Esports Connected With Megan Van Petten

Today, we have the pleasure of chatting with Bruce Stein, Managing Director at Westbridge Consulting, LLC. Bruce is an experienced CEO and multi-preneur. He has vast experience as president, CEO, and Board Member of several toys, video game, technology and entertainment companies. He co-founded and directed aXiomatic, an esports and video gaming enterprise. In this episode, Bruce shares his though...

There was a time when robots serving you drinks and food only seemed to only be real in a cartoon like the Jetsons. However, if you were at the EsportsNext Conference last September, you would have had drinks being served to you by CLOi. CLOi is LG’s robot technology, and she’s not just about serving drinks. In fact, she does so much more, including disinfecting public places by utilizing UV light...

In this episode, we’re back at last year’s EsportsNext Conference, as Megan welcomes Chyron’s Vice President of Marketing, Carol Bettencourt.  Chyron was one of the production sponsors at EsportsNext, and the ladies discuss how Chyron helped take the delivery and graphics at the conference to a whole new level. They also talk about events, and how it can be amazing when different teams come togeth...

Joining us today to talk about education, esports, and gaming is Nick Turner, Consultant and Lecturer of Esports at Queen Mary's College in Basingstoke, UK. In this episode, co-hosted by Brandon Brunhammer, our conversation revolves around the benefits of adding esports to formal education curriculums, staying grounded, and keeping things real as members of the esports and gaming industry and how...

When you see a need, you don’t have to wait for others to fill that need. That’s exactly what Brian Exner of PwR Up GG did when he wanted a way to highlight so many amazing gaming and esports businesses in the midwest. Instead of waiting for someone to create the event he wanted, he stepped in and created it himself. Brian sits down with Megan and Brandon Bruhammer to talk about why it was so impo...

In today's episode, Megan and Brandon take a moment to appreciate their wonderful experiences so far at the Power event in South Bend, Indiana.    They talk about the importance of connection, the multiple benefits companies experienced during the conference, and the possibilities these kinds of events open for the industry's future.

If there’s one ongoing theme you see through esports and gaming, it’s the excitement over how many jobs and opportunities are created for those who have a love of gaming.  Calvin Hill and business partner, Kevin Fair met through the gaming community, and when they saw a need for more organized tournaments, more accountability for equipment, and help with setup, I Play Games! was formed. I Play Gam...

In today's episode, co-hosted by Brandon Brunhammer, we meet Monica Miller, Collegiate Esports Program Development Consultant at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design, storyteller, gaming enthusiast, and health & wellness advocate.  Throughout our conversation, directly from the Power event in South Bend, Monica shared her journey into gaming and esports and how she got involved in the creati...

Joining us today at the Power event in South Bend is the ESTA Elevator Pitch winner Matt Jackson, founder, and CEO of the Ultimate Gaming Championship (UGC). Throughout our conversation, Matt reveals the details of how he went from organizing LAN parties in the basement of his parent's house to founding one of the most successful companies in the industry. We also talk about what the future holds...

Fitness and overall wellness are not strangers anymore in the gaming community. Competitive and recreational gamers, streamers, and pretty much every person in the industry spending long hours in front of a monitor understands the importance of staying physically, emotionally, and mentally fit to enhance their experiences and give their 100%.  Today, we had an educational conversation with Kristen...

In this episode, directly from the Bendix Arena in South Bend's Century Center, we chat with Brandon Brunhammer, Business Development Director in Research and Learning at AVI-SPL (XTG). Brandon is also Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Esports Trade Association and the VR AR Association. We talked about the different ways brands and institutions can help and support the gaming and esport...

Let's think of every pixel on a screen as an independent source of information. We will look at the fidelity between an author's creation and the final product displayed with different eyes. Today, we have another set of fantastic guests, Mike Ellsworth and Jason Tirado. Mike is a Senior Sales Engineer at Lightware Visual Engineering, North America, and Jason has been Lightware's President since 2...

