July 31, 2020 • 29 mins
“You want a raise? This is simple. What were you hired to do? Have you done that? Have you done more than that? Now show your boss how, and how much, more you delivered….”
My new friend and our Special Guest today is Greg Needham, a veteran of the Hospitality, Gaming, and Esports industries. He’s been a Board Member, COO CMO, and VP of strategy and brings experience in hospitality, casinos, the World Series of Poker, and now the fast-moving world of Esports. Greg has made a career out of concepting and producing human experiences that entertain.
In this episode, Greg points out the benefits of having clarity in your job expectations, and to prepare well to be challenged by Leadership when you start asking for more money. Train for your fight. He also points out the need to to challenge your Leadership - it’s their responsibility to lead, set expectations, give feedback, and manage your professional development.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Introduction (00:01):
Welcome to the Raise Up Podcast.
The only podcast focused on howyou can get a raise at work.
Every week, we're dishing tipsand tricks straight from the
industry experts, CEOs, and HRDirectors.
So, you can finally get paidwhat you're worth.
So buckle up buttercup, let'sbreak it down.
She's a little sassy, but a lotof fun.
(00:22):
Here's your host, AmandaLeFever.
Amanda (00:24):
Hey, hey, welcome to the Raise Up Podcast.
My name is Amanda LeFever, andI'm here to help you make more
money at your job.
We have an amazing guest today,and I'm very excited for this
conversation.
His name is Greg Needham, andhe's a 20 year veteran of the
hospitality, gaming, and EsportsIndustries.
(00:46):
Greg has held executivepositions with multiple
companies serving as a BoardMember, COO CMO, and VP of
strategy.
With a focus on marketing,sponsorship acquisition, and
business development, Gregbrings with him a wealth of
professional experience and adeep roster of cross-industry
contacts, and strategicpartners.
(01:07):
From sports bars to night clubs,casinos to poker, and Esports.
Greg has made a career out ofconcepting and producing human
experiences that both entertainand offer valuable engagement
for both guests, communities,and sponsors alike.
Greg, I am fascinated with whatyou do.
Thank you so much for being onthe show.
Greg (01:28):
My pleasure, Amanda.
Thank you for having me.
Amanda (01:30):
Yeah.
So how are you doing?
COVID has been a pretty rough ona lot of companies.
How's your team, and yourfamily, and everybody coping?
Greg (01:37):
Well, you know, starting with the family, obviously we
went through the end of theschool year prior to the summer,
which was a little bit of achallenge.
I think most people are familiarwith the bandwidth issues that
you'll have in the home.
Fortunately for me, we're agaming family.
I work in the gaming industryso, we've got plenty of
bandwidth.
Otherwise, we'd never receivedany of our emails while my son
is gaming.
(01:58):
But you know, we went through afew challenges with that, but,
luckily I have a daughter incollege, a son in high school.
My wife works for the elementaryschool here in town as well.
So, we were able to kind ofcarve out our own space in the
home.
So, that was good.
And then, you know,professionally, I'm lucky enough
to be in what we'll call thedigital world.
(02:19):
The company, currently has avariety of different verticals,
not only in the digital spacebut also in gaming.
We worked with brands to crossthem over into Esports and
competitive gaming as well.
So, all those things kind ofstill kept moving as I'm sure
you've seen, there's plenty ofdata out there that shows that
people were watching and playinga lot of games.
(02:39):
And no question that we were inthe middle of all that.
So, we were fortunate enough toreally take that time to excel
and take some steps up and ourviewership has increased
immensely.
So, that's helped us in manyforms.
So, it's been good for us inthat sense, although I can say
that not being in the office andengaging with people personally
has been a little bit of achallenge, as opposed to some
(02:59):
other industries and some othertypes of businesses, we've been
able to convert that rather wellbecause we're already securely
positioned in that space.
So, it's good.
Amanda (03:08):
That's amazing.
That's good news.
Yeah, plus the viewership andeverything is up.
That's awesome.
Has it been challenging for yourteams or you guys like meeting
virtually as well?
Greg (03:19):
Yeah.
You know, we, again, as I said,we were really digitally engaged
already.
Even though we were basically inoffices next to each other, I
mean, we certainly had thein-person meetings, but then our
communication tools were alwayseither via Slack, Discord and
then, of course, you know theold school email.
But much of what we've done overthe course of the COVID
(03:39):
separation time, a nd quarantineh as been picked up rather
quickly with what we do indiscord, which is something
that's more of a gaming type ofa platform.
But, you know, it's beensomething that everybody was
engaged with already.
So, what we had to do i s switchand create a few offices, and a
few tables, and a variety ofthings.
So, we have that virtual kind ofoffice space w here y ou c an
actually go in and sit at atable, right?
(04:02):
You have different tables, soone for Esports, one for our
digital, another one for ourmarketing and so on.
And so, you can move from thosedifferent tables, if you just
want to hang out and talk andhave a conversation while you're
working.
And then we have the conferencerooms that are separate for
those independent meetings thatwe would rather, you knock in
the form before you come inside.
So, it's been kind of virtualoffice space and i t's served
well for us.
Amanda (04:23):
That's good.
That's really interesting andawesome that you guys have that
infrastructure.
A lot of people have had topivot and try to figure out how
to be digital at this point andgo online.
So, as you know, our show is allabout someone improving their
financial situation.
So, getting a raise at theirjob, if a friend came to you and
(04:44):
said, I feel like I've earned araise at work, what would you,
what would you say to them?
Greg (04:50):
Well, I think, you know, number one, and I've kind of
touched on this a little bit inmy dissertation here during our
conversation is that you reallyhave to be aware of the culture
in the office.
And I think when you look atdifferent industries and you
look at different relationships,I mean, people manage
differently, right?
There's a variety ofconversations that always come
(05:12):
back to the same thing, you haveto manage individuals.
You have to work withindividuals, you have to engage
with individuals, which meansthey always have different,
let's say buttons to push.
I mean, certain people need alittle bit more tender care if
you will, when you're trying tomotivate them.
And others need to really justkind of be, you know, smacked to
get going.
And, you know, what'sinteresting about that is that I
(05:34):
think the reverse of thatconversation of how you manage
people from a managementposition is also true.
When you're trying to go in andtalk to your supervisors or your
boss, and of course followingprotocols and everything.
But the first thing that I wouldsay is, really define for
yourself where you fit in theculture of that office, and
where you fit in the culture ofthe business, and how everybody
(05:55):
interacts together.
And I think if you sit down andyou, you start to write down a
variety of different things,certainly there's the basic
things that you'll, you know,that you want to represent.
How you've contributed, and thethings that you've excelled in
and everything else.
But I think more than anythingis, is really that preparing
yourself for a conversationstarts in where you fit in the
(06:17):
culture, that that is theeveryday activation in the
office space.
So, I would suggest that theystart there, evaluate for
themselves not only how they fitin, you know, are they somebody
who is supportive?
