Rise and Play Podcast

In this episode, host @Sophie Vo sits down with Claire Rozain, a leader in the gaming and tech space, community builder, and entrepreneur. Together they reflect on Claire’s unconventional career journey, her bold move into solopreneurship, and the lessons she has learned about resilience, freedom, and building meaningful communities.Claire shares her perspective on navigating layoffs, redefining success beyond corporate life, and creating ventures that address real gaps in the market—from gaming communities to women-led festivals and Femtech initiatives. The discussion is deeply personal, exploring how life experiences, including moments of trauma, can shape one’s courage to live authentically and take risks.Listeners will come away with powerful reminders about trust, self-belief, and the importance of surrounding yourself with supportive people who empower you to build the life you truly want.“Unemployment is not an end—it’s an opportunity to evolve.”Leadership Learnings💡 Leading With Courage* Facing mortality builds clarity: A near-death experience pushed Claire to live boldly, take risks, and reject fear of failure.* Employment ≠ identity: Layoffs, while painful, can be reframed as opportunities for reinvention and growth.* Corporate limits: Promotions and career ladders often cap personal growth. Entrepreneurship opens new paths, but also requires resilience.💡 Entrepreneurship & Solopreneurship* Gap spotting as strategy: Every venture Claire started—from communities to femtech—began with identifying unmet needs.* Solo founder ≠ working alone: Building partnerships and communities is essential, even without co-founders.* Bootstrapping > dependency: Funding freedom can matter more than chasing investors and exits.💡 Building Communities* Authenticity is power: Claire’s success stems from being unapologetically herself, even in male-dominated spaces.* Community > scale: True connection and diversity create lasting impact, not vanity metrics.* Support networks matter: Behind every strong leader is a circle of peers, mentors, and allies.💡 Life & Business Alignment* Design life around values: Entrepreneurship is not just about money, but about crafting a lifestyle aligned with authenticity, ethics, and joy.* Emotions are a GPS: Feelings are a guide, not a weakness, when making business and life decisions.* Equality requires awareness: Recognizing historical and structural inequities is key to building more inclusive futures.Resources & Links* 📕 Rise and Play – Coaching, workshops, and resources for conscious leadership* 🔗 Follow Claire Rozain on LinkedInThanks for reading Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

In this episode, Sophie Vo sits down with indie game developer and studio Filipina co-founder Danni Ann Taylor to explore the realities of starting and running a game studio—while raising a family—without outside funding.Dani shares her journey from early gaming passion to launching Yang Yang Mobile with her husband in the Philippines, building a reputation for high-quality visual novels like The Letter, and developing their latest title, High Time.From risky leaps of faith to strategic pivots, Danni discusses the balance between creative vision and business realities, the challenges of working with your life partner, and how to grow a team without losing the joy of making games.She also opens up about her unconventional daily schedule , the role of her support system, and how she handles founder guilt while raising three children.Key LearningsStarting Before 30 & Bootstrapping* Danni and her husband started their studio shortly after she gave birth, believing it was better to “fail early” than wait until later in life.* Bootstrapped the business using life savings, layoff packages, and small family loans—no investors, to keep creative freedom.Finding Success By Pivoting To What You Love* Initially aimed for hyper-casual mobile games but shifted to visual novels after realizing mobile required heavy UA spending.* Created The Letter and used Kickstarter to secure funding, leveraging her own passion and understanding of the VN audience.Indie Studios Success: Standing Out in a Niche* Elevated the standard for indie visual novels: full English voice acting, animated backgrounds, branching storylines that impact the journey—not just the ending.* Added minigames and interactivity to make titles more engaging for streamers and viewers.Sustainable Growth vs Scale* Grew from a 7-person team to around 20—deliberately staying small to balance creative work and manageable leadership.* Avoided scaling too fast after seeing the strain of expansion.Balancing Family & Business* Relies on family and trusted help for childcare and household management.* Embraces a night-owl schedule with split work blocks to balance deep focus time, family moments, and personal space.Top Quality Is The Best Marketing* Focus on making a “really darn good game” so fans and streamers want to share it.* Built a small but loyal fanbase who amplify launches and sustain visibility.Links & Resources* Yang Yang Mobile Website* Wishlist High Time on Steam: Steam Page Link* Rise and Play Leadership coachingThanks for reading Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

