As a part of the second version of our “Meet the Management” sequence, we’re excited to introduce Andee Olson, Chief Working Officer at Obsess. We requested Andee to share highlights from her skilled journey, what led her to Obsess, recommendation on impactful management, the position of gamification in commerce right now and her ideas on the way forward for engagement in digital experiences. Right here’s what she needed to say:
Q. You’ve had a formidable profession journey with roles at firms like Vogue and Bumble. Are you able to stroll us by way of that path and what finally led you to Obsess?
AO: After I look again at my profession journey, I’m reminded of a marketing campaign we did at Bumble referred to as “One Connection.” The entire concept behind the marketing campaign was that it solely takes one individual to consider in you, see your potential, or encourage you to take an opportunity. This has held true for each alternative I’ve had all through my profession.
A good friend really useful me for an internship at Vogue, which finally became a full-time position. I labored there for a few years and made connections that led me to each single job I’ve had since. I labored with individuals who later really useful me for roles at Bumble and employed me at Code and Concept, and I really feel very lucky for that.
I additionally labored with our present founder and CEO, Neha Singh, at Vogue, the place she was main product on the time. I used to be working in a extra operational and technique position, given my engineering background, and she or he was the one who inspired me to discover product administration. I had by no means heard of product administration earlier than, but it surely turned out I used to be already working in that capability. I took correct coaching and product administration has been one thing I’ve utilized in each position since. After we each left Vogue, I advised Neha to maintain me in thoughts if something fascinating got here up sooner or later, and I all the time mentioned I might observe her wherever. And certain sufficient, she did! I’m so grateful that Neha was one among my “one connections”—her encouragement introduced me many profession alternatives and finally led me to the place I’m right now.
Q. For these beginning their careers and aspiring to management positions, what are some qualities or classes you realized alongside the best way?
AO: I’ve had wonderful position fashions and mentors—folks I look as much as and nonetheless go to with questions. So, I undoubtedly need to give again what I’ve been given. Everybody has a special management model and what I’ve discovered works finest for me is supporting the workforce, main with empathy and, after all, generally a dose of robust love goes a good distance. I don’t ask of my workforce something I wouldn’t do myself. I really feel so fortunate to handle such a hardworking group of individuals. They’re pushed, they’re artistic and so they all the time convey their finest to the desk, which makes my job quite a bit simpler. I’m in a position to set greater expectations due to it. The best way I see my position is to assist them the most effective I can. Finally, their success is my success, which is the corporate’s success. I’m right here to be my workforce’s cheerleader for all times—I need to have the ability to assist them even after Obsess. I nonetheless be in contact with so lots of my earlier coworkers.
For anybody aspiring to be a frontrunner, you need to discover what works for you on the subject of management model. Plenty of the time, a management model might be just right for you, but it surely won’t work for the folks you’re managing—that is one thing I’ve realized alongside the best way too. It’s about discovering that stability: begin with a basis and evolve primarily based in your workforce’s wants. , my dad has all the time been somebody I’ve gone to for recommendation and regarded as much as for management steering too. It was actually fascinating when, a number of years in the past, he got here to me asking for my recommendation on one thing—tables can flip! I all the time inform everybody on my workforce that I’ll in all probability be working for them someday, and I consider that wholeheartedly as a result of they’re all so sensible and pushed.
Q: On to your present position and the evolving digital panorama—now, greater than ever, we’re seeing the fusion of on-line commerce and gamification. Are you able to inform us extra concerning the position Obsess is taking part in on this shift?
AO: Completely! I’m very enthusiastic about this mix, principally as a result of it’s one thing I’ve talked about since my time at Vogue and my company days—the chance to combine commerce and content material. There are a number of methods to buy, and no shopper matches into only one class. In actual fact, most match into a number of classes. The 2 commonest are: “utility-driven,” the place a client is aware of precisely what they need to purchase, and “exploratory,” the place customers need to search, study extra and get impressed. Content material helps you do precisely that.
Gamification is a continuation of this dialog. You’re including an engagement layer on prime of the whole lot, and also you’re making the exploration facet enjoyable. On the finish of the day, buying must be enjoyable, proper? If you’re searching for one thing, you need to really feel impressed and also you additionally need to benefit from the course of. And whilst you’re doing that, you’re participating with the model. The extra you perceive what the model is about, the extra recollections you’re making—and people recollections will keep on with you! You won’t buy at that actual second, however you’re prone to buy sooner or later due to the connection you’ve made with the model.
