Jacqueline Beauchamp
CEO and Founder,
Nerjyzed Entertainment, Inc.
More from Jacqueline
On her dad:
“He was a chemist and a gadget guy and he was always looking for the next new thing. That’s where my inspiration and passion comes from. And he wasn’t only my father, but he was also my teacher. He taught chemistry, physics, and biology at my high school and I had to be one of the best and brightest students in his class. He wasn’t going to accept anything less. But I greatly appreciate his challenging me and his persistence that I strive for excellence.”
On music:
“I’m a huge fan of gospel and jazz music. I sing and I used to perform. I think my love of music has helped me develop great video games. Music makes you feel. You can close your eyes and still feel what’s going on in the room when it’s being played—and I want every aspect of our games to have that type of full-body experience.
On her achievements:
“I’m asked to speak on a number of panels in front of females that have been incarcerated. Being able to tell them about a little girl who grew up and came out of a community like theirs—that is one of my biggest accomplishments because I am able to inspire them to believe again. To see the expression on an individual’s face when she realizes, ‘wow, if that person did it, so can I’ is priceless.”
Jacqueline’s Strategies
Live in success.
“I knew I wanted to own a company twenty-five years ago. I lived knowing I was going to be successful. Live in success, not in failure. I don’t look at obstacles I stumble over because at the end of the day, I know I’m going to be where I want to be.”
See it, then be it.
“You cannot be what you have not seen. Look at what others have done before you and try to understand what they did to get to where they are. I follow Steve Jobs’ career path. And although I can’t be him or do his job, I can learn how he became successful and transfer some of his strategies into my world.”
Drive change.
“When I began speaking on panels and attending other trade show and gaming events, I was the only African American female in the room. This is a $40 billion industry, and less than two percent of game developers are African American. Even less are women. I kept saying that someone needed to start a company to bring more diverse experiences and perspectives to the market. After two years of saying that, I realized I was talking about myself.”
Make the box—don’t think outside it.
“I am a big proponent of innovation and reaching beyond the status quo. In order to make things happen you have to drive creativity and embrace where it takes you.”
Live in Success
August 2010
In college, Jacqueline Beauchamp and three female classmates became a fearless foursome, graduating in the top ten of their predominately male electrical engineering program. Initially, Beauchamp felt like they had to prove themselves, but it wasn’t long before all the guys were asking to borrow their notes. Thinking back she recalls the foursome fondly: “We were strong, passionate ladies and we just never knew that we couldn’t succeed.”
After graduating, Jacqueline spent ten years designing computers at IBM before moving on to become the first African American female general manager at Motorola. From there, Beauchamp’s ambition guided her into the multimedia arena and back to her childhood love. This Louisiana-born businesswoman grew up watching the Fat Albert and Jackson Five cartoon series and was fascinated by animation. She told herself that one day she’d create something just as exciting.
Her dream came true in 2004 when she returned home to Baton Rouge and started Nerjyzed (pronounced Energized) Entertainment. Soon after the launch, her company celebrated its first success with the premiere of the Black College Football Experience: The Doug Williams Edition. This first-of-its-kind video game fuses realistic sports action with unique rhythm games, including an interactive Halftime Show. Microsoft was so impressed by her innovation that within an hour of receiving her submission, they approved her as a licensed developer.
Looking ahead, Jacqueline plans to continue her mission to create positive change within the industry. “Individuals don’t realize that video games leave subliminal messages in the minds of those who play them. I once heard a young black boy say he was a good boy, and he didn’t always want to be the bad black character. I knew I had to do something about that kind of mentality. That’s when I made the decision to leave the corporate arena after eighteen years.”
Strategy For Success: Think Out of the Box
Strategy For Success: Know When to Sell Yourself
Strategy For Success: Rely on Your Instincts
Strategy For Success: Bloom Where You’re Planted