Her Story
About Adrienne
Adrienne Beranger serves as CEO of Rustling Leaves Games, an indie game studio she founded to support artists and developers in the video game industry. She has spent approximately eight years in the gaming sector, including seven years focused on community management and content moderation, before launching the studio following industry layoffs. Beranger holds a bachelor's degree in outdoor recreation from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, awarded around 2018, which informs her approach to community building, volunteer motivation, and creating engaging experiences. In addition to her studio leadership, she works full time as a corporate trainer. She is a member of Cave Bear Games, Gigi Women's Professional, and Women in Gaming, where she serves as an ambassador, and she participates on advisory boards for the town of Clayton and its Parks and Recreation Department. Beranger attributes her success to her dedicated team and supportive wife, emphasizing transparent practices, boundary setting, and people-first leadership that helps team members build portfolios for full-time opportunities.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Adrienne
01What do you attribute your success to?
Definitely my team. I think that I would not be in the position that I'm in without a strong leadership team. People who started with me from the beginning, and said, I see this dream, I want to build it and make it a reality. Having my wife supportive is also helpful.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Listen to the critics. There definitely are critics in the industry... where there's smoke, there's fire. And sometimes a critic will point something out that you're like, oh, this person is just hateful, you know? But maybe there's a little bit of truth to it.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Honestly, I would just say, just do it. Don't listen to the naysayers, there's no harm in starting up this. Be transparent and flexible. Connect with actual artists. Build beautiful games if you just give people a good organizational chart.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is retention. A lot of people start a game studio... and then real life gets in the way. Another thing studios do wrong are NDAs which prevent sharing work. The opportunity is starting a game studio doesn't require much capital, use open source tools.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Do not quit your daytime job. Set boundaries for yourself. People first. I'm very communicative and organized. Make sure team members can build portfolios for full-time jobs.
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