Back in 2004, the marketing definition of a "gamer" was narrow. It was young, and mostly male, and the video game industry was starting to stagnate. But Nintendo was poised to disrupt the gaming landscape (as it had done previously in the 1980s), and re-open the video game community to everyone. In North America, they had help from an enthusiastic new marketing VP named Reggie Fils-Aimé. Reggie later became president of Nintendo of America, and during his 16-year tenure with the company, he became its public face in the West. Video game fans around the world looked forward to his presentations and game announcements because they could tell he loved "Super Mario Bros.," "Pokémon," and "The Legend of Zelda" as much as they did. Nintendo's big swings resulted in some of the best-selling game systems in history: The Nintendo DS, the Wii, and the Switch. Reggie has since retired from Nintendo, but his new book "Disrupting the Game" recounts the successes, risks, mistakes, and many mentors he found along the way, including Satoru Iwata, the late president and CEO of the company.

275 Reggie Fils-Aimé: Creating a Culture of Mentorship at Nintendo

Adda Birnir is an entrepreneur and the founder of Skillcrush, an online coding school that offers a curriculum tailored for women who don't fit a typical 'coder' profile. Students are working moms, retirees, and mid-level workers who seek new career opportunities that once seemed impossible. Entrepreneurs intuitively seek disruption in their work. But as Adda has learned, personal disruption has a way of finding them first and visiting often.

Episode 19: Adda Birnir - The Disruptive Power of Mentorship

When Kara Goldin left her job at AOL after 7 years, she decided to work on her health in her new free time. That meant weening off of Diet Coke. But plain water was too boring, and there were no other options. So Kara came up with her own solution, ultimately disrupting the soda industry. 12 years later, Hint water is her multi-million-dollar flavored water company.

Episode 20: Kara Goldin - There's a Lot To Be Learned From Unbelievers

Best-selling author Whitney Johnson (“Disrupt Yourself”) explores her passion for personal disruption through engaging conversations with disruptors. Each episode of this podcast reveals new insights about how we work, learn, and live.

275 Reggie Fils-Aimé: Creating a Culture of Mentorship at Nintendo

Disrupt Yourself Podcast

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