Friday Push to Prod

Rick Heaton & Katie Postma

A weekly podcast featuring leading Video Game Industry Community Managers and other industry professionals. Hosts Rick "Sapience" Heaton and Katie "Khatie" Postma and their guests share their experiences and best practices for dealing with a wide range of issues every Community Manager faces.

  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    S3:E4: The A to Z of Game Design

    We talk Game Design with Ziba Scott- Owner of PopCannibal- and Amor Estandian - Senior Game Designer at Pipeworks Studios.

    Topics include:

    • What do designers do?
    • Working with Licensed IPs vs Your own IP
    • Dealing with community expectations.
    • Controlling Budgets

    Guests: 
    Zib Scott
    Amor Estandian

    Hosts
    Katie Postma
    Rick Heaton

    Other links:
    Crossing the Streams Podcast by Amor 

    Kind Words by PopCannibal 

    Block Pooper by PopCannibal

    7 June 2022, 8:00 pm
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    S3: E3: Social Media for AAA vs Indie Games. Key tactics and strategy differences.
    Boka Agboje shares his thoughts on the differences between Triple A and Indie game social media strategies. 

    Topics include:

    • Humanizing your brand.
    • Growth vs Engagement: Size matters, until it doesn't.
    • Corporate Responsibility.

    Follow our Guests and Hosts on Twitter

    Guests: 
    Boka Agboje 

    Hosts
    Katie Postma
    Rick Heaton

    Other links:
    Bromance Podcast: Rom Com Reviews by Boka Agbodje & Garret Balliett

    31 May 2022, 7:20 pm
  • 1 hour 13 minutes
    S3: E2: Writing for Games Part One
    Guests Amy Noel Green (That Dragon Cancer) and Nicole Hamlett (Writer for interactive story games) join us to discuss writing for games.  Topics include:
    • How being Neurodivergent can present challenges, but can also be a superpower.
    • Writing for established IPs vs creating your own worlds.
    • Are you a "shower or a grower"
    • Women in Gaming

    About our Guests:
    Amy Noel Green on Twitter: https://twitter.com/amynoelgreen
    Nicole Hamlett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/superwonderfrog

    Other links:
    Nicole's Books on Amazon 

    Numinous Games

    That Dragon Cancer 

    Area Man Lives 

    20 May 2022, 9:31 pm
  • 52 minutes 36 seconds
    S3: E1: Back to normal(ish). Are we doing things right?
    After more than two years of remote working and cancelled shows due to the global pandemic, what's the right path forward?

    How do we protect employees, customers, fans, and each other as we try to get back to a new normal(ish)?

    Linda Carlson, Director, Customer Experience at ModSquad joins hosts Rick and Katie for the hour.

    9 May 2022, 6:59 am
  • 1 hour 11 minutes
    S2: Episode 2 - Live Service Games
    S2: Episode 2: "Live Service Games require a Different Approach"

    Special gues Richard Weil, SVP, Global Operations at ModSquad joins Rick and Katie to discuss how and why running a live service game changes everything about how you engage with your community. From social strategy to revenue models, it all changes. 

    29 May 2019, 7:00 pm
  • 1 hour 7 minutes
    S2: Episode 1 - Happy Fun Times: If you can't find them, make them!
    We're back, baby! Join hosts Rick Heaton and Katie Postma as we kick off Season 2!

    S2: Episode 1: "Happy Fun Times: If you can't find them, make them!" Our special guest is Jacob Burgess, Community and Influencer Relationship Manager at Ysbryd Games. 
    15 February 2019, 2:00 pm
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    Episode 9: Remembering the legendary Stan Lee.

    Rick and Katie remember Stan Lee and how he changed our lives.  With special guests Stephen Reid and Victor Wachter, and bonus material from Ron Meiners and Eric Campbell.

    12 February 2019, 10:30 pm
  • 1 hour 3 minutes
    Episode 8: How to Change Companies with Style!

    Changing companies is an inevitability in any industry. In the games industry it can happen for a host of reasons, both voluntary and involuntary. The trick is knowing how to change companies in style without burning bridges and leaving a lasting positive impression.

    Mathew Anderson (Senior Community Manager, KingsIsle Entertainment) joins  hosts Rick Heaton (Director, Community Activation at YellowPike Media) and Katie Postma (Community and Social Media Manager for Stoic working on the Banner Saga trilogy) to talk about the best strategies for leaving one company for another. Even when leaving wasn't your idea. 

    3 August 2018, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    Episode 7: There's No Crying in Community Management!

    Community Managers often feel like they have to be 'on' 24/7/365. This can lead to the rapid onset of Burnout. How you manage your work/life balance is vital for your success and well being.

    Katie Postma (Community and Social Media Manager for Stoic working on the Banner Saga trilogy) and Rick Heaton (Director, Community Activation at YellowPike Media) discuss burnout, its signs,  and how to handle it with the amazing David Bass.

    31 July 2018, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 4 minutes
    Episode 6: Build-A-Troll Workshop - When and how to shut it down.

    Don't feed the trolls has long been a mantra of Community managers, but is it the right one? Has a policy of ignoring negative behavior allowed it to flourish?

    Join Nicole Hamlett (Staff Writer, Crazy Maple Studio), Katie Postma (Community and Social Media Manager for Stoic working on the Banner Saga trilogy) and Rick Heaton (Director, Community Activation at YellowPike Media) as we talk about how and when to shut down negative behavior.

    20 July 2018, 4:00 pm
  • 1 hour 8 minutes
    Episode 5: Hiring Trends: CM vs SM

    Are you a Community Manager or a Social Media Manager? Both? Are they different disciplines or the same? Which is more likely to get you hired in the ever-changing jobs landscape?

    Join Stephen Reid (Editor in Chief, HTC Viveport) Katie Postma (Community and Social Media Manager for Stoic working on the Banner Saga trilogy) and Rick Heaton (Director, Community Activation at YellowPike Media). Originally recorded Friday, July 13, 2018.

    13 July 2018, 4:00 pm
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