Once we have a look at our prospects who’ve prioritized gamification of their digital experiences, the outcomes communicate for themselves. Customers are spending extra time, clicking on extra parts, returning extra typically and trying out with extra merchandise. Finally, you need to cater to this exploratory viewers. If not, your model will miss out on an enormous alternative. It’s the pure extension of what’s been occurring for years—first with 2D content material, then with Obsess’ 3D content material, and now taking it one step additional with gamification.
Q. On the subject of gamification, over the previous 12 months, Obsess has designed and developed branded experiences for Roblox. With bodily commerce now a part of the platform’s roadmap, what’s your advice for manufacturers?
AO: I couldn’t suggest Roblox extra for manufacturers, particularly these seeking to goal youthful audiences. Whereas Roblox is named a gaming platform that appeals to younger kids, it’s more and more widespread with the 18-34 age group, which is what’s attractive manufacturers. In response to the newest numbers, Roblox has practically 90 million month-to-month energetic customers who’re spending over two and a half hours a day on common—greater than on social media platforms. So, this isn’t simply an unimaginable viewers by way of dimension, but it surely’s additionally a extremely engaged viewers.
So if I’m a model, I’m considering: how do I attain this high-value viewers? A method is to go to a platform the place that viewers already exists—and this viewers undoubtedly exists on Roblox. What’s so distinctive about Roblox is that you simply’re not solely reaching this huge viewers, however you may as well fully customise the expertise to make it actually distinctive to your model. This lets you educate shoppers about your model, showcase what you need to provide and even incorporate your model’s core values—all by way of a enjoyable and fascinating expertise.
Now, with the not too long ago introduced Shopify integration, manufacturers have the power to transform these customers into paying prospects. If manufacturers aren’t listening to this but, they completely must be, as a result of many are—and also you don’t need to be left behind with this viewers. I believe we’ll see a whole lot of manufacturers make the most of this partnership subsequent 12 months, particularly since some have already began making a splash within the house. What’s thrilling for us at Obsess is that we’re in a position to convey our learnings from digital shops and experiences into Roblox—tips on how to create an expertise that aligns together with your model, educates and engages your shoppers, and finally converts them into customers.
Q: What are another use instances for 3D know-how do you see within the subsequent few years?
AO: There are a few issues that I’m enthusiastic about, one being B2B options. I keep in mind engaged on case research in faculty and excited about the realm of the B2B options, which have historically been very operational and process-driven. Not a whole lot of know-how was going into that house. In my company job, I labored with a whole lot of firms to assist with their B2B options. Now, after I give it some thought, there’s a lot 3D know-how can do for gross sales enablement, studying instruments and extra inside the B2B trade. After I take into consideration the potential, the work we may do to assist companies attain shoppers, enhance their processes and efficiencies and make what they accomplish that way more scalable—and naturally, participating—is extremely thrilling.
One other space is actual property. As somebody who’s all the time keeping track of actual property—continuously exploring properties I’d love to purchase, and as somebody who, when shifting into a brand new house, creates old-school collages of furnishings in Google Slides—I’m thrilled concerning the potential for immersive options on this trade. There are such a lot of completely different elements of actual property that might profit from 3D options, from constructing and concepting to execution at each industrial and residential ranges. Visualizing design, layouts, and supplies all in 3D may fully remodel the expertise. I imply, the chances listed below are limitless. From day one at Obsess, I’ve thought, these industries may actually use a shake-up. Now, I lastly really feel the know-how is in a spot the place we are able to actually provide one thing that’s each distinctive and useful to them as companies.
Q: Lastly, the place do you see immersive know-how going within the subsequent 5 years?
AO: After I take into consideration how a lot has modified since I first began working at Obsess three and a half years in the past to now—it’s been unimaginable and so impactful. In 5 years? I can’t even think about, however there are some issues I believe we’ll begin to see extra of, and at scale.
First, immersive experiences which are personalised for you. At present, most experiences we create are pushed by what the model thinks you have to be shopping for. What we’ll begin to see extra of are experiences pushed by what you, as a consumer or shopper, need to purchase. We’ve been doing this in some passive methods, however there’s a lot room for evolution, and we’re actively engaged on it—a whole lot of it powered by AI.
AI, in flip, is one other space that can start to drive this trade and know-how, making it extra environment friendly and efficient. I additionally don’t suppose this may essentially take 5 years; we’ll begin seeing this a lot sooner, however in 5 years, it would doubtless be occurring at a a lot bigger scale.
