Women in Mobile: Bosses of the Industry – Erin Sun @ WB Games
This article is part of Liftoff’s Women in Mobile: Bosses of the Industry series, featuring in-depth interviews with inspiring women in the mobile industry.
Erin serves as Manager of User Acquisition and Ad Monetization at WB Games. As an unabashed perfectionist with a healthy penchant for taking risks, she specializes in global media buys and works on the top-grossing mobile title, Game of Thrones: Conquest.
Erin first got her start in mobile gaming at a publishing startup in 2014, working on everything from marketing to business development and PR. She eventually moved to Kabam, where she led their global media buy on Facebook and TikTok, before arriving at WB Games in 2019.
Learn more from her Mobile Hero profile.
Erin Sun, Global Manager of User Acquisition and Ad Monetization at WB Games, thinks success is not always glamorous. Becoming successful is merely the end result of years of hard work. As part of our 2020 “Women in Mobile: Bosses of the Industry” series, Erin shares her definition of success as well as how much she values networking and learning from people—no matter what their background is.
What is your current role?
I’m the Global Manager of User Acquisition and Ad Monetization at WB Games. My team oversees paid media buys with different ad networks, DSPs and media agencies. We also manage ad monetization for all mobile titles published by WB Games.
Walk us through your typical work day.
There’s really no such thing as a typical work day at the office – and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Each day brings unique challenges and it’s incredibly exciting, especially when we get to work on new games or projects with different objectives to focus on. My role is highly collaborative as well, so I spend a lot of time working with our data center, game studio, product teams and partners.
It’s 2020. What has your career path been?
I’ve been in the mobile gaming industry for six years. I got my start in mobile gaming at a publishing startup in 2014 as a media buyer and digital marketer. After moving to the U.S., I served as a UA Manager at Kabam leading global media buy on Facebook and TikTok for Marvel Contest of Champions. Now at WB Games, I work on the top-grossing mobile strategy title, Game of Thrones: Conquest.
What is one thing you wish you knew at the beginning of your career?
I wish I knew how important self-awareness is. It’s so easy to be influenced by societal norms, entertainment, or even friends and family who believe that the next promotion is most important, that a corner office defines success. But it’s so much more meaningful to know who you are, what you truly value and what areas you need to improve upon.
As a professional woman, what does it take to succeed in today’s world?
Success means something different for everyone, but one aspect is constant: you cannot achieve results without knowing what you want. Once you figure out what your passion is, the next step is to take action. It’s one thing to watch other people achieve their dreams, but it’s a whole other beast to actually pursue them yourself. This journey can be very difficult and not everyone wants to exert the effort. You must ask yourself how badly you want to become successful, and then put in the necessary hard work to realize your dreams.
Also keep in mind that success can be everywhere – not just at work, but also in life. Think about your new year’s resolutions for example. How many of them have you actually kept so far? It’s never too late to get back on track. Remind yourself to be strong and fearless. When you fail, push yourself to move forward and keep, keep, keep trying. Sometimes things simply don’t work out as planned, so perhaps you have to adjust your methods. Just never stop improving yourself and remain hungry to grow.
If you weren’t in the mobile industry, what would you be doing?
I’d be living my best life in Hollywood. I love watching documentaries and dramas, but reality shows are my guilty pleasure. I may have been a film or TV show director in another life.
What’s the best career decision you’ve ever made and why?
Accepting my first job offer at a game publishing startup is the best career decision I’ve ever made because that’s how I first got into the mobile gaming industry. I was able to learn so much during a short time period. That’s where I built my passion for mobile games and my knowledge of the mobile ecosystem, which lead me to where I am right now at WB Games.
Can you recall a specific mistake you made and share what you learned from it?
No mistake is a mistake as long as you learn from it!
Can you share some self-care habits that help you be the best version of yourself?
I love reading books after work. It inspires me and helps me find inner peace. In 2019, I set a goal to finish a whole book every month – and I haven’t missed one yet. The current paperback on my night table is, “Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method of Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal” by Oren Klaff. It offers great insights into building effective pitching strategies and has helped me improve my communication skills as a whole.
I also enjoy working out at the gym as it helps relax my mind and keeps my mental and physical well-being in its best condition. Lastly, I love to talk to people. It doesn’t really matter who. It doesn’t matter what field they’re in or what their age is. There’s always something you can learn from someone else. It might be their attitude, their knowledge, or even their life journey that influences you for the better.
One fun fact about yourself that few people know?
I’m a professional dancer classically trained in ballet and traditional Chinese dance since I was six years old. I also competed at the collegiate level and won the gold award at a national dance competition.
What is the number one resource you recommend to women?
I recommend building your own community. One of the things I enjoy most about working at WB Games is the opportunity to attend different conferences and meet a lot of people. This is just one way I like to build my professional network.