Interview #10 with John Koller

BEHIND THE CAMERA

John has always been a sports fan - specifically the San Francisco 49er’s. Having studied Business Administration at Saint Mary’s College of California, John found the best way to blend his personal passion with his professional talent: sports marketing. John landed in Public Relations for the 49er’s team. He was tasked to create powerful brand marketing for the team and work internally to produce an image that we see externally. As much as John enjoyed the work, he explained to me that working behind the camera didn’t pay as much and therefore began to wonder if there was another industry for him.

Soon after, John’s boss at the time started talking to John about a newer industry that he believed was on the rise: the video game industry. John followed industries based on their predicted success but also based on his own personal interests.

“To be in the right place at the right time.”

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So John took a leap into this completely new industry for him. Being in the gaming industry was fast-paced and competitive. It wasn’t always easy for John to feel like he belonged in this environment. He explained to me that he felt out of place because he didn’t have a background in technology and was surrounded by a bunch of engineers. He was often unfamiliar with much of the terminology and jargon that was used by the developers and programmers who came from technical backgrounds.

John could have given up right there. Feeling out of place or under qualified can be tremendously stressful and lonely. But, here’s what John did instead...

John began to befriend many of the developers that he felt isolated from. He would spend time with the people who would code, and he slowly learned “the language.” Soon enough John was able to weave together (once again!) his professional business background into the unconventional and exciting industry of gaming. He went on to work for Electronic Arts and PlayStation where he undoubtedly had to be comfortable with technology and be able to effectively communicate to developers and other team members.

MASTER IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

While John was working for PlayStation as a Product Marketing Manager, he quickly realized the importance that a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) could mean as far as future opportunities.. John realized that not getting the graduate degree, may restrict him from climbing higher within his industry.

“I don’t want to be turned down because of my level of education.”

John went back to school and earned himself an MBA with a concentration in marketing. John received much more than the degree, earning the MBA completely changed the way John  thinks and behaves as an entrepreneur and leader: he became invested in understanding organizational design and surrounding himself with incredibly intelligent and motivated individuals. 

“Learn from other people who are smarter than you.”

John encouraged myself and other young people to consider getting real-world work experience before going after such an upper educational feat. He encouraged me to get involved with volunteer work in any way possible. He explained that volunteering is a great way to meet like-minded people and get involved in a project that you’re passionate about.

“Show your involvement in making a project successful.”

TO TWITCH AND BEYOND

From John I have learned how he uses creativity and compelling storytelling to have crafted his own path and end up in a leadership position at Twitch. It’s clear that he has found a way to blend his personal passion and professional talent in a frame that can take him to any industry he desires. I would describe John as a quick learner, adaptable, and a team player. Hearing John’s vision for Twitch as well as his perspective on marketing is energizing and confirming that if we have perseverance and grit, then our dreams can become our realities.