The Point of Connection
This year marks Paris Smith’s 30th year in gaming, but also something of a new beginning. In 2023, after almost two decades as CEO of Pinnacle, she stepped back into an advisory role with the operator. She’s embarking on a new path as an industry investor through Life Winning.
“I worked six days a week, minimum 12 hours a day,” Smith says. “Not just for the 17 years at Pinnacle, but even more prior to that. So to calm down and have a better balance, that was the hardest transition.”
The switch from operator to investor was not planned, she adds. After years of passing on interesting products that weren’t the right fit for an operator, she realized many of these passes “were actually phenomenal products that eventually have their own huge booths at conferences.
“I just wanted to see and understand everything, and that’s when I started getting dozens of requests a week, asking to look through decks or look at products. That’s when I started organically becoming more of an angel investor.
“I realized that when I started 29 years ago, (gaming) was a startup industry. But fast-forward 29 years and being able to share the experience I’ve gained, it’s extremely rewarding. I love it.”
At Pinnacle, Smith sought out employees who were hungry, humble, smart and passionate. These qualities are equally important to her in potential investments. But most important is an ability to execute.
“We had products, projects and ideas at Pinnacle and my previous company that after tons of money we could have invested, never came to fruition. So that execution of a project is critical.”
Alongside Life Winning, Smith founded startup incubator Defy the Odds alongside fellow industry veterans Sue Schneider and Kelly Kehn. Aiming to encourage a new, more diverse generation of founders, Smith says it will ultimately prove that diversity will support innovation.
“There’s a lot of people walking around talking to the wrong people, being steered in the wrong direction, signing the wrong agreements,” she explains. “Defy the Odds gives them a platform, and makes people aware of this talent.
“It’s not that companies don’t want these diverse types of entrepreneurs; they don’t know where to find them. So it’s creating a point of connection.”
It makes her feel more motivated, she continues, as she’s seeing and experiencing more of the industry. “I’m having so much fun. I love getting my investor updates. I love touching base with the people that I’ve been working with. I love when they bring a problem and I can help solve it or point them in the right direction.”
Put simply, it’s helping people. “That’s my main motivator,” Smith says. “Watching people succeed, setting up people for success.”
