As a part of the second version of our “Meet the Management” collection, 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 function 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 corporations like Vogue and Bumble. Are you able to stroll us via that path and what finally 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 concept behind the marketing campaign was that it solely takes one individual to imagine 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 buddy advisable me for an internship at Vogue, which finally was a full-time function. 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 advisable me for roles at Bumble and employed me at Code and Principle, 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 function, 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 function since. After we each left Vogue, I instructed Neha to maintain me in thoughts if something fascinating got here up sooner or later, and I all the time stated I might comply with her anyplace. And positive sufficient, she did! I’m so grateful that Neha was one in every of 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 discovered alongside the best way?
AO: I’ve had wonderful function fashions and mentors—individuals I look as much as and nonetheless go to with questions. So, I undoubtedly wish to give again what I’ve been given. Everybody has a special management type and what I’ve discovered works finest for me is supporting the group, main with empathy and, after all, typically a dose of powerful love goes a great distance. I don’t ask of my group 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 they usually all the time deliver their finest to the desk, which makes my job rather a lot simpler. I’m in a position to set increased expectations due to it. The best way I see my function is to help 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 group’s cheerleader for all times—I would like to have the ability to help them even after Obsess. I nonetheless communicate with so a lot of my earlier coworkers.
For anybody aspiring to be a frontrunner, you need to discover what works for you relating to management type. Numerous the time, a management type might give you the results you want, but it surely may not work for the individuals you’re managing—that is one thing I’ve discovered alongside the best way too. It’s about discovering that steadiness: begin with a basis and evolve primarily based in your group’s wants. You realize, my dad has all the time been somebody I’ve gone to for recommendation and seemed as much as for management steerage too. It was actually fascinating when, just a few 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 group that I’ll in all probability be working for them at some point, and I imagine that wholeheartedly as a result of they’re all so good and pushed.
Q: On to your present function 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 in regards to the function Obsess is enjoying 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 suits into only one class. In truth, most match into a number of classes. The 2 commonest are: “utility-driven,” the place a consumer is aware of precisely what they wish to purchase, and “exploratory,” the place customers 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 prime of all the pieces, and also you’re making the exploration side enjoyable. On the finish of the day, procuring must be enjoyable, proper? If you’re on the lookout for one thing, you wish to really feel impressed and also you additionally wish to benefit from the course of. And whilst you’re doing that, you’re partaking with the model. The extra you perceive what the model is about, the extra reminiscences you’re making—and people reminiscences will persist with 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 take 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 components, 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 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 yr, 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 trying to goal youthful audiences. Whereas Roblox is called a gaming platform that appeals to younger kids, it’s more and more standard with the 18-34 age group, which is what’s engaging manufacturers. In accordance with the most recent numbers, Roblox has practically 90 million month-to-month lively 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 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 technique 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 just’re not solely reaching this large viewers, however you can even utterly customise the expertise to make it actually distinctive to your model. This lets you educate shoppers about your model, showcase what you need to supply and even incorporate your model’s core values—all via a enjoyable and interesting 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 being attentive to this but, they completely must be, as a result of many are—and also you don’t wish to be left behind with this viewers. I believe we’ll see numerous manufacturers benefit from this partnership subsequent yr, 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 deliver our learnings from digital shops and experiences into Roblox—the way 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 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 keep in mind engaged on case research in faculty and fascinated by the world of the B2B options, which have historically been very operational and process-driven. Not numerous expertise was going into that house. In my company job, I labored with numerous corporations to assist with their B2B options. Now, once I give it some thought, there’s a lot 3D expertise can do for gross sales enablement, studying instruments and extra inside the B2B business. 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 accomplish that rather more scalable—and naturally, partaking—is extremely thrilling.
One other space is actual property. As somebody who’s all the time keeping track of actual property—always exploring properties I’d love to purchase, and as somebody who, when transferring into a brand new residence, creates old-school collages of furnishings in Google Slides—I’m thrilled in regards to the potential for immersive options on this business. There are such a lot of totally 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 utterly remodel the expertise. I imply, the probabilities listed below are countless. 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 actually supply one thing that’s each distinctive and helpful 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 believe we’ll begin to see extra of, and at scale.
First, immersive experiences which are personalised for you. In the present day, most experiences we create are pushed by what the model thinks you need 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—numerous it powered by AI.
AI, in flip, is one other space that may start to drive this business and expertise, making it extra environment friendly and efficient. I additionally don’t assume this may essentially take 5 years; we’ll begin seeing this a lot sooner, however in 5 years, it’ll doubtless be taking place at a a lot bigger scale.
