esports league for women in the world, and features women who play Rocket League. Naturally, we had a lot to talk about, from avoiding activations that are ju…

Joining the podcast today is Jacqui Cooper, Bitcoin enthusiast, author, traveler, and more. We talk about why a will is important, how podcasting has the ability to influence people, Jacqui's book, Bitcoin Cinderella, and way more. Jacqui tells me about her journey into the crypto rabbit hole and how she's embracing a lifetime of learning. Episodes…

Today's episode is incredibly important. Valeriia Voronova, the Media Director of Maincast, joins the show. Maincast is an esports organization based out of Ukraine, where they operate Live Broadcasts, Tournaments, and create original content through their talents and influencers. The war in Ukraine has heavily impacted Valeriia's life, business, a…

Metaverse Designer Gemma Bowen, aka KawaiFoxiita joins the show today! Gemma is a Sims builder and designer, recreating sets, building original sets, and putting her own creative spin on game design sets IN the Sims. With a background in interior design, a passion for creating online worlds, and the talent to build from scratch, Gemma is like if th…

Joining the show today is Ashley Washington, the Game Changers EMEA Product Manager at Riot, where she works on building spaces for folks in marginalized genders to play, compete, and have fun. We talk about Game Changers, and how it creates a safe space for women who are interested in competitive play and removing some of the negative factors that…

Today's episode features Maya McClendon, the Founder of Timeout. Timeout is an app designed to specifically aid athletes and other high pressure performers with tools to aid in bettering mental health. While Timeout is focusing first on athletes, Maya believes expansion into all kinds of competitive areas is going to be critical to Timeout's succes…

This week's episode features Sandy Carter, the VP of Unstoppable Domains. Sandy has had an illustrious career in tech (so much so that she has her own Wikipedia page, definitely check it out), and is right in the middle of the Web3 revolution. We talk about the transition from Web2 to Web3, the opportunities that are out there, and why the Metavers…

Nadja Bester, Co-founder of Engage of Earn investment platform AdLunam, Inc., joins the show today! Nadja has a career in tech, journalism, and travel all rolled into one. We talk about building a platform, why crypto and Web3 projects are important, and what tools founders can use to set themselves up for success. Episode Resources: https://adluna…

Today on the show is Ashley Olmested, Associate Experience Design Director at Ripple Studios where she works on Battlefield 2042 and Battlefield Portal. Ashley FINALLY teaches me what the difference between UX and UI (which is actually critical and really interesting), and what life is like as a developer. One especially prominent note: failure (an…

Swatee Surve, Founder and CEO of Litesprite, joins the show this week. Litesprite is a new way for employers and employees to experience mental health benefits through an interactive environment that teaches people how to master their own zen. Swatee and I discuss mental health, what it's like working in the healthcare space, fundraising, revenue m…

Are you interested in putting fun back into esports? This is the episode for you! Paige Cameron, VP of Miscellanea and general wizard from Beastcoast, joins me to talk about building an international esports organization, what opportunities are out there, and what it's like to constantly adapt and switch roles. Digressions include digital goods, fa…

Joining me this week is Holly Gray, the Human Resources Manager at Generation Esports. In addition to talking about esports and the importance of HR, Holly and I have a bit of a heart to heart about how to keep going when life is difficult, and also talk all about what Generation Esports is doing for students, veterans, and amateur players. Holly t…

In this episode, we discuss Solana opening a store in New York City, Minecraft banning NFTs, Epic Games coming out in support of blockchain technologies, Mark Zuckerberg claiming the race to the metaverse is between Meta and Apple, and so much more! Episode 35 Keywords: Solana, store, New York City, Minecraft, NFT ban, Epic Games, blockchain techno…

Today's episode features Jen Hall, Head of Strategic Partnerships in Southeast Asia and India for Ampverse. Ampverse is an esports company that focuses on team development, influencer relationships, and key strategic partnerships in Southeast Asia and India. Our discussion was centered on gaming culture in Asia, taking a different approach to monet…

In this episode, we discuss Orlando striving to be the center of the metaverse, Unity merging with ironSource, Unity's CEO going off on game developers, 44% of people saying they would accept advertisements in exchange for free metaverse services, Cauldron wanting to be the "Pixar of Web3," and so much more! Episode 34 Keywords: Orlando, metaverse,…

Katya Dolgova, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Redhill Games, a game developer based in Helsinki, Finland is on the podcast this week! In a fun nod to Dolly Parton (intentional or unintentional), Katya's team just put out their first game, an FPS called Nine to Five. We talk about the startup environment vs. larger publishers, what is mis…

Joining me this week is Julievette Jefferson, who started a non-profit called Kick the Day to provide kids with a space to play, learn, and move through gaming and other activities. Julievette's experience in the education world combined with a drive to keep kids sane and happy during the pandemic lead to Kick the Day, which now services her commun…

