September Meetup - Panel Discussion: Building an Indie Game Studio

Going from being an indie game developer to the owner/manager of an indie game studio is hard! You need to develop new skills to navigate being a business owner. Come listen to a panel of experts on all the topics you know are important but are afraid to talk about. The IGDA and Austin Mobile & Indie Game Dev are pleased to present a wide range of world class experts to help! Bring your toughest questions and get the answers you need.

Kay Oder, Business Performance Advisor - Insperity
Insperity provides human resources services to over 100,000 small and medium-sized businesses. You may think HR is only for big, established companies, but Kay will discuss issues that are critical for small indie studios, including:

• Paying people as employees vs. as contractors
• Health insurance options for yourself and/or your team
• What a “professional employer organization” does for small companies

Doug Jones, Principal - Colliers International
Colliers International is a commercial real estate company with approximately 16,000 employees in over 500 offices around the world. It’s true that many indie game devs work at home or with a remote team, but having an office can provide a huge boost to productivity. So, in case you decide to explore that option, Doug will share some tips on office rental, such as:

• Status of the “hot” Austin market
• Common terms in office rental agreements
• Options for short-term and sub-leased office space

Lewis Leavitt, Business Development - Bridgepoint Consulting
Bridgepoint Consulting provides financial and technology consulting services to a range of clients, from startups to publicly-traded companies and government organizations. Lewis will offer advice in many areas relevant to indie game studios, including:

• Why you should care about finance and book keeping
• Other services available (debt, strategic decision making)
• Top of mind topics for startups

Brian Halbert, Financial Advisor - Merrill Lynch
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management is the wealth management division of Bank of America. It employs over 15,000 financial advisors and manages $2.2 trillion in client assets. As a struggling indie game dev, investing may be the furthest thing from your mind. But putting a tiny bit of thought into this now can make you (and your studio) far more financially stable in the future. Brian will cover some basics, such as:

• Importance of saving now at the start of your career
• Smart, easy ways to save and invest
• Do it yourself versus getting professional support

Gregg Perry, Former Attorney and Professor
During his many years practicing law, Gregg Perry worked with a range of businesses, from Fortune 500 companies to tech startups. In 2007, he became Assistant Professor of Digital Media Management at St. Edward's University, with a special focus on video games (from which he recently retired). During the panel discussion, Gregg will cover topics such as:

• The legal aspects of business formation
• Protecting your games with copyright, trademarks, etc.
• Important considerations for business contracts

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Schedule for this event:
• 6:30pm - Arrival and socializing
• 7:00pm - Intro and announcements
• 7:10pm - Panel discussion + Q&A
• 8:30pm - More socializing

Supported by Intel Buzz Workshop:

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Intel has assembled an amazing line-up for its first ever Buzz Workshop in Austin. The event will include technical sessions, panels, networking, a chance to feature your game in the Developer Showcase, prizes, giveaways, drone races, and more. Speakers and panels include: Warren Spector (Denius-Sams Gaming Academy), Starr Long (Portalarium), Women In Games discussion, How to Launch and Fund Games, etc.

Tickets are only $10 and all proceeds are donated to Child's Play charity! Thanks to support from Intel, this month's meetup will include free beer and pizza.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS! (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/intel-buzz-workshop-austin-tickets-18248447598)