Alisa Jacobs Talks Queens Gaming, NFTs, and Empowering WNBA Players Like Alexis Jones

Last year, you and the rest of your team launched Queens Gaming Collective to even the playing field for women influencers in the gaming industry. One of the company’s influencers is WNBA champion Alexis Jones. Can you share how this partnership could help WNBA players supplement their income, so they do not have to go overseas in the off-season?

Alexis is an incredible queen; she is a WNBA Champion, and she now a world champion playing overseas  I don’t think it is a secret that women in professional sports, including traditional sports like basketball, are drastically underpaid or paid less than men respectfully  So, historically for women to make real money, they must supplement their income with endorsement or overseas gameplay  I do not think that is going to change overnight  Unfortunately, I believe there is a much bigger industry-wide challenge that requires allyship and support  At the highest level of the instruction, their male counterpart, seeing increasingly in sports and entertainment, sees men champion women.

It still occasional, and it still exceptions not the rule and for women like Alexis, who, while she makes her bread and butter as an athlete and identifies as an athlete first  She is a gamer-gamer and loves playing video games  She is very good at it, enjoys streaming, builds community, collaborates, and competes  So, building her brand as a gamer allows her another revenue stream and democratizes access to the economics of the $190 billion industry by 2021  So, I do not necessarily be a substitute for other forms of income  Still, I think it’s a supplement and an opportunity to recruit an audience, build community, and connect with youth and global viewership  It is monetizing hobbies, build brands, make money, and create opportunities for ownership.

In a recent interview with Games Beat, you shared that Queen’s Gaming Collective is primarily a “media and management company  Could you see the company not only sharing women’s stories through digital media but in the film world as well?

SO, Queens Gaming Collective is a personality-driven media company at its core  It has the management of 22 diverse women gamers, who are equity partners  They are shareholders in the business and brand partners that we work with to develop their brands, beyond just pay-to-play or traditional brand partnerships The Media side is creating original programming for our own and operated channels,, as well as other forms of media We alsoo have film and television development, including  oth scripted and non-scripted projects  Both digital and traditional media are are already underway as part of the thesis concept for the content studio  We are also a merchandising company  We have IP beyond media for productization and will be dropping our first apparel collection in JulyIt’s’s an anything-but-merch drop  We are also developing games for the Roblox platform and beyond  I also want to say that these women have stories, as you noted Stories can be told on a lot of different platforms through a lot of other vehicles.

So, to me being a marketer at the core and having a background in innovation, PR, marketing, brand development, events, and partnerships experience, there is a huge opportunity to tell at every consumer touchpoint whether it is a good or a service, or media  So, we look at it as absolutely telling their stories for them and by them in social, digital, and metaverse gaming  Still, I also agree that there is an opportunity to tell it in film and television  Also in consumer product, apparel and retail, technology, and so many verticals and vehicles  To me, it is all storytelling  It just depends on how you consume it.

You have a diverse background in music, gaming, sports, and entertainment.. How do you see the emergence of NFTs leveling the playing field across the board?

 I thinNFT’s’s are an incredible space, and what I like about the NFT community that it incredibly tribal  They are highly supportive of each other  It is a creator economy that decentralizes and democratized much of what we know in the art collectable space  I love that this intersection of music and art and a bit of ecosystems bring everyone together  As it relates to gaming, I think it is incredibly relevant. A lot of what NFTs, which is a non-fundable token, which is the ideal of a rare item a one of one, and the idea of purchasing it digitally  So, when you think about gaming tokenization or microtransaction, or being able to buy in-app or in games historically, whether that is a skin like a wardrobe for an avatar or access  It is the OG gaming is the originator of the NFT space in many ways.

So, I think that they will go hand in hand. It is very new in many ways. So, there are many tests and learnings that need to happen to make sure it is sustainable and democratized—a face guard for the community. But I would love to see the momentum and normalization of digital culture, or what I call e-culture, because it opens up the invitation to the wider community, whether that’s gaming, NFTs, blockchain, or the Bitcoin arena, in this shared metaverse. I think it’s fascinating. There is a lot to learn. I also think it’s a little grab. There will be those who rise to the top and those who fall off. There will be staying power. Those who don’t like many people in different communities, but I watch it closely. I think it’s interesting how compelling the brands have leveraged the space and how they present themselves.

Does Queen’s Gaming Collective plan to launch any NFTs in the next couple of months?