Are they somebody who people goto?
How is the exchange withindividuals within the office?
Is there a crossover betweendepartments?
(06:37):
You know, cause you always havethese people that are the
cheerleaders of the people thatare all about the team, and when
you're having those meetings,those are the people that you
rely on to kind of bindeverybody together.
But then you also have theanalytical people, and you have
a variety, and you gotta kind ofhave an understanding
personally, how you engage withall of those individuals.
And I think that's the bestplace to start because that's
something that hopefully, yoursupervisor or your boss is aware
(07:00):
of.
Because those are the types ofthings that they're looking for
with their team.
And I think many times peopleoverlook that, and so, that
would be the first place that Iwould suggest that somebody
looks at, if they're consideringopportunities to go in, and
position themselves better for araise.
Amanda (07:15):
So, kind of doing a brutally honest evaluation of
yourself and your people skills?
Greg (07:21):
Yeah, and where do you align, and where do you fit in,
in that whole hierarchy, andjust really in the engagement?
I think the other thing too, bythe way, Amanda, is that if I
was to pick three differentthings, I would say, you know,
what's your contribution?
What was the expectation or whatis the expectation of your job?
And then the culture, as Imentioned.
(07:42):
And I think as long as you'relooking at what those three
elements are, as far as who youare and what you do within the
business, and within yourrelationships with all of your
coworkers and so on.
You're going to find a varietyof things that you can see right
away that you either are verygood at, or things that you've
done differently, or things thatyou are maybe a little bit more
adept, and maybe practice betterthan some other individuals.
(08:07):
And it's not necessarilymeasuring yourself against
others, but literally, the thingI always come back to with
friends of mine is what were youhired to do?
What was the expectation whenyou had that position?
And when I say expectation, Imean, not only what the business
and your boss, and everybodyexpects from you to deliver, but
also what did you expect fromit?
(08:28):
What were you from the day thatyou started, what were you hired
to do?
What were the expectations?
Hopefully, through that process,you had a little bit of a job
description, those types ofthings.
So, if you actually take thetime to look at those things,
and kind of develop anunderstanding of how others see
you, you can also blend thatwith how you see yourself.
And I think that's a good placefor you to be able to feel
(08:50):
confident about who you are andyou definitely need to in order
to have those conversations witha supervisor.
Amanda (08:56):
Yeah, for sure.
So, you also need to be prettyconfident when you go in there,
do you think?
Or do you think you have toprepare well for your
performance reviews?
Do you think it's a confidencething?
Greg (09:06):
Well, I think it's a combination, right?
No question, I think you do needto be confident.
I think you absolutely have togo in understanding that you're
coming in trying to showsomebody that you deserve raise.
And deserving a raise is, youknow, the core principles of
that are going to be alright,well, what are they going to ask
and what are they going toevaluate me on?
(09:27):
I think the confidence factor,number one, is something much
like you do in a salespresentation, right?
I mean, and I work with a lot ofpeople that are in sales and
sponsorship acquisition andeverything else.
And you certainly have to haveat least the confidence in
yourself and show that you knowthe reason why you're in there,
and you believe the reason whyyou're there, and having those
(09:48):
conversations is because youdeserve it.
But again, to comment aboutpreparation, you definitely need
to be prepared.
Because you're not, well, youcan't be completely sure how the
conversation is going to go.
So, you need to be prepared withyour argument.
You need to be prepared with howyou're going to position
yourself within again, theculture and how you react with
(10:10):
different people, and thosethings.
But you also have to be preparedto be challenged, because
anytime you're asking or havingan open conversation, I think
many times supervisors, andmanagers, and bosses, and
whatever title you want to givethem.
Sometimes revert back to the,okay, well, I have to tell them
what they're doing well, andthen I also have to challenge
them on what they're not doingso well.
So, not so much like a formalreview, but you do have to look
(10:33):
at it that way.
That you need to be prepared tohave an open conversation about
what your strengths andweaknesses are.
Amanda (10:39):
Absolutely.
So, it sounds like you have alot of experience?
You've been in many businesses,executive type roles.
What do you think has kind ofcontributed to your success?
Greg (10:53):
Well, I do think number one, I've always been somebody
who works with the team.
And I think what's been a bigpart of my career advancement
and things that have gone on,and it's not always been
advancement.
We've all had our ups and downsin life, is that I try to manage
(11:17):
people the same way, and workwith them, and have a respect
for them.
I mean, people always ask thequestion, you know, would you
rather be loved or hated?
Well, I want to be both, right?
That's how the answer alwayscomes out.
But to be honest, I find that Iget a lot more done with my
team, and people that I workwith, if I'm just honest, open,
(11:40):
respectful, and give them asmuch as they give me.
There isn't anything that I'mgoing to ask someone to do that
I wouldn't do myself.
And in many times I feel it'snecessary to show that, you
gotta get your hands dirtysometimes.
Sometimes you got to get out andyou gotta work.
And the other, I thinkattributing factor to all of
that is just that you have tohave a relationship.
(12:03):
Again, when we're talking aboutgoing in for a raise and we're
talking about even somebodywho's having to give raises, I
mean, many times in a managementposition, you've got 10 people
that you have to do annualreviews for.
And of course, everybody gets tothat point where all boy I'd
been putting this off way toolong, and it becomes too much of
a function of paperwork.
And that's the last thing thatyou want that to be.
You want it to be all aboutnurturing people and helping
(12:25):
them move along.
And, I think for me, what Ireally enjoy the most is having
people that have worked with me,people that have worked
technically under me, andwatching them grow and take on
positions, whether with ourcompany or with other companies.
I think that for me has alwaysbeen something that I've focused
on, that I've been in those inthat position.
(12:45):
I am in that position.
I have bosses, I havesupervisors, but it's always
about making sure that you'rehaving communication, which is,
you know, quite frankly verychallenging in these times.
So, I think that's attributedto, to most of what I've done
and to tell you the truth,Amanda, I just really feel it's
important for me to feel, thatthat's who I am.
(13:06):
I don't want to give up who I ambecause of what I'm necessarily
supposed to do, based on whatthe requirements of the job are.
I would rather have therequirements of the job and all
of the goals and initiativesreached in a fashion that I feel
most comfortable with because Ithink I'll be most effective.
And I think the people that Iwork with will be most effective
that way.
(13:26):
And I think that's, that's beenhelpful for me in my career.
Amanda (13:29):
Yeah.
And it sounds a lot like youvalue people, like you care
about your teams and the peoplethat you're working with.
And I think sometimes we'remissing that component.
I know when I first started outin business, I was working
really hard and I found out thatone is too small of a number to
really accomplish much.
So do you think that that's kindof a perspective shift, like a
(13:52):
mindset that we need to work onthat it's all about teamwork
really?
Greg (13:58):
You know, I do, I think many times, especially, you
know, entrepreneurs, and I'veworked with a lot of startups
and a lot of great people thathave, you know, unbelievable
energy and have a skill setthat, you know, that you would,
well, let's just put it thisway.