In this episode, we discuss fake LinkedIn Posts & DAO permissions leading to an Axie Infinity hack, the world's first NFT/web3 gaming console coming out in 2024, a new patent hints at Nike getting into NFT gaming, Chinese companies banning cryptocurrencies, Shanghai investing in the metaverse and so much more! Episode 33 Keywords: fake LinkedIn Pos…

This week's episode features the first-ever enterprise level conversation. Join Lindsay as she discusses marketing, tech, and breaking barriers with Catherine Valiquette, Go-to-Market Manager and Marketing Strategy and Daniella Guio, AMS Marketing Manager, for PageWide Web Presses for a little known company, HP. Catherine and Daniella share their p…

In this episode, we discuss Niantic making an augmented reality location-based basketball game called NBA All World, Newzoo releasing its 2022 Trend Report that provides insights into the metaverse market, and so much more! Episode 32 Keywords: Niantic, augmented reality, basketball game, NBA All World, Newzoo, 2022 Trend Report, metaverse market…

*Major Episode Alert* This week features two incredible leaders in the gaming industry: Dr. Mitu Khandaker (CEO) and Latoya Peterson (CXO) join me from Glow Up Games. In its own words, “Glow Up Games is a game studio centering innovative storytelling about black and brown joy.” Mitu and Latoya walk me through what it was like developing a mobile ga…

In this episode, we discuss Imagination Gaming launching a Bored Ape board game, Noah Davis leaving Christie's for Crypto Punks, Mark Zuckerberg envisioning big spending from Metaverse consumers and predicting a billion metaverse users, Microsoft and Meta creating The Metaverse Standards Forum, Solana Labs aiming to make Web3 mobile phones, and so …

For this special bonus episode, I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Jacquelyn Thomas, Founder and CEO, Kids In Technology, Curriculum Developer- Beauty of STEM Series (BOSS), and the Founder of Girls Pursuing Science. Dr. Jacquelyn's career and outlook lead us to having an important discussion on the different standards for men and women, how race …

We're back with an episode on mental health and wellness, or as the guest this week calls the combination, mental fitness. Sarah Hill, CEO and Founder of Healium, joins me to chat how emerging tech will change the mental health field. Sarah's own journey with PTSD and the struggles of journalism lead her to creating Healium, an app that uses AR/VR …

In this episode, we discuss the former CEO of Twitter (Jack Dorsey) launching a Web 5 platform, Tag Heuer developing watches that can display NFTs, Nansen launching a new messaging application to compete with Discord, a settlement being reached between YGG and Merit Circle DAO, and so much more! Episode 30 Keywords: Twitter, Web5 experiences, Tag H…

Joining me this week is May Mahboob, Co-Founder of MBD Financials, a photo-realistic metaverse banking solution aimed at helping people all over the world engage in financial activities on blockchain based technologies. May describes what banking in the metaverse looks like, how it can help people in developing countries, and what it means for inte…

In this episode, we discuss Neal Stephenson (author of Snow Crash and founder of the term "metaverse") building a new metaverse, Gala Games bringing Grit to the Epic Games Store, Tim Sweeney calling Fortnite's cryptocurrency token a scam, and so much more! Episode 29 Keywords: Neal Stephenson, metaverse, Gala Games, Grit, Epic Games Store, Tim Swee…

We are continuing our mental health chats! Joining me this week is Eve Crevoshay, the Executive Director of Take This. The mission of Take This, in its own words, is “decrease the stigma, and increase the support for, mental health in the game enthusiast community and inside the game industry.” Our discussion is wide ranging, from why building a he…

In this episode, we discuss the United States Department of Justice charging a former OpenSea executive with NFT insider trading, Sky Mavis unveiling the first user-generated Axie Infinity games, South Korea investing $177 million into metaverse platforms, and so much more! Episode 28 Keywords: OpenSea, NFT, insider trading, Sky Mavis, Axie Infinit…

The past few years have been difficult for so many reasons, and prioritizing mental health has become important. This week, we welcome Summer Scott. Summer is the Director of Team Operations at Counter Logic Gaming, where she incorporates all kinds of programs and initiatives to help players with their mental and physical wellbeing in and out of ga…

In this episode, we discuss Seth Green's Bored Ape NFT being stolen, Andreessen Horowitz's $4.5 billion crypto fund, a cross-chain event between Million on Mars and Sunflower Land, an NFL blockchain game, Helpshift's plan for free metaverse customer support, metaverse elves, and so much more! Episode 27 Keywords: Seth Green, BoredApe, NFT, Andreess…

This episode is for the people out there who want to learn more about investing in crypto, but have no idea where to begin. I'm joined by Jennifer Tonge, who not only works in gaming and is an entrepreneur with her own business, but has gotten her start in crypto investing. Join me as Jennifer details what made her interested in crypto, how she cho…

