Interview by Lauren Keyson
About Lynn Rogoff
Lynn Rogoff, MFA, is the Founder of AMERIKIDS USA Green Kids Media and associate professor of Communications in the College of Arts and Sciences at NYIT talks about founding an organization for kids.
Listen to The Disruptive Technologists’ Podcast with Lynn Rogoff: The Augmented Reality Experience (2016)
What is your organization about?
It is an online ‘edutainment” interactive virtual game using mobile, tablet and computer platforms.
What are your favorite television shows and movies?
I do not watch much TV but I am enjoying Homeland on Television. I see countless movies since I am a member of the Writers Guild of America, am a filmmaker and have taught Film.
Any favorite books?
The past two vacations I have been reading biographies. I enjoyed Steve Jobs, Girls Like Us, A Natural Woman, which is the autobiography of Carol King and the biography of Cleopatra. They are all extraordinary books in their own rights.
iPhone or Android or what?
Android Tablet!
I bought an E Pad Transformer Tablet from Azus. Our game prototype is in Flash. Thus, I wanted a tablet to support our game. I think Android will grow. I think Google is a great company.
Facebook or Google+ or Twitter or what?
I am on all three. I use Facebook for Green Kids Media. I use LinkedIn and Twitter for business relationships. Follow me at #Amerikids on Twitter, Facebook Like me Green Kids Media and Join with me at Lynn Rogoff on LinkedIn
What areas / opportunities are ripe for startups to tackle?
Solutions in the education and green industries.
Have you done any previous startups?
I started my own company AMERIKDS USA. We produced for TV, Theatre and Film. We were early adaptors in the Games Business. We were the flagship company with our Games Pony Express Writer to launch McGraw Hill Home Interactive in 1996. McGraw Hill Home Interactive put $1.5 million in Pony Express Rider. Now we are launching our new game Green Kids Media
Outside of your startup what are you passionate about?
I love to swim, bicycle, and travel.
Who has been or currently is an inspiration to you?
I am inspired by kindness in people. Those who take time to listen, help and befriend others!
About Your Startup/Organization
With your startup currently in prototype stage, what is one problem you are addressing?
We are always looking for alliances that will create synergy. Find and developing those relationships take patience and nurturing.
My vision for Green Kids Media is to create and support the stewardship of Endangered Species, worldwide. We are looking to form relationships with people and organizations that see a great opportunity for their brand in this field.
What led you to this right now instead of anything else?
I grew up as the daughter of a veterinarian. I have always been sensitive to the plight of animals. When I started working the Native Americans for a project on Sacajawea I became sensitive to their customs to seeing animals in their own spiritual journey to wisdom. When I developed Amerikids as a game series the thrust was to produce games where young people were heroic in social causes.
I think the future of our planet is the biggest social cause that the next generation will face. We can become more sensitive to the plight of the planet through what is happening to other species living on the planet. Those species do not have control to change the direction of their environment like human beings have control. Young people are beginning to have a sense of their own empowerment. I love seeing the joy young people have in being able to help animals. The ability to connect with other like kindred spirits makes life meaningful.
What is your current biggest challenge?
The online games business is so packed with meaningless games that get people’s attention. Raising money and interest in our business is always perplexing, getting and keeping people’s attention is always bewildering. Creating and sustaining a business in this financial environment are always mystifying challenges. We want to disrupt the passivity of the online gaming world. They can have fun and save the endangered species problems, at the same time. We are planning creative disruption.
How can our readers help you get to your next step?
Check out our GKM prototype, Review our Business Plan or Suggest an Alliance for Green Kids. I love talking with other to entrepreneurs learning how they succeeded.
Let’s play a prediction game. Let’s say we are 12 months from now, and you are about to present to your board. How would you describe your progress?
We have a profitable business venture and the metrics are all compounding daily. We have now created a brand that has deep penetration. We have robust games that have numerous modules and iterations. There is a great deal of interest on our brand. Our business model had worked. Our virtual sales are exceptionally profitable. We are generating quite a bit of revenue. We can now launch our subsidiary business ventures in other mediums such as TV, Film and licensing of our characters.
Now let’s reflect on who you were five years ago. What advice would you give the former you?
Do not give up on your vision. You can find other people who are equally as passionate about your idea. You can find other who are talented in their own right, will work with you, will bring their own vision to the company and will be glad to be part of your company. There are associates and colleagues that will make a great company with you.