It takes a certain kind ofperson to start a business,
right?
I mean, the person at the top,they always say, it's the
loneliest place to be ineverything else.
(14:19):
But what I see more often isthat the businesses that are
successful and the people thatare really going to make a
difference and are going tocontinue and get through hard
times like this is, is to havethat open, that open
communication and thatconversation.
I don't think anybody who's kindof put out in a silo and kind of
separated from people, evenagain, during this whole
(14:41):
quarantine, it's even moreimportant that you make a
special effort to reach out.
So, I would say this much, thatyour team effort is certainly,
something that I think isimportant.
But I also think we, you know,you have to have protocols and
direct reports and all thoseother things, but as long as you
have the systems andinfrastructure in place, you can
(15:04):
really maximize that.
And, you know, I've been insports all my life, things of
that nature.
And I think Esports, by the way,is a sport.
It has all the similar types ofteamwork elements to it.
And, you know, I'll have thoseconversations when necessary.
But it's something that I thinkagain, you really cannot get
things done on your own, but toomany times, you'll see people
(15:25):
that are aggressive and veryentrepreneurial.
They won't give up some of thosethings.
They want to do it all, and theyhaven't done all their way and
everything else.
And then you lose differentperspectives and, you know, you
want to make sure that you'vegot input from all your
different team members causeotherwise, you know, why are
they there and why did you hirethem?
You hired them for their skillset, their experience, and what
they can contribute to thedevelopment of your business.
And, you know, it can't all bedone in a vacuum and it can't
(15:46):
all be done at one desk.
Amanda (15:48):
Absolutely.
So, one of the things we'retrying to do with this podcast
is combat the idea that you haveto change your job to get ahead
or advance your career.
What advice can you give aprofessional, professionals
about talking to management whenthey're feeling a little bit
undervalued, or that their voiceisn't being heard?
(16:10):
That they want to make adifference they're striving for
more and it's just nothappening?
Greg (16:16):
Well, I think exactly that, I think you have to be
open now, again, going back tothe culture, right?
You have to understand what yourrelationship is and how that
works with either your directsupervisor and what their
relationship is with theirdirect supervisor.
You know, who's the ultimate,you know, who sets the tone for
the communication in thebusiness.
I do think again, there arecertain things that you can do
(16:41):
because it goes back to theconfidence issue, right?
You want to be able to have anopen conversation, but you also
have to be strategic about it.
There are certainly times whenyou probably shouldn't be
talking about, why you deserve araise, and there are challenging
times all the time, but you alsohave to be aware of those and
you also have to take stock in,how did I get through that?
(17:01):
What did I do to work with theteam to excel?
How do we all get to the otherside of this and what were the
rewards and what were thesuccesses?
But then, the flip side is youalso have to look at what your
challenges are.
I mean, again, we always use thephrase, you don't celebrate the
successes but look at ouropportunities.
What are the other things thatwe can do?
So, I think many times whenyou're starting the process, I
(17:25):
think it really takes a mindsetfor how you're going to approach
it strategically, when are theright times, and then how you're
properly prepared for thatconversation.
And many times, I think peopleare a little bit, let's just
call it, shy or under-servingthemselves in a sense because
they're not aggressive about it.
(17:46):
I think as long as you're in themeetings, you're participating,
you're having your voice heard,it's something where you're
active, you've got ideas, you'vegot concepts.
All these kinds of things, themore engaging that you are, the
more familiar they'll be withyou in the end, and the more
they'll listen to theconversation.
And I think that's the best wayfor us to look at it.
But then we can also lookoutside and say, well, you know,
(18:07):
again, you can look on theinternet and find out what the
average salary is for a similarposition with another company.
Those kinds of things, certainlyyou can, you can utilize.
But it is true also to look outthere and see, how many other
jobs are there in your space, goto wherever you'd like to
research that.
You know, to talk to otherpeople in the industry, things
(18:28):
of that nature.
It's not necessarily that youhave to come in and say, well,
I'm looking for another job, youdon't want to go in there and
have that conversation.
But you're right, I think it'simportant to express that y
ou're aware of what's going onoutside of your four walls as
well.
Because it's important thateveryone understands that, you
(18:49):
know, you are an individual,who's looking to be a bigger
part of the team, be a biggerpart of the success, a nd you
really need to be rewarded forthat.
And, you know, I've had thoseinstances where you've had those
conversations and you've g one on, I've written over it and over
it and over it.
And it's like, well, okay, wellnow I'm g oing t o have to come
in there and say, I've beenoffered another job.
I don't want to get there.
But as long as you're doingeverything t hat you can to
(19:12):
avoid that it's really g oing to come down to, y ou k now,
whether they've effectively madeyou feel appreciated and
compensated you in t hat fashionthat you feel comfortable with
where you're at.
And quite frankly, that youstill have some growth potential
with the company as well.
C ause nobody wants to be kind of stuck in a position where they
don't feel that they can excelor get a better job within the
(19:33):
company.
Amanda (19:33):
Yeah, or a flat line, wherever they're that, that's
going to be so frustrating?
So, that's kind of a good segue,cause we typically will ask
people to share kind of theirwar stories of getting a raise.
Do you have any stories in yourmemory bank of times that maybe
you asked for a raise or that,you know, someone that did and
it didn't go well or it wentfantastic?
(19:56):
We love all those.
Greg (19:58):
I mean, I guess trying to pick the ones that are most
appropriate to talk about.
Working in the hospitalityindustry for as long as I have
or did.
There are a lot of things, ofcourse, that go on with
nightclubs, bars, restaurants,and there's management changes
and there's things that happen.
I was working at the corporatelevel.
So, I had a lot of engagementwith a variety of properties
(20:20):
around the country, a variety ofdifferent regional managers and
then salespeople and marketingpeople under them.
I guess the biggest example thatI could use as something that's
somewhat unique, at least in myexperience, for me, was going in
to have a discussion about araise and have a discussion
(20:43):
about opportunities to grow withthe company into a better
position.
I was a regional director, therewas a vice president position
available, and there were acouple of other conversations
that were going on fordevelopment.
And as the company was growing,and essentially what I found out
was that they were shopping fora variety of other people
(21:04):
outside.
And I got wind of what thecompensation was going to be.
So, I was fortunate enough to goin and have the conversation
about, okay, you know what,let's step into this and talk
about how I really want to be apart of this.
Here's what I've been doing withthe company and gotten us to
this point.
And I definitely think that Ican help us grow even more in
(21:26):
these other positions.
So, what happened was we gotdown to the conversation of the
raise and I just started with,well, I understand you're
looking at so and so, and so andso, and their compensation is at
this level.
And I just like to know why I,number one, don't have a chance,
and number two, why I don't havean opportunity for that type of
(21:48):
pay, because I'm already doingthe job that you're going to
hire them for it.