In this episode, we discuss the United States military building its own metaverse, Andreessen Horowitz creating a $600 million fund to invest in gaming, Kevin Lin's Metatheory raising $24 million, DappRadar releasing another Blockchain Gaming report, and so much more! Episode 26 Keywords: United States, military, metaverse, Andreessen Horowitz, a16…

I am joined this week by Megan Van Petten, Founder of the Esports Trade Association. Megan’s career centers around building successful communities, and she’s taken her expertise into the world of esports. Digressions include the principles of leadership, how to stay current and cool with tech, and what it’s like to be an innovator.…

In this episode, we discuss Playboy making their entry into the metaverse, Roblox shares falling by about 10% after an underwhelming quarter, Unity Software's stock falling by almost 30%, Irreverent Labs closing out a $40 million funding round for play to earn rooster fighting, and so much more! Episode 25 Keywords: Playboy, metaverse, stock, Roblo…

This week's incredible guest is Ashley Crowder, Founder and CEO of VNTANA. VNTANA democratizes the use of 3D models to create AR/VR experiences using patented technology to standardize shape files of all kinds, opening up the world of 3D to many different industries. From partnerships with luxury fashion brands to collaborations with Meta (Facebook…

In this episode, we discuss Spotify joining the metaverse through Roblox, former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé showing interest in blockchain gaming for Animal Crossing, Argent raising $40 million to make crypto wallets for games, blockchain gaming pitches flooding venture capital inboxes, and so much more! Episode 24 Keywords: Spo…

Wonderful friend and role model Angela Dalton, CEO & Founder of Signum Growth Capital, joins me for today's episode! We dive into Metaverse chat, with topics like Zoom leapfrogging us into metaverse-like experiences by allowing multiple sensory points, how economies are being shifted from offline worlds, and NFTs as a window into engagement/program…

In this episode, we discuss all the interesting sights and sounds from Crypto Bahamas, TikTok's parent company trying to enter the metaverse, Tim Sweeney's thoughts on the metaverse space, Epic Games allegedly getting a lukewarm reception to their latest funding round, and so much more! Episode 23 Keywords: Crypto Bahamas, TikTok's parent company, …

This week's episode features Phien Le, Head Graphic Designer at FlyQuest, an esports organization with not only a successful League of Legends team but a dedication to being a voice for environmentally friendly practices in the esports industry. We talk about design as a way of storytelling and how design can bring the vision and values of an organ…

In this episode, we discuss sneaker NFTs and the move-to-earn gaming craze, The Sandbox looking to raise $400 million at a $4 billion valuation, FlickPlay and The Sandbox moving closer to the metaverse, lower-level crypto gamers fighting back against "digital colonialism," the underwhelming Chipotle restaurant in Roblox, and so much more! Episode 2…

Neda Whitney, Senior Vice President and Head of Marketing for the Americas at Christie's, joins me to talk Metaverse, NFTs, and just all things luxury. Neda has an astounding background in brand storytelling, and has pivoted within her career many times to many industries. We engage in a broad discussion, from how AR/VR has helped the art world wit…

In this episode, we discuss Meta taking an almost 50% cut of digital asset sales in Horizon Worlds, Sony and Lego investing $2 billion into Epic Games, Sonic the Hedgehog coming to Roblox, Genies raising $150 million for a $1 billion valuation, and so much more! Episode 21 Keywords: Meta, digital asset sales, Horizon Worlds, Sony, Lego, investing, …

Who doesn't love a good influencer? This week, Marketing and Business Development Consultant Becky Taylor joins me to talk influencer marketing strategy, why small networks are important for brands, and why word of mouth marketing works. We also discuss the building of the Metaverse, and how it means creating a full society, from economies to langu…

In this episode, we discuss Coca-Cola releasing a soft drink aimed at gamers and the metaverse, Ubisoft no longer making content for some games including no more NFTs, the shutdown of F1 Delta Time leaving people with worthless NFTs, Sky Mavis raising $150 million in a Binance-led funding round, Decentraland and Sandbox struggling with user acquisi…

Gina Lee, Chief Marketing Officer at Gen.G, joins me this week! Gina's career in marketing and partnerships stretches from art to fashion to gaming, and with such a creative slate of projects, Gina has a unique perspective on how to work with brands. We talk about the importance of consumer-lead advertising, how to balance partnerships, and the ext…

In this episode, we discuss Mojo Vision's augmented reality contact lens prototype, Alibaba leading a $60 million investment round for Nreal AR glasses, Anthony Charlton arguing games should follow the play-and-earn model, DeFinance Capital and Delphi Digital backing Crypto Raiders, hackers stealing $620 million worth of cryptocurrencies from Axie …

It's time to talk about the real world! Joining me this week is Paige Rabatin, Associate at Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP and COO of CLESports. Paige not only represents clients in esports through her law firm, but works on real estate development projects to build esports facilities. With different projects in Ohio and Florida, Paige stays busy! We…