In this heartfelt conversation recorded in a relaxed setting in Berlin, Sophie Vo is joined by Maria Gillies, Product Director at Pixion Games, for an intimate exploration of career pivots, leadership rooted in values, and returning to one's authentic self.Maria shares her unique journey from working in the fishing industry to becoming a leader in mobile free-to-play games. With openness and depth, she discusses the personal and professional transformations she's undergone through the Rise and Play coaching program ORIN, including moving back to Portugal, rediscovering joy, and reshaping her leadership style."I didn't want to be on the hamster wheel anymore—I just wanted to make great games with great people."Sophie and Maria explore themes of alignment, creative leadership, feminine power in tech, and the importance of building humane studios and communities.💡 Key Learnings & Takeaways* Purposeful Career Planning: Maria’s entry into games wasn’t accidental—it was a deliberate, 10-year plan that involved leveraging transferable skills and continuously learning outside of work.* The Cost of Success: Chasing career milestones can cause disconnection from one's values. Realigning with personal principles often requires pausing, reflecting, and sometimes rewriting the “playbook.”* Creating Joyful Workspaces: A creative industry like gaming thrives when workplaces are safe, joyful, and aligned. Maria emphasizes that fun is essential not only in the games we create but in how we make them.* Leadership Rooted in Humanity: Rather than copying leadership styles, Maria champions being guided by your morals and heart. Vulnerability and reflection are essential to lead well.* The Power of Coaching & Community: Through the ORIN mastermind, Maria found clarity, balance, and deep friendships. Investing in personal growth led to professional transformation—and vice versa.* Remote Work and Returning Home: Maria’s move back to Portugal wasn’t just geographic—it represented a personal full circle, reclaiming joy, language, and creative inspiration.🌐 Resources & Mentions* PlaytestCloud — Podcast sponsor and a powerful player research tool for game developers.* Rise and Play — Leadership coaching, resources, and the ORIN mastermind program.* Pixion Games — Studio behind Fableborn, where Maria leads product and creative direction.🙌 Connect with Us* Maria Gillies: LinkedIn* Sophie Vo: LinkedIn | riseandplay.ioThanks for listening to Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

In this heartfelt episode, host Sophie Vo sits down with Luna Javier — the first female game developer in the Philippines and a true pioneer with over 20 years of experience.Luna shares her extraordinary journey from an aspiring filmmaker to game writer, designer, and eventually co-founder of Altitude Games. She opens up about the challenges of burnout, the unexpected leap into entrepreneurship, and how she helped shape the Filipino game development industry from the ground up.Luna also discusses the evolving role of women in games, the importance of mentorship and inclusivity, and the emotional transitions that come with founding, scaling, and eventually selling a studio."I didn't want to be an entrepreneur — I just wanted to design games with friends."In her recent chapter, Luna explores life beyond her long-time leadership role thanks to coaching and attending ORIN program, embracing teaching, mentoring, and new creative opportunities, all while rediscovering her true self.Sophie and Luna reflect on the power of community, coaching, and the courage it takes to continually reinvent oneself.Key Topics Discussed:* Luna’s unexpected start in gaming from filmmaking to game writing* Laumching the first Filipino game development company, Anino Games* The birth of the Philippines game industry and the "Anino alumni" phenomenon* Shifting from creative IPs to work-for-hire to survive as a studio* The emotional rollercoaster of founding and exiting Altitude Games* Lessons on leadership, culture, and team care during acquisitions* The rise of women in games in the Philippines and Asia* Luna’s transition to teaching, mentoring, and designing her next chapter* The importance of coaching, mentorship, and asking for help* Embracing freedom and self-discovery after leaving a long-held identityLearn more about ORIN women leadership programConnect with Luna on LinkedinThanks for listening to Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

