Jaimie Wolanski — Tough Truths, Retail Realities, and How Games Create Connection (#98)
From Think Like A Game Designer by Justin Gary
January 15, 2026 · 1h 0m
About this episode
Jaimie Wolanski shares insights from her 20 years in the game industry, discussing retail realities and the importance of team dynamics.
About Jaimie Jaimie Wolanski has over 20 years of experience in the games industry, with a career spanning major brands and mass-market hits. She’s worked as a sales rep bringing games into stores like Target and Barnes & Noble, and has helped launch titles like Shopkins , Catan , Ticket to Ride , Bananagrams , and Exploding Kittens . She even worked with Justin to bring You Gotta Be Kitten Me to market. In this episode, Jaimie shares what it takes to succeed in a crowded space, how to build teams you can trust, and why knowing when to let go of a project can be just as important as seeing one through. If you care about the business of games—especially the part that happens after the prototype—this conversation is packed with sharp insights and real-world experience. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justingarydesign.substack.com/subscribe
People in this episode
Host: Justin Gary
Guest: Jaimie Wolanski
Topics covered
- game industry
- retail
- team building
- project management
- business insights
Keywords
- game design
- retail strategies
- team trust
- project management
- game connections
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Target, Barnes & Noble
Products: Shopkins, Catan, Ticket to Ride, Bananagrams, Exploding Kittens, You Gotta Be Kitten Me
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