In Jam City’s “Employee Spotlight” series, we are highlighting the diverse and exceptional talent here at Jam City.
Meet Lisa Spano, Jam City’s VP, Consumer Insights. Lisa and her insights team run the research and competitive intelligence groups at Jam City. Together they’ve assembled a passionate community of play testers whose feedback contribute to design and business initiatives.
What drew you to Jam City?
I’m really passionate about mobile games and love the challenge of building and creating influential teams from the ground up. When I initially learned about the opportunity to create a new research function a year and a half ago I knew it was the perfect time for me to transition from a more console focused company. I strongly believe in the executive vision for Jam City and see a very bright future ahead of us.
Describe your role on the team.
I oversee the Research and Competitive Intelligence groups at Jam City. Our vision is to inspire transformational action and drive growth through in-depth player understanding. I’m really fortunate to have an amazing team that has had a tremendous impact on the way we think about game design and marketing strategy.
Who are the Jam City Insiders and what role do they play in influencing a game?
Jam City Insiders is a community of our most passionate players across a variety of Jam City games. We are in continuous communication with our Insiders and use their feedback to influence a number of business initiatives including game design, go to market strategy, IP decisions and much more. As a company, it’s important for us to be player-centric and to build relationships with some of our most valued players, to learn more about their gameplay motivations and to create new experiences that will keep our players engaged for years to come.
What do you find most rewarding about your role?
Aside from working with great people, I love knowing that the games we are making bring so much joy and happiness to millions of people around the world. Because of the work I do, I’ve had the pleasure of reading many touching stories about the impact our games have on our players’ lives. Our games bring families closer together, create special bonds between moms and their children, help people get through difficult times they are having in their lives and make people smile.
What sets Jam City apart from other mobile gaming companies?
Jam City operates in an entrepreneurial environment—the executives are always open to new ideas and testing which leads to more innovative opportunities. We also have an amazing culture made up of employees who are very passionate about what they’re working on. Additionally, I love working for a company that helps our local community by participating in various charity events throughout the year, like Habitat for Humanity.
What advice would you give to your employees about how to succeed in their role?
There are three pieces of advice I live by and often talk about with others: (1) Be passionate about what you do. It’s so important to find what makes you happy and never settle. (2) Keep reading and keep learning. Knowledge is powerful and can lead to many great things such as inspiration for new ideas, improved skills and the ability to teach and mentor others. There’s always more to learn no matter where you are in life or your career. (3) Use failure as an opportunity to grow. Most people avoid talking about failures but many failures lead to new perspectives and ultimately greater success.
