Many women are now building a strong industry presence and taking leadership roles as the gender gap in tech industry leadership roles decreases.
To acknowledge and recognize their contribution and get to know them better, we continue our blog series featuring women game changers in the mobile industry.
Jessica Hasenplaugh
Head of User Acquisition at Wooga
- What is the best thing about your job?
I get to have a huge impact on the success of the business by working closely with so many teams to drive profitable users. The games teams, data science, data engineering, marketing and UA all work together so closely at Wooga, I believe this relationship is key to our success. - What’s the one thing you have learned in your career and would like to share with new entrants?
UA is a frustrating profession. Every time there is a new breakthrough in technology, there are a dozen ideas around that technology that aren’t automated yet. This essentially means that we’re constantly bridging the gap between ideas and execution. Don’t forget that’s why you’re there: To think of the new ideas, and to make things happen in the short term. Don’t forget that this will always be the case. Once this new thing is automated, you’ll think of a new idea, and you’ll be supporting that idea with your manual efforts. If you remember this, and you plan for it, it’s less frustrating. Also, be humble. Assuming that something won’t work, or that a source of traffic is not going to be good enough is just a form of bias. Don’t bias yourselves. You never know where you can learn something. - What is your biggest professional achievement to date?
I helped to build the first mobile measurement product from a team of 10 people to 300 globally, servicing clients from around the globe and spanning a dozen industries, from gaming to automotive, hospitality to ecommerce. At this company, I was able to hire about 70 people, most of whom still work in mobile. Some have moved into product, some have started their own businesses. The biggest achievement wasn’t the business. It was the people that I got to hand choose and give them a vocation in a really exciting industry. - What are the top trends that will shape the mobile space in the coming 1-2 years?
Creative, personalized experiences, re-engagement, AI. - What do you see as the biggest challenge for women in tech and how do we overcome it?
I think that there are far too many to say that there is a biggest. Rather, there are many small ones. I will say that one thing I do quite often is the following: The supply of UA people is much lower than the demand. This means I’m contacted multiple times per week about potential jobs. Since I already have a good job, this gives me leverage. So I ask questions about their diversity policies. Not just, “Do you have one, and what is it?” But very pointed questions about pay equity, representation in upper management, etc. The more women who ask about this, the more recruiters will start to understand that it’s important, and that it’s something that may make or break a candidate’s willingness to take their offer. Hopefully this bubbles up to upper management, and they take it more and more seriously. For the record, my questions apply to other disenfranchised groups, not just women. I believe everyone is equal.
- What game have you spent the most hours playing?
June’s Journey. - How do you manage your busy schedule?
I delegate to my team of UA all-stars, and sometimes I work a weekend. - If you could switch jobs with someone for a day, who would it be?
The CEO, of course. - Name one thing you’re most passionate about and why.
I’ve always cared about being a good thinker. Logic, humility, pragmatism. This helps me do everything, from who I hire, to how I distribute my budget, to how I open myself to new ideas, so that I can always stay on the cutting edge for the benefit of my company and my team.
- What is the coolest innovation you have seen and why do you like it?
High quality mobile games that are approaching the quality of console games. We’re making so many strides! June’s Journey is a great example of a multilayered story driven game with rich visuals. I love what’s going on in mobile gaming these days.
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