We do not plan to launch our NFTs in the next couple of months, as we are focused on releasing our merchandise and developing our gaming strategy and product. Still, it is on our radar  We are doing a lot of due diligence for responsibility frankly as a mentioned there are concerns with the footprint and sustainability, protection, and prevision for the community, and making sure it is a truly democratizecosystemem and economically inclusivity for creatives and collectors, which is core and the nucleus of the company  So, when and if we do NTFs it would be incredibly thoughtful and not rushed.

Back in December, you were part of the Music Gaming Con panel and touched on fighting against gatekeepers. What do you look for when hiring potential full-time employees or interns?

That’s a great question, and it’s great. We’re actively hiring I’m happy to throw that out there because we’re looking for best-in-class talent that cares  SoWeave several job openings at the executive and mid-level  W We’ree are ramping up quicklyare and are excited to expand the team  When looking for someone personal qualities, I am looking for intellectual curiosity, grit, and a strong work ethic  I say this,: I love passion, grit, and curiosity, and I look for them for a reason. Passion means that you care  I always asked where you get your energy because I do not ask what you are good at; I do not ask about your strength and weakness  As a former executive recruiter, a former career coach, and a trained person at every level, of the business  Arrogantly, I feel confident that I can support the growth and development functionally for people  So, I careless how good you are at one thing unless it is truly a tactical job  I care more about whether this keeps you up at night and feels expansive or contracted when you think about it  What gives you energy and what excites you about your job is that I am such an advocate for economic inclusivity and democratization access professionally and monetarily.

As opposed to just optics and what looks like from a transaction or representation level, it is because you cannot afford to do what you love  Then you do not necessarily get to do what you love every day  So, it is nice to have this ideal, luxury, and this privilege to like your job, but being able to empower people to enjoy the culture and the compacity and what they are being measured by is a dream for me  That is one of my life goals for those who work with me and a much larger community and global community to pursue what they love and be paid for it  So, care, character, culture, and have the passion  If you are curious, innovative, and dynamic, you will always have a job.

What is next for Alisa Jacobs as a brand? 

It’s an interesting question, and I don’t know if I’ve ever been asked that before. On a personal level, in complete transparency, I have never really thought about my brand. Now that I’m a venture-backed CEO and Founder, I have to think about it more than ever. You’re bigger than yourself; you’re representing something bigger than yourself, and suddenly the optics matter. How I represent myself matters. So, where I’ve been fortunate is that I am incredibly authentic. I know everybody says that, but I say that to a fault  I don’t have a lot of filters in my professional and personal life, both socially and in real life I am very passionate and vocal  So, my brand has been a result of my personality  It has been about being the Trojan horse in every setting I have ever been in as a white woman in many multicultural business settings. I found it incredibly important to be the squeaky wheel and to be the voice of reason, someone who holds people to the fire  Also encouraging accountability from big brands, businesses, corporations, as well as individuals  I spent a lot of time off the clock and off the record helping coach fellow professionals and executives who want to do better and care  However, they do not know where to start, and their own self-interest has often led to gatekeeping, as we  discussed It is nepotism it is not even intentional gatekeeping it is utterly nepotism, and not paying attention  I think the starting part is not about branding, but rather about representation, in terms of how important it is, regardless of your race, gender, status, power, and the level of voice you have to raise it to be the person with your hand up  In any setting and in any room, make sure you’re building a bigger table and opening the door, dropping the kickstand, right  Because if you’re not consciously thinking about it, it’s really easy to go on autopilot. This is especially true in certain areas, including gaming, where there has been limited access. It is sometimes harder to find the right folks, nd it takes longer. Whether that’s recruiting, talent, or executives, it takes longer because there hasn’t been the same pool. I think being represented is a big part of that, and I think more on a personal level because that’s more of a professional brand, and personal commentary. But on a personal brand, I think I am more interested in being open to helping lead the charge in a more meaningful way  Whether that’s public speaking, ensuring that Queens is the gatekeeper that leaves the gate open, and we really position ourselves as your go-to for women and diverse creators, and that we’re all about collaboration over competition  I think that is not next, but a continuation of my personal brand  I have never been afraid of competition or being left out  I really operation from a position collaboration over competition and culture over everything  I do believe there is enough space, money, and seats at the table  I would rather bring people together and do more  Friendly rivalry breeds excellence, but when it ccomes tohow we work with brand partners, other organizations, encouraging women to owork together and others in the space , iit’sabout community building  The legacy I want to leave is one of community and economic inclusion  So, the only way to do that is if I am actually showing up.