What Scares Startups

Our guest in this episode of "What Scares Startups" is Shane Mang. Shane is the founder at Landware Entertainment, and is also the Director of Global Sales and Outbound Licensing at the children's entertainment giant, Spin Master. Shane talks with us about diving headfirst into being a founder with no prior startup experience at all, setting out to create a product that you yourself want but that doesn't currently exist and allowing that to become the driving force and the passion that fuels everything else. Shane also talks about the importance of knowing that failure and challenges are going to arise during your founder journey, and that letting the experts and specialists that you're working with be the experts and specialists is the key to making sure you are ready and able to handle those inevitable speed bumps as they appear. This is another great one, so make sure to check it out to hear more!

On this episode of "What Scares Startups" our guest is Ryan Dunnison. Ryan is a game designer, instructor/teacher, and the Owner & Founder of Playful Fox Games Inc. Ryan talks to us about being disillusioned by working at some of the big AAA game studios and his realization that there's a better work reality that you can create for yourself if you decide to take the leap into being a startup founder. He discusses how he took that leap a little too early himself initially, but how now that's only made his return to the startup space filled that much more with renewed vigour and wisdom. Join us, and give this episode a listen for more!

Today's guest on "What Scares Startups" is Jericca Cleland. Jericca is the Founder, CCO and Writer/Director at Oridian Entertainment. With over 25 years of experience as a writer & director, Jericca worked at Pixar Animation Studios designing cameras and staging for major blockbuster films like Toy Story 2 and Finding Nemo. Before moving into film, she was a computer game developer at both Sierra On-Line and Pixar Animation Studios, and more recently, she also creatively designed, directed, and co-produced an award-winning VR experience based on the Oscar-nominated film ‘Song of the Sea’ with Oculus, and is the creative force behind mobile AR game Wildermage, gamifying walks in outdoor spaces. Jericca brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our conversation and talks to us about one of the most foundational pieces of success that all start-ups require at their core - the importance of trust. Trust in your team, trust in yourself, and trust in the mission. Jericca also discusses the challenges she's faced being a female senior executive / founder, and the ways that she's managed to overcome many of those hurdles over the years. Again, lots of great stuff in this episode that you won't want to miss, so be sure to check it out for more!

Our guest in this episode of "What Scares Startups" is Howie Baral. Howie is the Founder & CEO of Tipbox, a former executive at R.C. Baral & Company, Inc where he worked on a number of major Hollywood productions, and is also a yoga teacher. Howie talks to us about what it's like making a pretty significant career pivot in retirement, and both the advantages and disadvantages of becoming a first-time founder at an older age. Howie also pulls on his yoga teaching experience to provide some great advice to other first-time founders, including staying mindful and learning to trust your gut. Lots of great takeaways from this one for sure, so be sure to check it out for more!

On this episode of "What Scares Startups", our guest is Andrew Czarnietizki. Andrew is the President, Co-Founder and Lead Developer of Edmonton-based indie game studio Only By Midnight. With over 15 years of experience in the games industry, Andrew is a co-founder of Serious Labs and has shipped over 18 serious game titles as Programmer and Lead Designer, including a line of award-winning VR Crane simulators. Andrew chats with us about the fear and excitement of turning your side hustle into your main gig, and what it's like to transition from a big team to running your own boutique studio. Andrew also talks to us about approaching being a founder like a disruptor, and about being driven by knowing that there's a better way to do things and setting out to run a business that isn't necessarily in line with the way it's been done traditionally. As always, lots of great stuff to unpack in this one, so check it out to learn more!