16 Aug Meet Amy Chmielewski, Communications Manager

How did you get into marketing and communications?

I took a marketing class in high school and I really enjoyed the course material. I went all in at that point and decided to major in advertising in college. Marketing has evolved dramatically, especially over the past few years, but the opportunity to learn and adapt to the current landscape is what makes it so intriguing.

You went to UGA and Annie went to Georgia Tech. Does that cause any conflicts in the office?  Does she hate the color red as much as she says she does?

The rumors are true – Annie hates the color red but I don’t let it phase me. Completely unrelated, I will be going on vacation the week after the UGA vs GA Tech football game.

Since you’re newer to the VR/AR industry, what’s your favorite piece of technology or experience so far?

My favorite piece of technology that I have tried thus far is the HTC Vive with the MSI VR One backtop computer. Having the ability to move around a room without getting caught up in a cord is very freeing and to think of all the technology that has gone into making it possible is incredible. Every experience I’ve had in the Vive headset has exceeded my expectations. Trying out all of the different headsets makes me excited to see what’s to come in the next couple of years.

You’re pretty active outside of work. What is your favorite weekend activity?

That’s a tough one because there are so many activities in Atlanta. One of my favorite things to do around town is listening to live music. You can almost always find a band or genre of music you’re interested in hearing. There are a lot of up-and-coming artists that come through. I use ThrillCall to find tickets – you can search by date, band name, or genre.

You also enjoy local food and craft beverages. What’s a hidden treasure in the Atlanta restaurant scene?

There are a ton of restaurants on my list that I still need to visit but I’ve been frequenting Venkman’s, in Old Fourth Ward. They have a menu of locally sourced, seasonal food and live music.  

How does your dog, Ox, like the Futurus office?  What’s his favorite part of visiting?

Ox loves coming to the work. He is constantly bragging to his friends about how he gets to hang out at Futurus. His favorite part of visiting is the bubbles. 

Is the VR/AR industry what you expected? Did you have any expectations when you made the jump into future tech?

The world of VR/AR is more interesting than I could have ever imagined. The possibilities really are endless. There has yet to be a point in which someone has said to me that an idea is too far fetched – it is all possible, it is just a matter of when. I expected future tech to be a lot more closed off and exclusive but it’s been the opposite. There are groups that consist of hobbyists and professionals that encourage each other, share ideas, and learn from each other. We all see each other as resources to collaborate with and to grow – we’re all working towards the same goal.

Twitter: @AmyChmie