Suddenly a little bit of a risk,right?
But I had, again, like I said, Ihad a good relationship with
those individuals.
I was speaking to people thatwould understand.
So, I guess to get to the pointI was offered an amount of money
that was, that was less thanwhat they were offering or
looking to hire the other peoplefor.
(22:09):
So, not that we want to leave iton this note, but I did actually
go out and find another jobopportunity with the competitor.
Of which, they allowed me to go,and two weeks into my new
position with my competitor,they called me back and said,
all right, we made a mistake,I'd really like to have you come
back.
(22:30):
And so, I was fortunate enoughin that position to say, well,
then this is what I would liketo come back.
So, then I was given the salarythat they were looking to pay
some other individuals that theywere going to hire for the
position.
So, it worked out well for mewas a little scary, but I, you
know, again, I managed it well.
And like I said, I don't think Iwould have had that conversation
with somebody that I didn't havethat type of relationship with.
(22:51):
But by the same token, thatindividual who was directly
above me and then his boss hadto communicate that to the
president of the company.
And then that's how it all cameback.
And I actually got a call fromthe president of the company
that straightened it all out.
So that was good.
And I was very happy to comeback and be a part of that team
and, and make things happen fromthere.
Amanda (23:10):
Nice.
That's a great story.
Success!
Greg (23:14):
You only get so many times in your life where you can
actually make something work,and I was prepared for what was
going to come.
But yeah, I was very happy thatthey called and asked me to come
back.
Amanda (23:25):
That's awesome.
Well, thanks for sharing thatstory.
So, quick question, what's goingon with Wisdom?
Can you tell us a little bitabout what you guys got going on
in the future?
Greg (23:36):
I'll try and give you the elevator pitch here.
What's interesting about Wisdomgaming group is that we're in
gaming, and I think what'sunique for most people who don't
necessarily understand the spaceis there's Esports and there's
competitive gaming, and thenthere's casual gaming, right?
E-sports is the professionallevel, everybody likes that word
cause it's all very flashy.
Oh my God, you're involved inEsports cause you know, and
(23:58):
that's great, but again, not allgaming is Esports, but obviously
Esports is part of gaming.
So, our company really focuseson competitive gaming, and
casual gaming, and thenextending that into Esports.
So, in brief, we have severaldifferent verticals of which we
work w ith a n agency concept.
We work with brands and bringthem into the space to bring
(24:19):
them in authentically, have thempositioned with the right
language.
We always talk about they'regiven permission to be in this
space because gamers are veryfickle.
If you come in and are labeledas an opposer, you're going to
go through a lot of struggles.
And in fact, you can invest alot of money in this space and
then have them crucify you onTwitter, which isn't a good
thing.
But long story short is that wehelp brands come in and make
(24:42):
that transition.
And then not only have theauthentic introduction, an entry
point to give them longevity inthis space, you have to bring
value and you have to be there.
And we also do events andactivations.
We do many of those types ofthings, along with our partners.
But the two major verticals thatwe're working on right now, post
COVID, that of course, we'vepivoted somewhat is our media
(25:03):
and our content division.
We produce a variety ofdifferent shows for Twitch and
YouTube of which we work withinfluencers all over the world.
We've been doing remotebroadcasts in that fashion for
many years.
So, the shift to doing that, wewere already in that space.
So, it allowed us to bring in alot of other clients, we work
with Blizzard, we work withRiot.
We work with Valve all the majorpublishers.
(25:25):
And recently we just acquiredanother brand called Gold Rush,
which is a beloved, RocketLeague community brand that
we're extending additionalcontent and producing shows for
that.
And last but not least, we'vealso launched Esports Org, which
is roughly the ownership ofcompetitive teams in the sports
(25:48):
space.
It's called Alpine Esports, andour first team is in the Rocket
League competition.
So, it's the RLCs, the RocketLeague Championship series.
So, we've got a lot of thingsgoing on and it all kind of
works together holistically.
And so, that's really what ourcompany is all about is
maximizing the opportunities inthe gaming space, not deviating
too far off the path.
(26:09):
We have our core competencies,but we work together with all of
the different verticalsholistically, and we've found
some great success in the space,especially during the COVID era.
And, that's really kind of in anutshell, quite a bit big
nutshell, but that's it.
Amanda (26:22):
Yeah, that's awesome.
And it sounds like you guys werevery equipped for all of the
changes that have happened.
So, I'm glad that it's been kindof a successful transition more
or less.
Greg (26:34):
Yeah.
We're in a good industry for it.
So, that's a good thing.
Amanda (26:37):
That's awesome.
And I would imagine that it'skind of booming now that
everybody's hanging out at home,and things like that?
Greg (26:44):
No question, everybody's turning to not only competitive
gaming for themselves but alsoviewing it quite often.
And, it's getting into linearTV, and all the other things I'm
sure you saw with the NASCARproductions for a while.
They were doing their SIM racingwith iRacing.
And so, ENASCAR's actuallysomething I was involved with my
previous business as well.
So anyway, it's all kind ofcoming full circle and we think
(27:08):
we're going to have a chance toreally excel in the space and do
a lot more and become a littlebit more mainstream by the way.
It's always been insulated quitea bit with the gaming culture
and everything, and that's fine,but I think the core gamers are
now being, let's just say, alittle bit more accepting of
mainstream being a part of theeveryday viewership.
And in fact, supporting that aslong as everything is still
(27:30):
valuable and still brought inwith the right message.
So, yeah, it's good timing forit and we're enjoying it.
Amanda (27:35):
That's wesome.
So, how can people connect withyou if they want to, after the
show?
Greg (27:40):
Connect with me?
Wow.
Amanda (27:42):
I know, right?
Feel fancy?
Greg (27:47):
Well, certainly they can reach out to me on LinkedIn,
Greg Needham.
You can look me up with Wisdomgaming group.
I think, for me, that's reallymy go-to space.
I spend an awful lot of timeengaging with people on LinkedIn
, but otherwise, simple contactwith an email is GregN@wisdom.gg
, those who are not familiar,.GGis the go to URL for gaming,
(28:14):
translates to good game.
But anyway, a lot of times whenpeople are looking to be
authentic, they go with that GG,but, they can get ahold of me
there, GregN@wisdom.gg,otherwise, please check me out
on LinkedIn and send me arequest.
I am, nothing, if not accepting,and open, and look forward to
collaborations with people inlots of different industries.
(28:36):
So look forward that.
Amanda (28:37):
I believe that too, you're very authentic and it's
been incredible kind of hearingyour wisdom and your advice and
your stories have been fabulous.
And thank you so much for beingon the show.
Greg (28:49):
My pleasure.
Thanks for asking me, Amanda.
I had a good time.
Amanda (28:51):
Yeah, absolutely.
I'll talk to you soon.
Okay, take care, bye.
Outtro (29:00):
Thanks for listening to the Raise Up Podcast.
