We had the good fortune of connecting with Andre Elijah and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Andre, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It’s pretty simple: I wanted to work in a nascent industry and set the standard. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of industries and technologies be ruined by people poisoning the well, and I figured I could do my part to grow the audience of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality beyond the sphere of developers and enthusiasts and into the mainstream.
I figured that my way of collaborating and building engaging content could work well and tip the scales!
What should our readers know about your business?
I run Andre Elijah Immersive, an Immersive studio that specializes in both Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, creating both original games, as well as marketing projects for big brands.
One of the main things that sets us apart is that we’re not venture funded. We’re entirely bootstrapped and work with brands, and platform holders directly, only working on projects that we conceptualize ourselves, or really want to work on because they’re worthy of our time and attention. We’re in it to make amazing work and expand the reach of these mediums, not for a quick buck that would poison the well or make the lives of the next company harder to pitch a project.
A couple of years ago I wouldn’t have thought of that as something that sets us apart, but after having a bunch of founder friends pursue low hanging fruit, or shallow concepts because of the pressure of turning out a profit for investors, I’m glad that we have the time and ability to really pursue projects that matter to us, and build a studio that’s sustainable and here for the long term, trying to lead the way!
I don’t think any of this has been easy.
Sometimes it can take upwards of a year until the ink dries on a major opportunity from the time you initially think of it, then pitch it, and workshop it until all stakeholders are happy and aligned, then until the first check clears!
So you have to place your bets accordingly on short term opportunities to keep the team going, and longer term bets with a long tail and true earning potential by way of revenue share and royalties. It’s a delicate balance and you’re always tweaking the formula but I’m starting to get the hang of it!
I think that authenticity is key. The same person you’re getting on Zoom, is the same person you’re getting in real life, and in the boardroom behind closed doors closing deals.
The other thing that’s key is following your gut. If a potential partnership doesn’t sit right with you, or the product you’re going to market with doesn’t excite you – then they’re not right. Your instincts on that stuff are always right, the key is being able to say no to bad execution and being able to ship when everything is aligned.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m still new to LA but I have a few spots that I hit pretty frequently when my team comes to town:
Calabra at The Proper Hotel: Great views, even better food! I was there the other week with my whole team and it was an amazing night beside the rooftop pool! I thoroughly enjoyed my mojitos that night!
The Roger Room: The first time I went there, I was drinking in between Dave Grohl and Beck. It’s an amazing little spot to duck into late at night for a couple of classic cocktails.
Via Alloro: I’m a sucker for fresh pasta, and I’ve eaten way too many times there over the last couple of months!
The Rooftop Bar at The London West Hollywood: Before moving to LA, I stayed there all the time, and now my team does when they come into town. Between great the great views, and great drinks by the pool, it’s a great spot to relax.
Soho House West Hollywood: I’m there way too often, but it’s a great spot for meetings and hanging out with friends any time of day!
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Definitely Clay Weishaar. Not only is he an amazing art director, but he’s an awesome friend! I’ve definitely followed in his footsteps to land in LA and join the creative scene down here all the way from Toronto. He’s the one that got me involved in Augmented Reality by way of an introduction to Snap, and even introduced me to his immigration attorneys who helped me move my family and business to LA.
Website: www.AndreElijah.com
Instagram: www.Instagram.com/AndreElijahImmersive
Linkedin: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/andreelijah
Twitter: Twitter.com/AndreElijah