Business After Hours

Talk CNY Miniseries: Leadership Lessons

From Gaming to Building Community

Featuring Rob O’Connor, Co-founder of ELITE Gaming, Brain Play, and The Underground

Listen | Watch | Read the Transcript

What if gaming could change the way we learn, connect, and build communities right here in Central New York? In this episode of Talk CNY: Leadership Lessons, we sit down with Rob O’Connor, the co-founder of ELITE Gaming, Brain Play, and The Underground in Downtown Syracuse, to talk about how he’s redefining what it means to be a gamer.

Rob shares how he’s turning gaming into a force for good, helping students find confidence, community, and career opportunities through eSports and tech. From lessons learned from his father to the light-bulb moments he sees in kids every day, this conversation is inspiring and eye-opening.

If you love gaming, innovation, or just seeing CNY thrive — you’ll walk away seeing both business and video games a little differently.