Today is International Women's Day and to mark the occasion we'll be highlighting some of the incredible women working in the games industry across both PocketGamer.biz and PCGamesInsider.biz. You can catch all the profiles on PocketGamer.biz here.
Here Gamee CEO Bozena Rezab discusses work in building B2C brands and social network-based services before founding her own games company.
PocketGamer.biz: Can you tell us about your current role and what it entails?
Bozena Rezab: I am an entrepreneur, co-founder and leader of a team that is building Gamee, a social gaming network connecting friends in casual-style games and tournaments.
What did you study (if anything) that helped you get into games? What courses would you advise for aspiring professionals interested in your areas of expertise?
For my studies, I could not really decide between analytics and creative, so I studied both at business school and at an interactive media art school. Being in gaming somehow combines both!
If you think you have to make one choice of focus and stick with it your whole life, I think that is a misconception.
Jobs change really fast and increasingly require people that are flexible, ready and fast to learn. Take any course that gives you energy to explore your strengths and never stop.
Where did you get your start in games and how did you progress into what you're doing now? Is this something you ever imagined yourself doing?
I started with games about four years ago as co-founder and CEO of Gamee. However for 10 years prior to that I was building B2C brands and social network-based services.
Jobs change really fast and increasingly require people that are flexible, ready and fast to learn.Bozena Rezab
There any many things and principles that overlap there. With Gamee, we are building a social network, where the content includes gaming challenges and tournaments, a global consumer brand.
What part of your role do you find most fulfilling?
The freedom and responsibility of being an entrepreneur, and seeing what we have built and achieved with the team, that makes me proud.
Do you think there are any misconceptions, public or professional, surrounding your area of expertise?
There used to be an opinion in the business community that games was not a 'real' business. I think that changed with games getting more mainstream, casual-style games reaching mass audiences, the rise of mobile games, and esports, and with games companies now having multi-billion dollar valuations.
What other advice do you have for someone looking for a job in this profession?
Just go for it, even if you've never worked in games before. The market is getting bigger, fresh perspectives are always welcomed.
Is there anyone in the games industry (or anyone else in general) who inspires you?
People who have been in the games industry for about 20 or more years. Their view is priceless, seeing things that stay beyond trends.
You can read more profiles of some of the incredible women working in the games industry right here.
Bozena Rezab was a speaker at Pocket Gamer Connects London in January 2019. The next PGC will take place in Seattle on May 13th to 14th. The event will return to London next year.