In this powerful episode, host Sophie Vo sits down with Susan Cummings — co-founder of 2K Games, Tiny Rebel Games, and now 10Six Games — to explore her 25+ year journey through the gaming industry. From signing legendary IPs like Bioshock and Borderlands to founding and evolving multiple studios, Susan shares unfiltered insights on intuition-driven leadership, building (and rebuilding) companies, and the courage to start again after failure.This is a masterclass in resilience, creativity, and navigating the business side of game development.🎮 Key Highlights* Founding 2K Games & Legendary IPsSusan talks about co-founding 2K Games, the origin stories behind signing Bioshock and Borderlands, and the importance of trusting instincts over rigid P&L analysis.* The Role of IntuitionShe emphasizes how gut instinct, developed over years of experience, led to taking big risks that paid off — like acquiring the Civilization IP and signing Bioshock when no one else would.* Tiny Rebel Games Journey (first venture)Suzanne reflects on building Tiny Rebel with her husband, starting as a lifestyle business and evolving into a venture-backed studio, including their work on Doctor Who and AR projects like Wallace & Gromit.* Scaling Challenges & Lessons LearnedCandid lessons about growing too fast after raising a $7M seed round, and how scaling quickly can undermine agility and creative freedom.* New Lessons: The Power of Small Teams & Indie SpiritHer renewed belief in small, senior, highly aligned teams — what she describes as a "rock band" model — and how it fosters creativity and faster iteration.* Personal Resilience & Founding 10Six GamesAfter closing Tiny Rebel, Susan shares the emotional and practical challenges of transitioning, grieving, and finding the energy to build again with 10-6 Games.* Working with a Life PartnerHonest reflections on co-founding multiple companies with her husband, the unique dynamics of mixing work and family life, and how they divide creative and business roles.* New Ventures & Generative AIInsights into how Suzanne is now leveraging generative AI and building a new roguelike game experience with 10-6 Games.💡Leadership Insights✅ Trust your instincts, even when the data says otherwise.Original IP often requires leaps of faith✅ Validate early and often.✅ Small, senior teams can stay agile, avoid heavy process overhead, and iterate faster.✅ Scaling too fast can be a trap.Hiring quickly to match a large funding round can lead to misalignment and risk when market conditions change.✅ Leadership means making hard calls.As a founder, you must be willing to take responsibility for big decisions, even when unsure.✅ Founding with a partner requires strong boundaries and deep trust.📣 1 spot lef for our next ORIN cohortYou and a highly-curated mastermind of 9 exceptional women will be guided by our team through a 6-month coaching journey of inner growth, healing, regenerative energy, group empowerment and transformation.Are you ready for ORIN? We have 1 spot left.Contact sophie@riseandplay.io for inquiry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

7 factors of success for game studiosDownload the full report, share with your team: DOWNLOAD REPORTGrab your FREE TRIAL with our partner PlaytestCloud: https://start.playtestcloud.com/riseIn this episode, Sophie Vo sits down with Kanessa Muluneh, an Ethiopian-born serial entrepreneur, Web3 educator, and the creator of Rise of Fearless — Africa’s first blockchain-enabled mobile battle royale game. From humble beginnings as a refugee in the Netherlands to raising $10M in under 10 days through social media, Kanessa shares her transformative leadership journey, her mission to reframe Africa’s global image, and how she leveraged storytelling, blockchain, and gaming to empower African youth.💡 Key Learnings:* Selling a Startup at 22: Though she earned a medical degree, Kanessa discovered her true path in solving real-world problems through business—starting with a telehealth platform she sold for €1M at age 22.* Serial Entrepreneurial Growth: Kanessa went on to build and exit multiple ventures. Her approach: identify a big problem, validate a solution, test with real users, and execute relentlessly.* Building in Africa Means Building With Africa: Kanessa’s strategic use of TikTok helped her circumvent traditional gatekeeping by generating visibility and credibility with the public—and eventually, investors.* NFTs and Blockchain in Action: By launching an NFT collection and accepting crypto, Kanessa created a groundbreaking way for Ethiopians in rural areas to transact online, bypassing broken financial systems.* Rise of Fearless – A New Gaming Paradigm:* A mobile battle royale game inspired by African history (notably, the Battle of Adwa).* Designed to instill pride, knowledge, and a new narrative of African strength and unity.* Built for mobile to maximize access, and powered by blockchain to enable ownership and decentralized engagement.* The Big Africa Gaming Vision: Kanessa plans to build a platform for other African creators to launch games. She sees this as the starting point of a movement beyond just a company.🔗 Resources & Links:* 🎮 Rise of Fearless Game Website* 💌 Connect with Kanessa📣 Calling Women Leaders Ready For TransformationYou have ticked all the career boxes, you’ve achieved the power and status you’ve wanted and still… you feel something is missing. Are you sure you want to continue the next 20 years of your life this way: exhausted, unfulfilled, uninspired.You are not alone. But you’ve never found the right way to solve it. You and a highly-curated mastermind of 9 exceptional women will be guided by our team through a 6-month coaching journey of inner growth, healing, regenerative energy, group empowerment and transformation. Are you ready for ORIN? We have 3 spots left.Contact sophie@riseandplay.io for inquiry. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