If you want a raise, head towww.raiseuppodcast.com and
download our step by steproadmap.
Where we've taken all the expertadvice we've collected and put
it into a simple PDF ebookcalled you guessed it, How to
ask for a raise.
Before you join us again, makesure to subscribe, share it with
(29:21):
your friends.
You can click the share button,take a screenshot and share it
on your social stories and tag,@AmandaLeFever.
See you again soon.
Welcome to the Raise Up Podcast.
The only podcast focused on howyou can get a raise at work.
Every week, we're dishing tipsand tricks straight from the
industry experts, CEOs, and HRDirectors.
So, you can finally get paidwhat you're worth.
So buckle up buttercup, let'sbreak it down.
She's a little sassy, but a lotof fun.
(00:22):
Here's your host, AmandaLeFever.
Amanda (00:24):
Hey, hey, welcome to the Raise Up Podcast.
My name is Amanda LeFever, andI'm here to help you make more
money at your job.
We have an amazing guest today,and I'm very excited for this
conversation.
His name is Greg Needham, andhe's a 20 year veteran of the
hospitality, gaming, and EsportsIndustries.
(00:46):
Greg has held executivepositions with multiple
companies serving as a BoardMember, COO CMO, and VP of
strategy.
With a focus on marketing,sponsorship acquisition, and
business development, Gregbrings with him a wealth of
professional experience and adeep roster of cross-industry
contacts, and strategicpartners.
(01:07):
From sports bars to night clubs,casinos to poker, and Esports.
Greg has made a career out ofconcepting and producing human
experiences that both entertainand offer valuable engagement
for both guests, communities,and sponsors alike.
Greg, I am fascinated with whatyou do.
Thank you so much for being onthe show.
Greg (01:28):
My pleasure, Amanda.
Thank you for having me.
Amanda (01:30):
Yeah.
So how are you doing?
COVID has been a pretty rough ona lot of companies.
How's your team, and yourfamily, and everybody coping?
Greg (01:37):
Well, you know, starting with the family, obviously we
went through the end of theschool year prior to the summer,
which was a little bit of achallenge.
I think most people are familiarwith the bandwidth issues that
you'll have in the home.
Fortunately for me, we're agaming family.
I work in the gaming industryso, we've got plenty of
bandwidth.
Otherwise, we'd never receivedany of our emails while my son
is gaming.
(01:58):
But you know, we went through afew challenges with that, but,
luckily I have a daughter incollege, a son in high school.
My wife works for the elementaryschool here in town as well.
So, we were able to kind ofcarve out our own space in the
home.
So, that was good.
And then, you know,professionally, I'm lucky enough
to be in what we'll call thedigital world.
(02:19):
The company, currently has avariety of different verticals,
not only in the digital spacebut also in gaming.
We worked with brands to crossthem over into Esports and
competitive gaming as well.
So, all those things kind ofstill kept moving as I'm sure
you've seen, there's plenty ofdata out there that shows that
people were watching and playinga lot of games.
(02:39):
And no question that we were inthe middle of all that.
So, we were fortunate enough toreally take that time to excel
and take some steps up and ourviewership has increased
immensely.
So, that's helped us in manyforms.
So, it's been good for us inthat sense, although I can say
that not being in the office andengaging with people personally
has been a little bit of achallenge, as opposed to some
(02:59):
other industries and some othertypes of businesses, we've been
able to convert that rather wellbecause we're already securely
positioned in that space.
So, it's good.
Amanda (03:08):
That's amazing.
That's good news.
Yeah, plus the viewership andeverything is up.
That's awesome.
Has it been challenging for yourteams or you guys like meeting
virtually as well?
Greg (03:19):
Yeah.
You know, we, again, as I said,we were really digitally engaged
already.
Even though we were basically inoffices next to each other, I
mean, we certainly had thein-person meetings, but then our
communication tools were alwayseither via Slack, Discord and
then, of course, you know theold school email.
But much of what we've done overthe course of the COVID
(03:39):
separation time, a nd quarantineh as been picked up rather
quickly with what we do indiscord, which is something
that's more of a gaming type ofa platform.
But, you know, it's beensomething that everybody was
engaged with already.
So, what we had to do i s switchand create a few offices, and a
few tables, and a variety ofthings.
So, we have that virtual kind ofoffice space w here y ou c an
actually go in and sit at atable, right?
(04:02):
You have different tables, soone for Esports, one for our
digital, another one for ourmarketing and so on.
And so, you can move from thosedifferent tables, if you just
want to hang out and talk andhave a conversation while you're
working.
And then we have the conferencerooms that are separate for
those independent meetings thatwe would rather, you knock in
the form before you come inside.
So, it's been kind of virtualoffice space and i t's served
well for us.
Amanda (04:23):
That's good.
That's really interesting andawesome that you guys have that
infrastructure.
A lot of people have had topivot and try to figure out how
to be digital at this point andgo online.
So, as you know, our show is allabout someone improving their
financial situation.
So, getting a raise at theirjob, if a friend came to you and
(04:44):
said, I feel like I've earned araise at work, what would you,
what would you say to them?
Greg (04:50):
Well, I think, you know, number one, and I've kind of
touched on this a little bit inmy dissertation here during our
conversation is that you reallyhave to be aware of the culture
in the office.
And I think when you look atdifferent industries and you
look at different relationships,I mean, people manage
differently, right?
There's a variety ofconversations that always come
(05:12):
back to the same thing, you haveto manage individuals.
You have to work withindividuals, you have to engage
with individuals, which meansthey always have different,
let's say buttons to push.
I mean, certain people need alittle bit more tender care if
you will, when you're trying tomotivate them.
And others need to really justkind of be, you know, smacked to
get going.
And, you know, what'sinteresting about that is that I
(05:34):
think the reverse of thatconversation of how you manage
people from a managementposition is also true.
When you're trying to go in andtalk to your supervisors or your
boss, and of course followingprotocols and everything.
But the first thing that I wouldsay is, really define for
yourself where you fit in theculture of that office, and
where you fit in the culture ofthe business, and how everybody
(05:55):
interacts together.
And I think if you sit down andyou, you start to write down a
variety of different things,certainly there's the basic
things that you'll, you know,that you want to represent.
How you've contributed, and thethings that you've excelled in
and everything else.
But I think more than anythingis, is really that preparing
yourself for a conversationstarts in where you fit in the
(06:17):
culture, that that is theeveryday activation in the
office space.
So, I would suggest that theystart there, evaluate for
themselves not only how they fitin, you know, are they somebody
who is supportive?
Are they somebody who people goto?
How is the exchange withindividuals within the office?
Is there a crossover betweendepartments?
(06:37):
You know, cause you always havethese people that are the
cheerleaders of the people thatare all about the team, and when
you're having those meetings,those are the people that you
rely on to kind of bindeverybody together.
But then you also have theanalytical people, and you have
a variety, and you gotta kind ofhave an understanding
personally, how you engage withall of those individuals.
