Dylan Lavis
dylan.lavis@gmail.com
소개
Gaming business development leader with 7 years of experience driving partnerships and market expansion for game development services (outsourcing/co-development and full-cycle support). Since 2020, closed $12.5M in new business and worked with 100+ studio clients/partners by owning end-to-end deal cycles—from sourcing and discovery through proposal, negotiation, and close. Experienced in operating internationally, using a conference-led sourcing strategy (5 international events per year) to build pipeline and convert opportunities into active contracts across console, PC, VR, and mobile.
경력
Paragon Interactive
Melbourne, Australia
Senior Business Development Manager, North America / Head of Marketing (Contract)
Sep. 2025 - 현재
- Paragon Interactive is a global game development services studio providing outsourcing and co-development support across art, porting, engineering/programming, and full-cycle development for console, PC, VR, and mobile titles, operating with a 24/7 delivery model across North America, APAC, and Europe.
- Scope: Business development lead for North America, owning end-to-end enterprise deal cycles and global expansion initiatives. Built pipeline through outbound, network-driven BD, and conference-led sourcing, aligning partner needs with delivery capacity across disciplines and regions.
- Owned end-to-end deal execution across outsourcing/co-development and full-cycle support (art, porting, engineering), from sourcing and discovery through proposal, negotiation, and close.
- Maintained a high-velocity top-of-funnel by booking approximately 30 partner/client meetings per month, converting qualified opportunities into active contracts.
- Led cross-functional deal orchestration by coordinating department leads on scope, timelines, resourcing, and handoff to production to ensure delivery readiness post-signature.
- Executed conference-led business development across PAX West, XDS, GamesBeat Next, Melbourne Games Week, and Tokyo Game Show—converting event introductions into qualified opportunities and partner discussions.
- Sourced and led a $1.2 million VR title engagement (anonymized) from conference introduction through proposal and production scoping (9-month cycle, post-alpha to first DLC), including partner-facing activation tied to real-world live events.
The Video Game Agency
Seattle, WA
Business Development & Partnerships Consultant (Self-Employed)
Jul. 2023 - 현재
- The Video Game Agency LLC is a contracting/consulting vehicle through which I support gaming and B2B tech companies with business development, partnerships, and growth operations—focused on building repeatable pipeline systems and executing end-to-end deal motions.
- Scope: Contract/consulting BD and partnerships lead across multiple engagements, retained to ramp quickly, build scalable pipeline, and operationalize sales execution (CRM hygiene, forecasting cadence, proposal systems, qualification standards) across international markets and partner ecosystems.
- Closed $12.5M in new business since 2020 and signed 100+ studio clients/partners across multiple engagements spanning stealth startups through AAA.
- Built repeatable pipeline systems through outbound + network-driven BD and conference-led sourcing (~5 international events/year), consistently converting introductions into qualified opportunities.
- Optimized SOPs and training across multiple organizations, accelerating ramp time and enabling account managers to close deals in ~4 weeks on average.
- Implemented BD operating cadence (CRM hygiene, stage definitions, forecasting rhythm, proposal templates, stakeholder alignment) to improve conversion and reduce cycle time across teams.
Upscale Recruiting
San Francisco, CA
Senior Business Development Manager (Contract)
Mar. 2024 - Dec. 2024
- myReelCV is a video-resume and hiring workflow platform that helps employers screen candidates faster and improve early-stage evaluation through structured, technical video profiles—reducing time-to-hire and improving hiring team alignment.
- Scope: Business development + partnerships lead, owning end-to-end deal cycles (sourcing → close) and building ecosystem partnerships (VC firms, incubators, universities, startups) to drive new logo growth and conference-led pipeline.
- Owned partnerships and new logo acquisition across VC-backed startups and hiring teams, building pipeline through outbound, referrals, and partner ecosystems (VC firms, incubators, and universities).
- Developed and closed high-impact partnerships by running end-to-end deal cycles—discovery, qualification, proposal, negotiation, and close—aligning platform outcomes to each client’s hiring goals.
- Managed and expanded key accounts through consultative relationship strategy, uncovering cross-sell/upsell opportunities and improving retention through stakeholder alignment and ongoing value reinforcement.
- Represented the product at international conferences, using event-led sourcing to generate qualified meetings, advance partnership conversations, and strengthen market positioning with decision-makers.
Forbes
New York City Metropolitan Area
Executive Recruiter (Freelance)
Jul. 2023 - Jan. 2024
- Forbes Jobs (Forbes) is a leadership-focused hiring platform that partners with employers to source executive and director talent, supporting high-growth companies and established organizations with streamlined recruiting engagement.
- Scope: Business development + recruiting lead for the global gaming vertical, partnering with studios to fill executive and director roles and expand industry relationships into new markets.
- Generated pipeline through conference-led sourcing and outbound, converting studio conversations into retained/priority searches and long-term partner relationships.
- Led end-to-end engagement execution: intake/discovery, role scoping, candidate pipeline strategy, stakeholder alignment, and closing finalist offers.