In this leadership-centric episode, host Sophie Vo welcomes Zoë Curnoe — a seasoned production and operations leader turned leadership coach — for a candid conversation about the highs and lows of a 22-year career in the gaming industry, including co-founding Timbre Games and leadership roles at Coalition Studios, Riot Games, EA, and Pandemic Studio.From early days navigating creative chaos, to leading major game launches, to founding a studio and eventually pivoting to coaching, Zoë opens up about what it takes to truly lead in times of complexity, change, and uncertainty.“People want to be led by someone real — not someone who pretends to have it all figured out.”Together, Sophie and Zoë explore the evolution of leadership, the human cost of performance culture, and the emotional labor of building and sustaining creative teams.Whether you’re an executive, a founder, or just navigating your next career step, this conversation offers insights, hope, and a call for more compassionate leadership.💡 Leadership Takeaways:* Factions and Blame Culture: Teams often fall into “us vs. them” mentalities under pressure. Zoë identifies this as a persistent leadership issue that undermines collaboration and ownership.* The Mask of Performance: Leaders often hide struggles behind a facade of control. True leadership requires vulnerability — being able to say “I’m struggling, and I need help.”* Coaching as a Lifeline: Coaching isn't just for top executives. It helps untangle the mental and emotional knots of leadership and offers a mirror for self-awareness and growth.* Authentic Leadership: The path to sustainable leadership lies in being true to your values — not performing a version of leadership based on outdated norms or external expectations.* Studio Founder Lessons: Zoë shares her own learning from Timbre Games, where even with the best intentions, she didn’t always create the safety she aimed for. A humbling reminder that even founders need reflection and repair.* Career Transition & Midlife Shift at 50: Zoë candidly discusses her transition into coaching at age 50, managing menopause, and redefining success on her own terms with her new venture, Lumina Leadership.* Emotional Wellbeing at Work: Fast-paced industries like gaming often neglect the emotional realities of workers. This episode underscores the importance of integrating heart and body into professional life.Zoë Curnoe is the founder of Lumina Leadership and now supports leaders through coaching and consulting, with a mission to make the industry more human, inclusive, and resilient. Connect with Zoë.This episode is brought to you by PlaytestCloud — your partner in delivering fast, reliable, and actionable player research.Thanks for listening to Rise and Play! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support our work.📣 Calling Women Leaders Ready For TransformationYou have ticked all the career boxes, you’ve achieved the power and status you’ve wanted and still… you feel something is missing. Are you sure you want to continue the next 20 years of your life this way: exhausted, unfulfilled, uninspired.You are not alone. But you’ve never found the right way to solve it.We make that time and space for you, with a powerful sisterhood.You and a highly-curated mastermind of 9 exceptional women will be guided by our team through a 6-month coaching journey of inner growth, healing, regenerative energy, group empowerment and transformation.Are you ready for ORIN? Find out by answering our preliminary self-reflection questionnaire. We will reach out soon. We have 2 spots left. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

7 factors of success for game studiosDownload the full report, share with your team: DOWNLOAD REPORTGrab your FREE TRIAL with our partner PlaytestCloud: https://start.playtestcloud.com/riseIn this special episode focused on community building, host Sophie Vo sits down with Julianne Becker, co-founder of Coconat — a workation retreat and co-living space in Brandenburg, Germany. Far from a typical tech leader, Julianne shares her remarkable journey from NGO work in Vietnam to launching an award-winning rural innovation hub that fosters creativity, collaboration, and community for creative and game founders.In this episode, we cover:* The realities of transitioning careers into entrepreneurship* The challenges of building a coliving space and thriving ecosystem from scratch* Insights on funding, bootstrapping, and grassroots marketing* How to create meaningful community integration in rural areas* Balancing family life while building a values-led business* The power of diverse, inclusive residencies, especially the acclaimed Rabbit Indie Game Residency (application deadline: June 15). Rabbit Residency is a standout initiative offering indie game developers a month-long retreat to collaborate, innovate, and connect globally — with a focus on diversity and inclusion.* Exciting developments, including Coconat's new role as a Brandenburg Startup Accelerator to support game devs, mobility innovators, and more through funded residencies.This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in creative leadership, rural innovation, the future of work, or indie game development.💡 Key Takeaways:* Start before you're ready: Juliane emphasized the importance of talking about your idea early, even before it's fully developed, to shape it through feedback and co-creation.* Community-first entrepreneurship: Coconat was built not only for digital nomads but also with and for the local community — from hosting local events to supporting regional development initiatives.* Bootstrapped & bold: Juliane and her partner self-funded the venture through loans and creative incentives (like early volunteer vouchers), showcasing that you don’t need VC money to start strong.* Resilience over perfection: From internet infrastructure setbacks to bureaucratic hurdles, they adapted constantly without losing sight of their values.* Integrating work and family: Coconut was literally built alongside Juliane’s children — a real-world case of family-integrated entrepreneurship.🔗 Resources & Links:* 🐇 Apply for The Rabbit Indie Game Residency (Deadline: June 15th, 2025): https://coconat-space.com/the-rabbit-games-residency-2025-call-for-applications/* 🏡 Learn more about Coconat: https://coconat-space.com/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