And I think that's the bestplace to start because that's
something that hopefully, yoursupervisor or your boss is aware
(07:00):
of.
Because those are the types ofthings that they're looking for
with their team.
And I think many times peopleoverlook that, and so, that
would be the first place that Iwould suggest that somebody
looks at, if they're consideringopportunities to go in, and
position themselves better for araise.
Amanda (07:15):
So, kind of doing a brutally honest evaluation of
yourself and your people skills?
Greg (07:21):
Yeah, and where do you align, and where do you fit in,
in that whole hierarchy, andjust really in the engagement?
I think the other thing too, bythe way, Amanda, is that if I
was to pick three differentthings, I would say, you know,
what's your contribution?
What was the expectation or whatis the expectation of your job?
And then the culture, as Imentioned.
(07:42):
And I think as long as you'relooking at what those three
elements are, as far as who youare and what you do within the
business, and within yourrelationships with all of your
coworkers and so on.
You're going to find a varietyof things that you can see right
away that you either are verygood at, or things that you've
done differently, or things thatyou are maybe a little bit more
adept, and maybe practice betterthan some other individuals.
(08:07):
And it's not necessarilymeasuring yourself against
others, but literally, the thingI always come back to with
friends of mine is what were youhired to do?
What was the expectation whenyou had that position?
And when I say expectation, Imean, not only what the business
and your boss, and everybodyexpects from you to deliver, but
also what did you expect fromit?
(08:28):
What were you from the day thatyou started, what were you hired
to do?
What were the expectations?
Hopefully, through that process,you had a little bit of a job
description, those types ofthings.
So, if you actually take thetime to look at those things,
and kind of develop anunderstanding of how others see
you, you can also blend thatwith how you see yourself.
And I think that's a good placefor you to be able to feel
(08:50):
confident about who you are andyou definitely need to in order
to have those conversations witha supervisor.
Amanda (08:56):
Yeah, for sure.
So, you also need to be prettyconfident when you go in there,
do you think?
Or do you think you have toprepare well for your
performance reviews?
Do you think it's a confidencething?
Greg (09:06):
Well, I think it's a combination, right?
No question, I think you do needto be confident.
I think you absolutely have togo in understanding that you're
coming in trying to showsomebody that you deserve raise.
And deserving a raise is, youknow, the core principles of
that are going to be alright,well, what are they going to ask
and what are they going toevaluate me on?
(09:27):
I think the confidence factor,number one, is something much
like you do in a salespresentation, right?
I mean, and I work with a lot ofpeople that are in sales and
sponsorship acquisition andeverything else.
And you certainly have to haveat least the confidence in
yourself and show that you knowthe reason why you're in there,
and you believe the reason whyyou're there, and having those
(09:48):
conversations is because youdeserve it.
But again, to comment aboutpreparation, you definitely need
to be prepared.
Because you're not, well, youcan't be completely sure how the
conversation is going to go.
So, you need to be prepared withyour argument.
You need to be prepared with howyou're going to position
yourself within again, theculture and how you react with
(10:10):
different people, and thosethings.
But you also have to be preparedto be challenged, because
anytime you're asking or havingan open conversation, I think
many times supervisors, andmanagers, and bosses, and
whatever title you want to givethem.
Sometimes revert back to the,okay, well, I have to tell them
what they're doing well, andthen I also have to challenge
them on what they're not doingso well.
So, not so much like a formalreview, but you do have to look
(10:33):
at it that way.
That you need to be prepared tohave an open conversation about
what your strengths andweaknesses are.
Amanda (10:39):
Absolutely.
So, it sounds like you have alot of experience?
You've been in many businesses,executive type roles.
What do you think has kind ofcontributed to your success?
Greg (10:53):
Well, I do think number one, I've always been somebody
who works with the team.
And I think what's been a bigpart of my career advancement
and things that have gone on,and it's not always been
advancement.
We've all had our ups and downsin life, is that I try to manage
(11:17):
people the same way, and workwith them, and have a respect
for them.
I mean, people always ask thequestion, you know, would you
rather be loved or hated?
Well, I want to be both, right?
That's how the answer alwayscomes out.
But to be honest, I find that Iget a lot more done with my
team, and people that I workwith, if I'm just honest, open,
(11:40):
respectful, and give them asmuch as they give me.
There isn't anything that I'mgoing to ask someone to do that
I wouldn't do myself.
And in many times I feel it'snecessary to show that, you
gotta get your hands dirtysometimes.
Sometimes you got to get out andyou gotta work.
And the other, I thinkattributing factor to all of
that is just that you have tohave a relationship.
(12:03):
Again, when we're talking aboutgoing in for a raise and we're
talking about even somebodywho's having to give raises, I
mean, many times in a managementposition, you've got 10 people
that you have to do annualreviews for.
And of course, everybody gets tothat point where all boy I'd
been putting this off way toolong, and it becomes too much of
a function of paperwork.
And that's the last thing thatyou want that to be.
You want it to be all aboutnurturing people and helping
(12:25):
them move along.
And, I think for me, what Ireally enjoy the most is having
people that have worked with me,people that have worked
technically under me, andwatching them grow and take on
positions, whether with ourcompany or with other companies.
I think that for me has alwaysbeen something that I've focused
on, that I've been in those inthat position.
(12:45):
I am in that position.
I have bosses, I havesupervisors, but it's always
about making sure that you'rehaving communication, which is,
you know, quite frankly verychallenging in these times.
So, I think that's attributedto, to most of what I've done
and to tell you the truth,Amanda, I just really feel it's
important for me to feel, thatthat's who I am.
(13:06):
I don't want to give up who I ambecause of what I'm necessarily
supposed to do, based on whatthe requirements of the job are.
I would rather have therequirements of the job and all
of the goals and initiativesreached in a fashion that I feel
most comfortable with because Ithink I'll be most effective.
And I think the people that Iwork with will be most effective
that way.
(13:26):
And I think that's, that's beenhelpful for me in my career.
Amanda (13:29):
Yeah.
And it sounds a lot like youvalue people, like you care
about your teams and the peoplethat you're working with.
And I think sometimes we'remissing that component.
I know when I first started outin business, I was working
really hard and I found out thatone is too small of a number to
really accomplish much.
So do you think that that's kindof a perspective shift, like a
(13:52):
mindset that we need to work onthat it's all about teamwork
really?
Greg (13:58):
You know, I do, I think many times, especially, you
know, entrepreneurs, and I'veworked with a lot of startups
and a lot of great people thathave, you know, unbelievable
energy and have a skill setthat, you know, that you would,
well, let's just put it thisway.
It takes a certain kind ofperson to start a business,
right?
I mean, the person at the top,they always say, it's the
loneliest place to be ineverything else.
(14:19):
But what I see more often isthat the businesses that are
successful and the people thatare really going to make a
difference and are going tocontinue and get through hard
times like this is, is to havethat open, that open
communication and thatconversation.
