Professor Game Podcast

Your Bio as an Origin Story: Gamifying the Job Hunt with Jade Arthur | Episode 424

If you're considering gamification for engagement, retention, or loyalty, I'm happy to compare options with you: professorgame.com/chat What if your bio was more than a skills list and your job hunt felt like a well-designed game? We explore with our guest Jade Arthur how to gamify the job search for the games industry, creating stories, systems and mindsets that boost confidence, visibility and long-term career engagement. Jade is a language and mindset coach for job seekers in gaming. She helps job seekers take down the villains in their job search like the "Cover Letter Crusher" and the "Interview Assassin." Her mission is to give job seekers the knowledge to authentically express their value and vision while finding joy in the process. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Website: make-the-grade-with-jade.lovable.app LinkedIn: Jade Arthur Instagram: @makethegradewithjade   Links to episode mentions: Proposed guests: Bruno Frasca Recommended book: Made to Stick by Dan and Chip Heath Favorite game: Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen   Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Game of Skool Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

You're Using Streaks Wrong - Here's What Actually Works | Episode 423

Exploring useful streaks for your product or org? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat Why do streaks motivate users at first but eventually push them away? Rob explores the psychology behind collapses, the dangers of existing habit metrics, and practical ways to redesign streaks so they support, not sabotage, long-term engagement. Perfect for product leads, community builders, and behavior designers. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Links to episode mentions: Duolingo (language learning & streak mechanics) Happier Meditation (formerly 10% Happier) Streaks (habit-tracking app) Finch (self-care & habit-tracking app) Octalysis Framework (gamification & Core Drives) Abstinence Violation Effect (psychology of lapses)   Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Game of Skool Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

Quests, Self-Talk & Health: Glen Lubbert's Stamina Lab Game of Life | Episode 422

Retention or loyalty on your roadmap? Happy to brainstorm → professorgame.com/chat We unpack the "tell the cab driver where to go" strategy, health quests, and the eight magic words that shift self-talk from guilt and shame to possibility and lasting change on this chat with Stamina Lab CEO Glen Lubbert. We discuss how to turn health and well-being into a game you can actually win. Glen is the co-founder and CEO of Stamina Lab, a health tech company that helps people create lasting well-being—not through willpower, hacks, habits, or fixing themselves—but by building on the inner resources and skills they already have. His company combines solution-focused health coaching, behavior science, and personalized data to improve energy, focus and resilience—without the usual shame or overwhelm. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A globally recognized gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Website: staminalab.io LinkedIn: Glen Lubbert Instagram: @staminalab.io X/Twitter: @glenlubbert YouTube: youtube.com/@staminalabTV   Links to episode mentions: Proposed guest: Dr. Deborah Teplow Recommended book: Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia Favorite game: The Five Crowns Card Game   Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Game of Skool Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

Stop Shaming Your Users: Ethical Alternatives to Dark Patterns | Episode 421

Exploring behavioral design without shaming? Let's chat → professorgame.com/chat In this episode, we break down the wild world of "confirm shaming": manipulative, guilt-driven prompts apps use to push you into saying yes. From hilarious to downright unethical examples, we unpack why these dark patterns harm long-term loyalty and how to use motivation ethically to build real engagement and retention. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Links to episode mentions: Confirmshaming.tumblr.com deceptive.design Ethics in Game-Based Solutions and Gamification | Episode 153 Andrzej Marczewski Doing Ethics In Gamification | Episode 161 Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Game of Skool Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question

Building Beats Playing: Matt Dalio's Path | Episode 420

Build a thriving, monetized community—without chasing members or cranking out content 24/7. Join us for free: 🏡 professorgame.com/freecommunity-web When is failure the first step to real success? In this episode, Matt Dalio, founder of Endless Studios, shares how a dream project collapsed—and sparked a breakthrough. Discover how building games, not just playing them, helps kids master coding, design, and 21st-century skills. From pragmatic lessons on profitability to testing assumptions cheaply, Matt reveals how to turn ambitious visions into lasting, scalable impact. Matt is the founder of Endless, which is fighting for a world in which every kid is a creator. Endless Studios is a youth game making studio built to introduce youth to 21st Century skills like coding and design. Matt's mantra is that if you can engage them, you can teach them. His second mission is to make that available to everyone in the world by addressing the device and internet gap, which is the work of the Endless Foundation. Matt dreams of a world in which every kid can shape their technology instead of being shaped by it. Rob Alvarez is Head of Engagement Strategy, Europe at The Octalysis Group (TOG), a leading gamification and behavioral design consultancy. A gamification strategist and TEDx speaker, he founded and hosts Professor Game, the #1 gamification podcast, and has interviewed hundreds of global experts. He designs evidence-based engagement systems that drive motivation, loyalty, and results, and teaches LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® and gamification at top institutions including IE Business School, EFMD, and EBS University across Europe, the Americas, and Asia.   Guest Links and Info Website: endlessstudios.com   Links to episode mentions: Recommended book: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron Favorite games: Civilization Sim City Plague   Lets's do stuff together! Let's chat about your gamification project 3 Gamification Hacks To Boost Your Community's Revenue Start Your Community on Skool for Free Game of Skool Community YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Ask a question