- Innovated recruitment processes by implementing a cutting-edge platform that boosted candidate efficiency and effectiveness, resulting in a more streamlined and client-focused hiring experience.
- Designed GTM messaging and campaign assets around major gaming conferences, improving partner outreach effectiveness and accelerating match-to-interview velocity.
- Designed and executed marketing strategies for major global gaming conferences, aligning top-tier talent with leading studios through customized approaches tailored to each organization's specific technical requirements.
- Operationalized process improvements within the platform and workflow to streamline candidate throughput and deliver a tighter client experience.
Nxt Level
Nashville, TN
Executive Technical Recruiter > Account Manager (Full-Time)
Jul. 2022 - Jul. 2023
- Nxt Level is a gaming-focused recruiting and staffing firm that supports studios and publishers by sourcing specialized talent across core development disciplines, helping teams fill roles quickly while maintaining a high-touch client experience.
- Scope: Account management + recruiting delivery lead for gaming clients, owning client relationships, role intake/qualification, and end-to-end search execution.
- Managed a portfolio of studio clients, driving relationship strategy, role intake, and delivery cadence while identifying new opportunities for deeper partnership.
- Improved hiring execution and client satisfaction by streamlining recruiting operations, achieving an average 26-day placement cycle for gaming roles.
- Built and maintained specialized candidate pipelines across core disciplines (Art, Animation, Design), aligning technical profiles to project needs and business objectives.
- Developed training playbooks and documentation with senior leadership to accelerate ramp time and increase consistency across the recruiting team.
Here's Waldo Recruiting
Seattle, WA
Technical Recruiter > Senior Technical Recruiter (Full-Time)
Mar. 2021 - Jun. 2022
- Here’s Waldo Recruiting is a recruiting and talent solutions firm supporting creative and technical hiring, partnering with studios and teams to identify specialized talent across game development disciplines.
- Scope: Technical recruiting and client delivery role supporting creative/technical searches; owned intake alignment, candidate pipeline strategy, and hiring process execution.
- Led day-to-day execution for approximately 30 studio accounts and over 110 active job requisitions, maintaining delivery cadence and improving speed-to-fill to an average of approximately 4 weeks.
- Managed and coached a team of 5 technical sourcers, setting pipeline targets, improving sourcing quality, and standardizing workflows to increase throughput and placement consistency.
- Ran intake and stakeholder alignment with hiring teams to clarify role requirements, calibrate profiles, and improve candidate presentation—strengthening client trust and repeat engagement.
- Built specialized pipelines across core disciplines (Art, Animation, Design), aligning candidate strategy to project timelines and production priorities.
Digital Artist Management, Inc. (DAM)
Redondo Beach, CA
Technical Recruiter (Contract)
Sep. 2020 - Mar. 2021
- Digital Artist Management, Inc. (DAM) is a talent and recruiting partner supporting game studios and creative teams by sourcing specialized artists and technical talent, with an emphasis on global candidate networks and international hiring.
- Scope: Technical recruiting and client delivery role focused on international collaboration, cross-cultural hiring execution, and pipeline strategy for niche game development roles.
- Supported approximately 75 active studios simultaneously while maintaining focus on five or fewer roles per studio, ensuring high-touch client delivery and consistent pipeline execution.
- Increased global placement volume by 40% by implementing targeted sourcing strategies and scaling international collaboration across studio stakeholders.
- Improved diverse hiring outcomes by 35% through culturally sensitive recruiting practices, calibrated intake, and tailored interview alignment across regions.
- Reduced time-to-hire by 30% by tightening role qualifications, improving pipeline execution, and aligning candidate presentations with client requirements for niche positions.
Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company
Bellevue, WA
Technical Recruiter (Contract)
Jan. 2020 - Aug. 2020
- Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company is a staffing and talent solutions firm supporting enterprise and high-growth companies with specialized technical recruiting and hiring delivery across multiple industries, including gaming and interactive entertainment.
- Scope: Agency-based technical recruiting and client delivery role supporting gaming-focused requisitions. Owned role intake alignment, candidate pipeline strategy, and end-to-end search execution.
- Delivered an average of approximately 4 weeks' time-to-fill by executing targeted sourcing strategies for engineers, artists, and developers across gaming studio hiring needs.
- Partnered with hiring managers to calibrate role requirements and candidate profiles, improving interview alignment and increasing the quality of matches for technical and creative roles.
- Conducted market research and talent mapping to anticipate hiring demand, maintain warm pipelines, and support faster turnaround on future requisitions.
학력
Humboldt State University
Business Administration
Aug. 2009 - May. 2013
Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration
North Torrance High School
Sep. 2005 - Jun. 2009
High School Diploma
기술
Business Development & Partnerships
- Strategic Partnerships
- Enterprise Business Development
- Pipeline Generation
- Deal Cycle Management
- Negotiation & Contracting
- Proposal & Scope Development
- Market Entry & Expansion
- Account Planning & Territory Ownership
- Executive Presentations & Demos
- Forecasting & Deal Hygiene
- CRM Excellence
- Partner GTM & Co-Sell Enablement
- Outsourcing / Co-Development Sales