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/

Today we're thrilled to welcome Troy Morris, Co-Founder and CEO of Kall Morris Inc., a Michigan-based space logistics startup designing technology to capture and relocate space assets in orbit. Troy shares his journey from studying psychology at Northern Michigan University to leading a company with over $5 million in funding and 20+ team members tackling one of space's most critical challenges: orbital debris. With a background managing multi-state business units generating $15-17 million in revenue at Snap-on Tools, Troy brings a unique blend of corporate leadership and deep-tech entrepreneurship to solving the space debris crisis—a problem that threatens the future of all space operations.

Key Topics Covered:
• The space debris crisis and why 36,000 tracked objects threaten everything in orbit
• How KMI went from dorm room conversations about the rocket equation to $5M+ funded startup
• Customer discovery in an emerging market: validating the space logistics industry
• Lessons from leading revenue-producing teams in critical industries and applying them to deep-tech
• Why psychology and behavior analysis inform leadership in technical startups
• The difference between commercial, defense, and civil space customers
• KMI's vision for space stations, refueling operations, and recycling satellites in orbit
• Why 21 of 22 UN climate change measures depend on space-based technology
• Realistic timeline for humans on Mars: Troy's 2080 prediction
• Building a world-changing space company in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Links:
Kall Morris Inc.: https://www.kallmorrisinc.com
Michigan Founders Fund: https://michiganfoundersfund.com