What has been your business/work highlight of 2024 so far?

Who is your business hero and why?

It’s difficult to narrow down to one business hero, as each has its unique strengths and stories of navigating success and failure. However, I’m particularly inspired by Grace Hopper. She developed the first compiler, revolutionized programming, and was an early advocate for user experience. Despite facing numerous rejections, her persistence led to the adoption of her ideas, shaping modern software development. She also championed women in STEM, making her a true business hero and an inspiration to all. Hopper’s relentless pursuit of innovation and her commitment to inclusivity resonate deeply with my own values and aspirations.

What’s the biggest business mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?

Early in my career, I was overly eager to please and didn’t always push back on poorly defined Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) – a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future product development. Some MVPs were too ambitious, others lacked essential features, and some ballooned in scope, becoming overly complex, resulting in a poor user experience. This led to delays and missed chances to engage customers. The hard lesson I learned was the power of saying ‘no’ when necessary and relentlessly championing a focused set of user needs to deliver a truly viable product.

What’s the most inspirational book you’ve ever read and why?

Accelerate by Nicole Forsgren, Jez Humble, and Gene Kim is one of the most inspirational books I’ve read over the past year. It provides tangible evidence and actionable guidance for technology leaders on how DevOps and lean practices can give businesses a competitive advantage.

What’s the biggest challenge you face in your role in 2024?

In the extended reality space, there are countless platforms, opportunity verticals, and advancements to pursue. One of the biggest challenges we face is focusing on a few key areas rather than spreading ourselves too thin. We constantly have to evaluate emerging trends and technologies while also ensuring that we’re not chasing every new development. It’s a balancing act between maintaining a growth mindset and staying focused on delivering value to our clients.

What technology will have the greatest impact on your business this year and why?

In the XR industry, it’s safe to say that real-time diffusion models, particularly those capable of running on mobile devices, are poised to revolutionize extended reality by dynamically generating realistic content for immersive and interactive experiences. This technology directly addresses our industry’s need for personalization, rapid adaptation, and engaging content creation. By enabling us to create tailored experiences, quickly prototype new ideas, and deliver high-quality content on mobile devices, real-time diffusion models will unlock a wealth of new opportunities across marketing, entertainment, and enterprise applications, ultimately driving significant growth for our business and clients.