As a part of the second version of our “Meet the Leadership” 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 at the moment 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 powerful profession journey with roles at firms like Vogue and Bumble. Are you able to stroll us by that path and what in the end led you to Obsess?
AO: Once 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 thought behind the marketing campaign was that it solely takes one particular person 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 pal really useful me for an internship at Vogue, which in the end changed into 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 Idea, 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 he or she was the one who inspired me to discover product administration. I had by no means heard of product administration earlier than, nevertheless it 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 instructed Neha to maintain me in thoughts if something attention-grabbing got here up sooner or later, and I at all times mentioned I might observe her anyplace. And positive sufficient, she did! I’m so grateful that Neha was one in all my “one connections”—her encouragement introduced me many profession alternatives and in the end led me to the place I’m at the moment.
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 superb position fashions and mentors—individuals I look as much as and nonetheless go to with questions. So, I positively wish to give again what I’ve been given. Everybody has a unique management fashion and what I’ve discovered works finest for me is supporting the staff, main with empathy and, after all, generally a dose of powerful love goes a great distance. I don’t ask of my staff something I wouldn’t do myself. I really feel so fortunate to handle such a hardworking group of individuals. They’re pushed, they’re inventive and so they at all times convey their finest to the desk, which makes my job so much simpler. I’m capable of set increased expectations due to it. The way in which I see my position is to assist them one of the best I can. Finally, their success is my success, which is the corporate’s success. I’m right here to be my staff’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, it’s important to discover what works for you in terms of management fashion. Plenty of the time, a management fashion could be just right for you, nevertheless it may not work for the individuals you’re managing—that is one thing I’ve realized alongside the best way too. It’s about discovering that steadiness: begin with a basis and evolve based mostly in your staff’s wants. , my dad has at all times been somebody I’ve gone to for recommendation and regarded as much as for management steerage too. It was actually attention-grabbing when, just a few years in the past, he got here to me asking for my recommendation on one thing—tables can flip! I at all times inform everybody on my staff that I’ll in all probability be working for them at some point, 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 enjoying on this shift?
AO: Completely! I’m very enthusiastic about this mixture, 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 most typical are: “utility-driven,” the place a client is aware of precisely what they wish to purchase, and “exploratory,” the place buyers wish to search, be taught 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 high of every little thing, and also you’re making the exploration facet enjoyable. On the finish of the day, procuring ought to be enjoyable, proper? While you’re searching for one thing, you wish to really feel impressed and also you additionally wish to benefit from the course of. And when you’re doing that, you’re participating with the model. The extra you perceive what the model is about, the extra reminiscences you’re making—and people reminiscences will follow you! You may not buy at that actual second, however you’re more likely to buy sooner or later due to the connection you’ve made with the model.
Once we have a look at our clients who’ve prioritized gamification of their digital experiences, the outcomes converse for themselves. Customers are spending extra time, clicking on extra parts, returning extra typically and trying out with extra merchandise. Finally, it’s important 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 taking place 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 advocate 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. Based on the most recent 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 unbelievable viewers when it comes to measurement, nevertheless it’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 positively exists on Roblox. What’s so distinctive about Roblox is that you just’re not solely reaching this huge viewers, however it’s also possible to fully customise the expertise to make it really distinctive to your model. This lets you educate shoppers about your model, showcase what it’s important to supply and even incorporate your model’s core values—all by a enjoyable and fascinating expertise.
Now, with the not too long ago introduced Shopify integration, manufacturers have the flexibility to transform these customers into paying clients. If manufacturers aren’t taking note of this but, they completely ought to be, as a result of many are—and also you don’t wish to be left behind with this viewers. I feel we’ll see a number of manufacturers reap the benefits 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 capable of convey our learnings from digital shops and experiences into Roblox—easy methods to create an expertise that aligns along with your model, educates and engages your shoppers, and in the end converts them into buyers.
Q: What are another use circumstances for 3D expertise do you see within the subsequent few years?
AO: There are a few issues that I’m enthusiastic about, one being B2B options. I bear in mind engaged on case research in school and serious about the world of the B2B options, which have historically been very operational and process-driven. Not a number of expertise was going into that house. In my company job, I labored with a number of firms to assist with their B2B options. Now, after I give it some thought, there’s a lot 3D expertise can do for gross sales enablement, studying instruments and extra inside the B2B trade. Once I take into consideration the potential, the work we might do to assist companies attain shoppers, enhance their processes and efficiencies and make what they achieve this way more scalable—and naturally, participating—is extremely thrilling.
One other space is actual property. As somebody who’s at all times maintaining a tally of actual property—continuously exploring properties I’d love to purchase, and as somebody who, when transferring into a brand new dwelling, 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 facets of actual property that would profit from 3D options, from constructing and concepting to execution at each business and residential ranges. Visualizing design, layouts, and supplies all in 3D might fully rework the expertise. I imply, the probabilities listed here are infinite. From day one at Obsess, I’ve thought, these industries might actually use a shake-up. Now, I lastly really feel the expertise is in a spot the place we are able to really supply one thing that’s each distinctive and useful to them as companies.
Q: Lastly, the place do you see immersive expertise going within the subsequent 5 years?
AO: Once 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 unbelievable and so impactful. In 5 years? I can’t even think about, however there are some issues I feel we’ll begin to see extra of, and at scale.
First, immersive experiences which are personalised for you. At this time, most experiences we create are pushed by what the model thinks try to be shopping for. What we’ll begin to see extra of are experiences pushed by what you, as a consumer or shopper, wish 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 number of it powered by AI.
AI, in flip, is one other space that can start to drive this trade and expertise, making it extra environment friendly and efficient. I additionally don’t suppose this can essentially take 5 years; we’ll begin seeing this a lot sooner, however in 5 years, it would seemingly be taking place at a a lot bigger scale.