I don't think anybody who's kindof put out in a silo and kind of
separated from people, evenagain, during this whole
(14:41):
quarantine, it's even moreimportant that you make a
special effort to reach out.
So, I would say this much, thatyour team effort is certainly,
something that I think isimportant.
But I also think we, you know,you have to have protocols and
direct reports and all thoseother things, but as long as you
have the systems andinfrastructure in place, you can
(15:04):
really maximize that.
And, you know, I've been insports all my life, things of
that nature.
And I think Esports, by the way,is a sport.
It has all the similar types ofteamwork elements to it.
And, you know, I'll have thoseconversations when necessary.
But it's something that I thinkagain, you really cannot get
things done on your own, but toomany times, you'll see people
(15:25):
that are aggressive and veryentrepreneurial.
They won't give up some of thosethings.
They want to do it all, and theyhaven't done all their way and
everything else.
And then you lose differentperspectives and, you know, you
want to make sure that you'vegot input from all your
different team members causeotherwise, you know, why are
they there and why did you hirethem?
You hired them for their skillset, their experience, and what
they can contribute to thedevelopment of your business.
And, you know, it can't all bedone in a vacuum and it can't
(15:46):
all be done at one desk.
Amanda (15:48):
Absolutely.
So, one of the things we'retrying to do with this podcast
is combat the idea that you haveto change your job to get ahead
or advance your career.
What advice can you give aprofessional, professionals
about talking to management whenthey're feeling a little bit
undervalued, or that their voiceisn't being heard?
(16:10):
That they want to make adifference they're striving for
more and it's just nothappening?
Greg (16:16):
Well, I think exactly that, I think you have to be
open now, again, going back tothe culture, right?
You have to understand what yourrelationship is and how that
works with either your directsupervisor and what their
relationship is with theirdirect supervisor.
You know, who's the ultimate,you know, who sets the tone for
the communication in thebusiness.
I do think again, there arecertain things that you can do
(16:41):
because it goes back to theconfidence issue, right?
You want to be able to have anopen conversation, but you also
have to be strategic about it.
There are certainly times whenyou probably shouldn't be
talking about, why you deserve araise, and there are challenging
times all the time, but you alsohave to be aware of those and
you also have to take stock in,how did I get through that?
(17:01):
What did I do to work with theteam to excel?
How do we all get to the otherside of this and what were the
rewards and what were thesuccesses?
But then, the flip side is youalso have to look at what your
challenges are.
I mean, again, we always use thephrase, you don't celebrate the
successes but look at ouropportunities.
What are the other things thatwe can do?
So, I think many times whenyou're starting the process, I
(17:25):
think it really takes a mindsetfor how you're going to approach
it strategically, when are theright times, and then how you're
properly prepared for thatconversation.
And many times, I think peopleare a little bit, let's just
call it, shy or under-servingthemselves in a sense because
they're not aggressive about it.
(17:46):
I think as long as you're in themeetings, you're participating,
you're having your voice heard,it's something where you're
active, you've got ideas, you'vegot concepts.
All these kinds of things, themore engaging that you are, the
more familiar they'll be withyou in the end, and the more
they'll listen to theconversation.
And I think that's the best wayfor us to look at it.
But then we can also lookoutside and say, well, you know,
(18:07):
again, you can look on theinternet and find out what the
average salary is for a similarposition with another company.
Those kinds of things, certainlyyou can, you can utilize.
But it is true also to look outthere and see, how many other
jobs are there in your space, goto wherever you'd like to
research that.
You know, to talk to otherpeople in the industry, things
(18:28):
of that nature.
It's not necessarily that youhave to come in and say, well,
I'm looking for another job, youdon't want to go in there and
have that conversation.
But you're right, I think it'simportant to express that y
ou're aware of what's going onoutside of your four walls as
well.
Because it's important thateveryone understands that, you
(18:49):
know, you are an individual,who's looking to be a bigger
part of the team, be a biggerpart of the success, a nd you
really need to be rewarded forthat.
And, you know, I've had thoseinstances where you've had those
conversations and you've g one on, I've written over it and over
it and over it.
And it's like, well, okay, wellnow I'm g oing t o have to come
in there and say, I've beenoffered another job.
I don't want to get there.
But as long as you're doingeverything t hat you can to
(19:12):
avoid that it's really g oing to come down to, y ou k now,
whether they've effectively madeyou feel appreciated and
compensated you in t hat fashionthat you feel comfortable with
where you're at.
And quite frankly, that youstill have some growth potential
with the company as well.
C ause nobody wants to be kind of stuck in a position where they
don't feel that they can excelor get a better job within the
(19:33):
company.
Amanda (19:33):
Yeah, or a flat line, wherever they're that, that's
going to be so frustrating?
So, that's kind of a good segue,cause we typically will ask
people to share kind of theirwar stories of getting a raise.
Do you have any stories in yourmemory bank of times that maybe
you asked for a raise or that,you know, someone that did and
it didn't go well or it wentfantastic?
(19:56):
We love all those.
Greg (19:58):
I mean, I guess trying to pick the ones that are most
appropriate to talk about.
Working in the hospitalityindustry for as long as I have
or did.
There are a lot of things, ofcourse, that go on with
nightclubs, bars, restaurants,and there's management changes
and there's things that happen.
I was working at the corporatelevel.
So, I had a lot of engagementwith a variety of properties
(20:20):
around the country, a variety ofdifferent regional managers and
then salespeople and marketingpeople under them.
I guess the biggest example thatI could use as something that's
somewhat unique, at least in myexperience, for me, was going in
to have a discussion about araise and have a discussion
(20:43):
about opportunities to grow withthe company into a better
position.
I was a regional director, therewas a vice president position
available, and there were acouple of other conversations
that were going on fordevelopment.
And as the company was growing,and essentially what I found out
was that they were shopping fora variety of other people
(21:04):
outside.
And I got wind of what thecompensation was going to be.
So, I was fortunate enough to goin and have the conversation
about, okay, you know what,let's step into this and talk
about how I really want to be apart of this.
Here's what I've been doing withthe company and gotten us to
this point.
And I definitely think that Ican help us grow even more in
(21:26):
these other positions.
So, what happened was we gotdown to the conversation of the
raise and I just started with,well, I understand you're
looking at so and so, and so andso, and their compensation is at
this level.
And I just like to know why I,number one, don't have a chance,
and number two, why I don't havean opportunity for that type of
(21:48):
pay, because I'm already doingthe job that you're going to
hire them for it.
Suddenly a little bit of a risk,right?
But I had, again, like I said, Ihad a good relationship with
those individuals.
I was speaking to people thatwould understand.
So, I guess to get to the pointI was offered an amount of money
that was, that was less thanwhat they were offering or
looking to hire the other peoplefor.
(22:09):
So, not that we want to leave iton this note, but I did actually
go out and find another jobopportunity with the competitor.
