The Role Models I Look Up To
How they’re shaping the way we build Nex and Nex Playground
In a recent podcast interview, after hearing that I worked at Apple for eight years, the host asked me:
“What did you learn at Apple?”
I blanked. I didn’t know where to begin. I rambled through whatever came to mind—and left the conversation deeply unsatisfied.
So after the interview, I sat back, relaxed, and began to reflect. Beyond the practical skills honed over those years, two deeper lessons stood out.
The Big Idea
At Apple, there’s always a gravitational force at the center of everything—a big idea so compelling, it pulls everyone toward it. Peel back the layers of the so-called “reality distortion field,” and that big idea is what you’ll find at the core.
The Storytelling
Apple also has a strong demo culture. I lost count of the demos I gave. But behind every one was strong storytelling. That meant walking through the user’s lens: their pain points, their workflows, and how the product solves their problems.
You don’t get away with fluff. The process is rigorous because nonsense gets caught quickly. A successful demo typically meant that a product or feature got stamped with the Apple logo and was shipped to millions of users.
People outside Apple might call it something else: first principles thinking.
The Role Model Question
Years later, as Nex pivoted into active play, my co-founder Tony Sung asked me:
“Who’s your role model?”
He believed that having a role model would make me more predictable, and being predictable would make me a better leader.
My first instinct was to say Steve Jobs. But I hesitated. Steve’s altitude felt so high, it didn’t feel grounded to call him my role model. I admired him deeply, but I can’t really see myself in him.
Around that time, my friend Ian Smith handed me a book: Ask Iwata.
Reading it changed everything.
The Empathy
Satoru Iwata was the President of Nintendo during the Wii era, when the company set out to bring gaming to everyone. What stood out about Iwata wasn’t just his extraordinary technical capabilities, but his humanity.
He cared. He believed that if you treat people well, empower creators, and stay true to your values, magic happens.
He believed in speaking directly to players—through interviews, Nintendo Directs, and especially through Iwata Asks. He made leadership feel personal and human. He led with empathy.
I don’t have Steve Jobs’ taste—that is almost mystical and impossible to replicate. But I can build empathy. And from that, we can shape a company that talented people want to work for—and a product that genuinely cares for its customers.
Iwata and Jobs
I’ve come to find my own path by learning from both Satoru and Steve, borrowing and blending their strengths.
Playground is that big idea. The world needs a wholesome alternative to the isolating, sedentary forms of entertainment that surround us. At its core, Playground is built on a simple principle: the best games in the world can get people moving and bring them together—just like the game of pick-up basketball.
Nex is in the middle of rapid growth. We doubled in size in less than two years. Calling it “growth pains” would be an understatement. There are real challenges—systems being stretched, people adapting under pressure, and our culture being tested.
But Nex will keep doing the right things—staying human, staying focused—and keep moving forward. With time, I hope Nex can stand alongside the giants who shaped our world—creating with heart, reaching with vision, and never losing sight of the people we build for.
That’s the kind of company I want to build.
The kind of leader I’m working to become.
And the answer I hope I’ll be ready to give—next time someone asks.