Had Vanessa Mullin been told five years ago that she would be a ‘Metaverse Lead’, she would not have believed it. The title did not exist. Technology has evolved rapidly over recent years, and Vanessa believes now is the time to write business cases for new roles in companies to help drive their Metaverse successes. By the same token, looking five years ahead, it’s impossible to predict what new roles will emerge, and that, she feels, is the beauty of it.
Vanessa’s excitement about her continued contribution to the Metaverse shines through. Every day is a new adventure, never knowing what email or client request she might wake up to or what her colleagues in the United States or Asia Pacific countries have been developing overnight.
Based in Sheffield, UK, Vanessa’s career began in travel, where she developed an interest in companies in the tech industry, targeting them as clients. As she delved deeper into the ethos, core values, funding and business structures of these new-age tech companies, she became more intrigued with the incredible career opportunities that existed. This led to her introduction to Unity (a world-leading platform for real-time content creation) – and her ultimate employment – via one of their recruiters, who noticed that her extensive sales experience and skills were transferrable to a career as an Account Executive at Unity.
Her inception into this new position began with gaming, followed by media and entertainment, where her passion for the Metaverse blossomed. With a keen interest in digital fashion and the positive impact it could have on sustainability, Vanessa engaged in enlightening conversations with industry leaders such as Kerry Murphy, Matthew Drinkwater and Kelly Vero, who were pushing the field forward.
“I found that many media and entertainment companies were apprehensive about the power of Real-time 3D (RT3D),” Vanessa remarks. “Legacy fashion houses didn’t have the budget, and despite new-age companies having R&D budgets to explore the new technology, many thought it wouldn’t stick. However, it’s incredible to see the world evolve and witness companies that I initially tried to target, like Nike, Adidas and Gucci, paving the way for future brands and social experiences in the Metaverse.”
Following her stint at Unity, Vanessa joined Agora, a leading video, voice and live interactive streaming platform. It was here that she found her niche, using her passion for Metaverse technologies to help impact change both within Agora and the industry. “I truly believe that high-quality voice, video and chat solutions will be critical to building believable digital experiences in the Metaverse.”
Alongside Agora, Vanessa co-chairs the VR/AR Association’s (VRARA) Metaverse Committee and acts as a Women in Games ambassador. Vanessa is particularly adept at connecting great technology with great people, helping to bring ideas to life.
As the Business Development Metaverse Lead, Vanessa’s role is dedicated to exploring how Agora can enable Metaverse creators to build more connected worlds by leveraging the company’s 3D spatial audio, video and chat solutions which are powered by the only global network dedicated to real-time engagement. This proprietary network allows for ultra-low latency; in a nutshell, it means that online conversations will flow as seamlessly and naturally as they would if you were having them in person. “The power of not having to say, ‘sorry, I think your video is a little delayed’, is highly impactful in creating a believable phygital Metaverse experience.”
Vanessa’s apt description of the Metaverse is ‘the next generation of digital experiences – interconnected worlds that blend seamlessly together as well as phygital experiences; those wonderful moments where the digital and physical worlds blend together so naturally that they become one’.
When asked what advice she would give to those testing the waters or looking to web3 and the growing world of the Metaverse for career opportunities, she passionately emphasizes the need to ‘take chances, make mistakes and get messy’. Further, keeping an open mind, reading all available literature and most of all, joining as many Discord channels, committees and conferences as possible is highly recommended. “The best way to learn from those who are driving the change and positively building this new space is to connect and collaborate,” she adds, rounding off this great advice with ‘always be yourself, always stick to your guns and always speak up, it will drive your success more than you know.’
The legacy Vanessa would like to create is that, more than anything, it’s about building a world where nothing is impossible. “I cannot wait to wake up tomorrow and meet someone who is building the future,” she exclaims.