7 factors of success for game studiosDownload the full report, share with your team: DOWNLOAD REPORTGrab your FREE TRIAL with our partner PlaytestCloud: https://start.playtestcloud.com/riseIn this episode Tiffany Keller welcomes Julia Zhan, CPO of Series Entertainment, and Burcu Hakguder, the CRO of Layer AI who celebrates their recent close of their seed round for over $6M. Burcu Hakguder started Layer after half a decade at Unity Technologies spearheading new business development initiatives that contributed to the company’s successful IPO. Today Layer AI is embraced by top studios like Zynga, SciPlay, Huuuge Games, and over 200 others to revolutionize game production powered by inferences across many models optimized for 2D, 3D assets and video generation.Julia Zhan is Chief Platform Officer at Series Entertainment, a company revolutionizing game creation through generative stories & worlds after raising over $35M and acquiring Pixelberry and Netflix as a distribution partner. Previously, she managed League of Legends production and operations for China and helped pioneer Valorant at Riot Games. After that, Julia led the game vertical & developer success at Snap, empowering 3P developers to build hyper-social gaming experiences.We break down the AI x Games market today from the founder perspective- how they successfully raised and delivered on investor and customer expectations despite taking very different sides of the AI platform and gaming market. Julia and Burcu share their methodology for finding their “unique selling position” in the market and how that has shaped their advice to game makers looking to integrate AI tools. We discuss a bit of 4D chess on the future of gaming AI platforms and how both large and small companies will need to adapt to remain competitive. For every studio facing a build vs buy question with AI, Julia and Burcu break down how game makers can draw from their USP to define their next steps in harnessing AI. Expect some spicy while incredibly thoughtful takes that reveal how many ways there are to succeed as a game studio armed with the right AI workflows.Try Layer AI today to 5x your game content creation productivityPlay Series Entertainment’s new game, Single’s Inferno, on Netflix Games today to see what Rho, their AI engine, and their acquisition Pixelberry can do together🇪🇸 Barcelona. June 2 — Not your Princess, Just my Own Hero: Innovating for Women in Mobile GamingJoin us for an inspiring afternoon celebrating the impact and innovation of women in mobile gaming. Speakers are from Gamehouse, Scopely, Rise & Play, Funcraft, Appsflyer & Appcharge!​Stick around — the evening wraps up with a lively party to continue the conversation and connections.Welcome - Claire Rozain, Founder Rzain Society This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com

In this heartfelt and deeply inspiring episode, Sophie Vo sits down with Subina Kiani, founder of the global recruitment company Eleven Eleven, to unpack the story behind building a people-first business from the ground up — starting from personal rock bottom.Subina shares her journey of rebuilding her life as a single mother, finding meaning in synchronicities like Eleven Eleven, and challenging the transactional nature of traditional recruitment.We cover in this episode:* 🌱 The power of starting from where you are — no grand plan needed* 🧭 Leading with intuition, alignment, and authenticity in a tech-driven world* 💼 Why recruitment is not just about jobs, but about identity, dreams, and human connection* 💡 The myth of work-life balance and how to intentionally design a fulfilling life* 🤖 How AI is shifting leadership and recruitment — and why emotional intelligence is the futureWhether you're navigating a career pivot, launching a purpose-led business, or rethinking leadership in the age of AI, this episode will give you the courage to trust your gut and just start.💡 Leadership Takeaways:* Breakdowns can lead to breakthroughs — especially when aligned with purpose.* Recruitment isn’t about transactions; it’s about transformation.* Emotional intelligence and human connection are rising in value in an AI-heavy future.* Real leadership starts with self-trust and the courage to be visible.* Building a life that aligns with your values is not only possible — it’s necessary.Eleven Eleven is a global recruitment firm trusted by 40+ gaming and tech studios. With over 15 years of experience, Subina is redefining recruitment through intuition, bringing humanity back to hiring. Learn more here: https://eleven-eleven.io/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit riseandplay.substack.com