Over the past three decades, some people have turned to video games for a dose of adrenaline. Although game titles receive acclaim and mention, the developers behind those huge hits are often overlooked. One of the largest gaming development companies is based only miles away from Parker in suburban Chicago.

Kerry Ganofsky is the CEO and Founder of High Voltage Software, an independent, Chicagoland-based video game development company behind best-selling titles such as Fortnite, Mortal Kombat X, and The Amazing Spiderman 2. High Voltage Software has released more than 100 games over the past three decades. Recently, I had the chance to speak with Ganofsky to gain some insight into his career. All quotes have been taken directly from a private interview.

Q: What is your job?

A: I am the CEO and Founder of High Voltage Software. I founded High Voltage in April of 1993 and have developed over 105 games in 31 years.

Q: What does a typical day look like?

A: Dreary. Okay, I’m kidding. Most days are awesome. I suspect that even one of my worst days at work is great by normal standards. If you want to entertain the masses, work on the most cutting edge technology, and solve cool problems, this is the job for you. 

Q: What’s the most challenging part of being an executive that most people don’t realize?

A: There are many roles and responsibilities that most people never realize. Rather than say I am an executive, I have always thought of myself as a small business owner. I started off with four employees and grew that to over 180 full time staff across two locations [Chicago suburbs and downtown New Orleans]. I’ve always felt the most stress revolved around the responsibility to your employees and by proxy, their families. Whether it is payroll, insurance, benefits, or “real world” advice, I have taken that role seriously and have always strived to create the very best environment. In the end, it’s all about the people.

Q: What was your first job, and what did you learn from it?

A: When I was ten years old I had two jobs. Back in those days, we read the news on these funny physical objects called “newspapers”. Someone had to deliver them around the neighborhood, so my Dad put a basket on my bike and I delivered newspapers. My second job, which started me on the entrepreneurial path, was selling golf balls. How does one sell golf balls, you ask? Great question, Lexi! I lived across the street from a golf course and all the lousy golfers would hit balls into my yard. I’d go outside, collect the balls and use my mom’s discarded egg cartons to “package” them. I would organize them by ball type and when I had a dozen I would hang a sign over the fence and the golfers would come up to the fence and buy the balls. Find a need. Create a solution. 

Q: What were your interests and activities in high school? Were there any experiences that ended up being surprisingly relevant to your current role?

A: When I was in high school, computer science was just becoming something that could be taught. But the biggest impact to me was the work study program that I took junior and senior year. It was better than the intro to business classes as it wasn’t merely curriculum. It was actual work experiences in the real world, and it had a profound impact on me and how I looked at work and potential career opportunities post high school.

Q: Did you have any formal education after high school? If so, what did that look like?

A: Northern Illinois University – Computer Science. It looked like a school in the middle of a corn field. It’s okay though, I like corn. 

Q: What was your career path leading up to your current role?

A: I moved to California in 1988 and started a game development studio with four other people. I spent a year there figuring things out before moving back home to Illinois and going back to school for computer science. 

Q: Did you always know you wanted to be a business leader, or did your career path evolve over time? 

A: I knew I wanted to do my own things, chart my own course, and most importantly I wanted to create with other like-minded individuals.

Q: What was the biggest career decision you made that led you to where you are now? 

A: I developed my first computer game when I was a junior in high school and was hooked. I never thought about doing anything else.

Q: Can you share a time when you failed or faced a major setback? How did you handle it and what did you learn from it?

A: Failure is just part of the process. You can’t be scared to fail. We tend to learn more when we fail. I always felt that people saying “no” were failing whether it was a potential hire, a banker, a business partner or even a client. What I learned from people saying “no” was persistence.

A: Was there a mentor who significantly influenced your career path? What did they teach you?

Q: There have been so many people on the path, the list is long and distinguished. Some were there for a pivotal moment, some were teaching for a semester, some gave birth to you, some invested in you and others said ‘I do’. Are some more important or memorable than others? Of course. Were there more I am not mentioning? Absolutely. But this isn’t an Oscar award and this certainly isn’t an acceptance speech. What I found is that some may have influenced for money, some for passion, and others for love. But regardless of their motivation, it’s the combination of these types of people that nurture the human spirit and make you who you are and hopefully forge you into what you want to become.

Q: What advice would you give to your high school self?

Don’t chase that girl – the day after you graduate, you’ll never see her again. Okay, wait, let’s leave that for Dr Phil. What I really mean is don’t waste your time. Time is one thing we all have in an equal amount, and when you’re young, you believe you have all the time in the world. Find some balance and put your phone down, your 35-year-old self would thank me.

Q: What do you look for when hiring young people just starting their careers?

A: A passionate and humble team player with an insatiable desire to learn and/or grow. I’d take a humble passionate B student any day of the week over the cocky A+ student who has been told by parents, teachers, and the internet that they are special, gifted and unique. 

Q: Is there any other advice you’d want to share with a current high school student?

Delete TikTok. Now that I have your attention, what I really mean is less screen time and more face time with family and friends. Genuine real time [is] priceless. 

Lighting round

Q: Morning person or night owl? 

A: Hoo Hoo….

Q: Best business book ever? 

A: Winnie the Pooh on Management, Jack Welch on Management, and Who Moved My Cheese.

Q: Favorite office snack? 

A: Personal favorites in my office are Girl Scout Thin Mints.

Q:  Most-used app? 

A: Messages, sadly…But the less lame answer is whatever game I am trying that is keeping me sane. Currently, that is Monopoly Go and Yahtzee. I don’t do fancy high-end games on my phone – I save that for the consoles.  

Q: Dream company [besides your own]?

A: Disney if I had creative control and could do so with Walt’s legacy in mind. Otherwise, it would be LEGO because right now, they are doing exactly what they do best and doing it exceptionally well.

Q: When you were ten years old, what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?

A: A troublemaker. But now we call those people disruptors.

This is the first interview in a series of columns asking executives, entrepreneurs, and non-profit leaders about how they made it and what “it” looks like. Have a person of interest or company you’d like to see featured? Feel free to email me at [email protected].