Of which, they allowed me to go,and two weeks into my new
position with my competitor,they called me back and said,
all right, we made a mistake,I'd really like to have you come
back.
(22:30):
And so, I was fortunate enoughin that position to say, well,
then this is what I would liketo come back.
So, then I was given the salarythat they were looking to pay
some other individuals that theywere going to hire for the
position.
So, it worked out well for mewas a little scary, but I, you
know, again, I managed it well.
And like I said, I don't think Iwould have had that conversation
with somebody that I didn't havethat type of relationship with.
(22:51):
But by the same token, thatindividual who was directly
above me and then his boss hadto communicate that to the
president of the company.
And then that's how it all cameback.
And I actually got a call fromthe president of the company
that straightened it all out.
So that was good.
And I was very happy to comeback and be a part of that team
and, and make things happen fromthere.
Amanda (23:10):
Nice.
That's a great story.
Success!
Greg (23:14):
You only get so many times in your life where you can
actually make something work,and I was prepared for what was
going to come.
But yeah, I was very happy thatthey called and asked me to come
back.
Amanda (23:25):
That's awesome.
Well, thanks for sharing thatstory.
So, quick question, what's goingon with Wisdom?
Can you tell us a little bitabout what you guys got going on
in the future?
Greg (23:36):
I'll try and give you the elevator pitch here.
What's interesting about Wisdomgaming group is that we're in
gaming, and I think what'sunique for most people who don't
necessarily understand the spaceis there's Esports and there's
competitive gaming, and thenthere's casual gaming, right?
E-sports is the professionallevel, everybody likes that word
cause it's all very flashy.
Oh my God, you're involved inEsports cause you know, and
(23:58):
that's great, but again, not allgaming is Esports, but obviously
Esports is part of gaming.
So, our company really focuseson competitive gaming, and
casual gaming, and thenextending that into Esports.
So, in brief, we have severaldifferent verticals of which we
work w ith a n agency concept.
We work with brands and bringthem into the space to bring
(24:19):
them in authentically, have thempositioned with the right
language.
We always talk about they'regiven permission to be in this
space because gamers are veryfickle.
If you come in and are labeledas an opposer, you're going to
go through a lot of struggles.
And in fact, you can invest alot of money in this space and
then have them crucify you onTwitter, which isn't a good
thing.
But long story short is that wehelp brands come in and make
(24:42):
that transition.
And then not only have theauthentic introduction, an entry
point to give them longevity inthis space, you have to bring
value and you have to be there.
And we also do events andactivations.
We do many of those types ofthings, along with our partners.
But the two major verticals thatwe're working on right now, post
COVID, that of course, we'vepivoted somewhat is our media
(25:03):
and our content division.
We produce a variety ofdifferent shows for Twitch and
YouTube of which we work withinfluencers all over the world.
We've been doing remotebroadcasts in that fashion for
many years.
So, the shift to doing that, wewere already in that space.
So, it allowed us to bring in alot of other clients, we work
with Blizzard, we work withRiot.
We work with Valve all the majorpublishers.
(25:25):
And recently we just acquiredanother brand called Gold Rush,
which is a beloved, RocketLeague community brand that
we're extending additionalcontent and producing shows for
that.
And last but not least, we'vealso launched Esports Org, which
is roughly the ownership ofcompetitive teams in the sports
(25:48):
space.
It's called Alpine Esports, andour first team is in the Rocket
League competition.
So, it's the RLCs, the RocketLeague Championship series.
So, we've got a lot of thingsgoing on and it all kind of
works together holistically.
And so, that's really what ourcompany is all about is
maximizing the opportunities inthe gaming space, not deviating
too far off the path.
(26:09):
We have our core competencies,but we work together with all of
the different verticalsholistically, and we've found
some great success in the space,especially during the COVID era.
And, that's really kind of in anutshell, quite a bit big
nutshell, but that's it.
Amanda (26:22):
Yeah, that's awesome.
And it sounds like you guys werevery equipped for all of the
changes that have happened.
So, I'm glad that it's been kindof a successful transition more
or less.
Greg (26:34):
Yeah.
We're in a good industry for it.
So, that's a good thing.
Amanda (26:37):
That's awesome.
And I would imagine that it'skind of booming now that
everybody's hanging out at home,and things like that?
Greg (26:44):
No question, everybody's turning to not only competitive
gaming for themselves but alsoviewing it quite often.
And, it's getting into linearTV, and all the other things I'm
sure you saw with the NASCARproductions for a while.
They were doing their SIM racingwith iRacing.
And so, ENASCAR's actuallysomething I was involved with my
previous business as well.
So anyway, it's all kind ofcoming full circle and we think
(27:08):
we're going to have a chance toreally excel in the space and do
a lot more and become a littlebit more mainstream by the way.
It's always been insulated quitea bit with the gaming culture
and everything, and that's fine,but I think the core gamers are
now being, let's just say, alittle bit more accepting of
mainstream being a part of theeveryday viewership.
And in fact, supporting that aslong as everything is still
(27:30):
valuable and still brought inwith the right message.
So, yeah, it's good timing forit and we're enjoying it.
Amanda (27:35):
That's wesome.
So, how can people connect withyou if they want to, after the
show?
Greg (27:40):
Connect with me?
Wow.
Amanda (27:42):
I know, right?
Feel fancy?
Greg (27:47):
Well, certainly they can reach out to me on LinkedIn,
Greg Needham.
You can look me up with Wisdomgaming group.
I think, for me, that's reallymy go-to space.
I spend an awful lot of timeengaging with people on LinkedIn
, but otherwise, simple contactwith an email is GregN@wisdom.gg
, those who are not familiar,.GGis the go to URL for gaming,
(28:14):
translates to good game.
But anyway, a lot of times whenpeople are looking to be
authentic, they go with that GG,but, they can get ahold of me
there, GregN@wisdom.gg,otherwise, please check me out
on LinkedIn and send me arequest.
I am, nothing, if not accepting,and open, and look forward to
collaborations with people inlots of different industries.
(28:36):
So look forward that.
Amanda (28:37):
I believe that too, you're very authentic and it's
been incredible kind of hearingyour wisdom and your advice and
your stories have been fabulous.
And thank you so much for beingon the show.
Greg (28:49):
My pleasure.
Thanks for asking me, Amanda.
I had a good time.
Amanda (28:51):
Yeah, absolutely.
I'll talk to you soon.
Okay, take care, bye.
Outtro (29:00):
Thanks for listening to the Raise Up Podcast.
If you want a raise, head towww.raiseuppodcast.com and
download our step by steproadmap.
Where we've taken all the expertadvice we've collected and put
it into a simple PDF ebookcalled you guessed it, How to
ask for a raise.
Before you join us again, makesure to subscribe, share it with
(29:21):
your friends.
You can click the share button,take a screenshot and share it
on your social stories and tag,@AmandaLeFever.
See you again soon.
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