Today we're thrilled to welcome Abby Gates, founder and CEO of SproutWise, a people and culture consultancy that helps early-stage startups build durable, human-centered companies that can actually scale. With 20 years of experience across talent acquisition, people operations, and HR leadership in tech—and having survived four company exits—Abby reveals why the most "viable" startups often have the worst people systems, and how stage-appropriate structure can prevent invisible organizational risk from compounding before it's too late.

Key Topics Covered:
• How AI-native organizations should build teams differently (possibility vs probability mindsets)
• Why entry-level workers need adaptability more than technical skills in the AI era
• The viability paradox: how startup success masks critical people problems
• Three non-negotiable people systems every 5-20 person startup needs
• The real cost of keeping "brilliant but corrosive" team members
• Why every company exit involves grief (not just champagne)
• Michigan's ecosystem challenges: talent, infrastructure, and burnout
• How to diagnose people problems before they become existential crises

Links:
• SproutWise: https://www.sproutwise.com
• Connect with Abby Gates: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbygates/

Today we're thrilled to welcome Max Albert, CEO and co-founder of Adrenaline Interactive, an Ann Arbor-based startup revolutionizing in-game advertising.

Max went from software engineer at Ford to creating a top 10 mobile game with tens of thousands of daily players—then discovered the massive opportunity to help brands like FIFA, Dr. Squatch, and Chipotle reach Gen Z gamers through seamless product placement in Fortnite, Roblox, and Discord.

In this episode, Max shares how he's building the future of advertising in gaming's $250 billion industry.

Key Topics Covered:
• How Max quit Ford to build Deep Pass Jam, a top 10 NFL mobile game
• Why interstitial ads ruin the gaming experience (and what works instead)
• The Sydney Sweeney Dr. Squatch campaign that reached 500K+ Fortnite players
• How brands can reach Gen Z where they actually spend their time—in games
• Brand safety considerations for gaming advertising
• The "platformification" of gaming: Roblox, Fortnite, Genshin Impact, and what's next
• Why gaming is now bigger than movies and music combined
• Building Adrenaline Interactive from manual service to automated platform
• Real-time bidding coming to in-game ads in 2026
• Michigan's growing gaming and startup ecosystem
• Practical advice for brands considering gaming advertising

Links:
Adrenaline Interactive: https://www.adrenalineinteractive.ai
Game Jam Podcast: https://www.gamejampodcast.com
Max Albert on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-albert-4b0b02a9/
Deep Pass Jam: Available on iOS and Android

Today we're thrilled to welcome Richard Sheridan, CEO and co-founder of Menlo Innovations, bestselling author of "Joy, Inc." and "Chief Joy Officer," and a pioneer in building intentionally joyful workplace cultures.

For 24 years, Richard has been proving that putting joy at the center of business isn't just feel-good philosophy—it's a practical approach to creating software people love while building teams that thrive.

In this conversation, Richard shares the journey from his heartbreaking disillusionment with the tech industry to founding a company with the audacious mission of ending human suffering in the workplace.

Key Topics Covered:
• The origin of "The Menlo Way" and why Richard centered his company around joy
• How a childhood bookshelf project revealed the true meaning of joy and service to others
• Why software professionals will work for free if they can consistently delight users
• The transformation from Vice President to founder and designing a radically different way to work
• What makes Menlo's culture unique: open workspaces, pair programming, and transparency
• Ann Arbor's entrepreneurial ecosystem and the power of community in building success
• Richard's nuanced take on AI, the future of software, and why technology will make us more human
• Practical advice for leaders: "Get out of the house" and build serendipitous relationships
• How to create intentional cultures that unlock creativity, innovation, and imagination

Links:
Subscribe to our newsletter to get weekly updates: https://www.maximize.media/the-ryan-morrison-show
Menlo Innovations: https://www.menloinnovations.com
Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/menloprez/