In today's episode, we dive deep into the marketing world with our two guests, Kevin Pustizzi and Ryan Harbinson. We explore their journey into the marketing and branding space, why storytelling is so crucial in modern marketing, and how to separate our company from the rest through our campaigns.  Kevin and Ryan shared their thoughts on how quickly trends change in the online space, how companies...

Joining us today at the Esports Next Conference is one of the most brilliant minds in the gaming and esports space, Scott Greenberg. Scott is a real estate visionary and a serial tech entrepreneur and investor. He is the creator of ROOF and theWit, President of the ECD Company, GO EB5 RC Regional Center, and SMASHotels, and the co-founder of Smash Interactive and Smash Virtual.  He revolutionized...

Today, we are blessed with April Welch's presence at the Esports Next Conference to talk about the launch of the Bronzeville Esports League and the first Level-Up award received from the Esports Trade Association.   April is the Associate Vice President and Strategic Initiatives and Director at the Esports and Digital Arts Center at Illinois Tech.   We are also joined by Bubba Gaeddert, Executive...

In another edition of the podcast from the Esports Next Conference, we are delighted to welcome Roger Payne to the show.  Roger is the Key Account Director at YouGov, an international data and analytics group. YouGov's data-led support helps media owners, brands, and media agencies improve their marketing activities. YouGov is the most quoted data research source in the UK, and according to a Pew...

Today, in another episode from the Esports Next Conference, Bubba had the pleasure of interviewing Joanie Kraut, CEO at Women In Games International (WIGI). Joanie has over 15 years in the gaming space, serving several smaller studios, startups, and nonprofits as a consultant in the process. She is an expert in business development, financial strategy, operational process development and execution...

For most gamers, streamers, and casters, things can change overnight. Good results in an international tournament could change a gamer's life by getting them millions of visits to their social media channels, and in case something like that happens, there are certain things they need to have in place. For instance, gamers should check if the name they are building is already taken.  Our guest, Jus...

In today's episode from the Esports Next Conference, we chat with the Esports Trade Association's Head of Marketing, Leslie Fitzsimmons.  Leslie has over 30 years of media experience in sales, revenue management, marketing, and executive leadership. She is passionate about bridging mainstream audiences and hardcore esports fans and gamers and working with startups willing to impact the industry's...

We are thrilled to chat with April Welch and John Davidson at the Esports Next Conference in today's episode.  April is the Associate Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Director of the Esports and Digital Arts Center at Illinois Tech. John is the Founder & CEO of the Davidson Learning Company, Host of the DLC Drop Podcast, and Chair of the Esports Trade Association.  We had a fantasti...

Even though she was born and raised in America, our guest, Hiba Anver, found out early in her life that looking different from the rest of the kids was enough to be treated differently and have a particular set of rules applied to her. Daughter of Pakistani immigrants, Hiba grew up with the feeling of having one foot in each world and a different perspective on how minorities were treated.  Being...

Following up with some of the best encounters at the Esports Next Conference, we are thrilled to bring Jacob Kaplan to the show. Jacob has over a decade of experience with Digital Arts and Design and Media Communications programs, helping develop valuable industry members. He is the Creative Project Strategist at the Full Sail University, where he leads and supports most of the University's creati...

The Esports Trade Association's mission, in a nutshell, is to provide resources to make the gaming industry better. Today, the Association has eight committees working to provide the best resources available, helping both endemic and non-endemic companies join, contribute, and grow themselves while they help develop the industry.  Today, the great MVP, Megan Van Petten, joins us to talk about the...

The best way to understand what an esports athlete needs to perform at their maximum is by treating them like traditional athletes. Our guest, Josh Otero, believes they must pay attention to their resting time, eating habits, hydration, and avoid grinding all day. Keeping up with our series of interviews at the Esports Next Conference, we chat with Josh Otero, Co-Founder and CEO of NutriGMR and Fo...

The gaming industry has some significant issues yet to be solved, and the quickest, more effective way to solve them is through unity. The industry needs to develop a message, design a strategy, and execute it as a unit.  To talk to us about it is Anthony Gaud, Emmy-Award winning entrepreneur and media executive, Member of the Board of Directors of the Esports Trade Association, and CEO of G3 Espo...