WEBVTT NOTE This file was generated by Descript 00:00:00.049 --> 00:00:02.299 Shannon Putman: Yellow and welcome on into the pop. 00:00:02.899 --> 00:00:10.819 Putins podcast pops here for you and bringing you all the best information about education and spatial learning. 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:18.409 We have the most wonderful Mr. Zach Davenport, and he is the director of production at Leba. 00:00:18.739 --> 00:00:21.799 And instead of just listening to me, I'm gonna let him introduce himself. 00:00:21.799 --> 00:00:22.459 Welcome, Zach. 00:00:23.284 --> 00:00:23.864 Zack Davenport: Hey, thanks. 00:00:24.074 --> 00:00:24.824 Great to be here. 00:00:25.369 --> 00:00:25.939 Shannon Putman: Excited 00:00:25.939 --> 00:00:26.359 Zack Davenport: to have 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:26.809 Shannon Putman: you. 00:00:27.754 --> 00:00:28.444 Zack Davenport: Awesome. 00:00:28.474 --> 00:00:29.854 You want me to jump right in? 00:00:30.155 --> 00:00:33.560 Shannon Putman: Yeah, just go ahead and tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do and why you're here. 00:00:34.325 --> 00:00:35.224 Zack Davenport: Absolutely. 00:00:35.584 --> 00:00:37.385 So, yeah, thanks for the introduction. 00:00:37.385 --> 00:00:40.745 I am Zach Davenport, the director of production at Le Baki. 00:00:40.775 --> 00:00:47.215 And Le Baki is a virtual reality company specializing in education and training. 00:00:47.465 --> 00:00:52.955 And as the director of production, that means that I get to do a little bit of everything and wear. 00:00:53.554 --> 00:00:54.694 So many hats. 00:00:54.724 --> 00:00:55.354 All the hats. 00:00:55.354 --> 00:00:57.574 I feel like we work in a hat factory sometimes. 00:00:57.884 --> 00:01:00.539 But you know, I lead our development team. 00:01:00.589 --> 00:01:10.130 I make sure that we work closely with teachers and educators and trainers to represent the content that they need and expect and. 00:01:10.834 --> 00:01:14.265 Figure out how to translate that into effective vr. 00:01:14.325 --> 00:01:18.975 I work with our sales and marketing to make sure they know how to get it out there in the world. 00:01:19.135 --> 00:01:24.955 And then I get to meet with amazing people out in the VR and education community like yourself. 00:01:25.205 --> 00:01:27.754 So I'm so happy to be here and having this conversation with you. 00:01:28.399 --> 00:01:29.210 Shannon Putman: Well, thank you. 00:01:29.210 --> 00:01:32.270 Flattery will always work on me and I appreciate that. 00:01:32.270 --> 00:01:43.179 So thank You you mentioned you wear a lot of caps that makes me think of one of my favorite books from childhood caps for sale and it was this dude who like had caps and they were stacked on his head anyways. 00:01:43.429 --> 00:01:48.139 Being that you are that gentleman how did you even get started in virtual reality? 00:01:49.139 --> 00:01:51.030 Zack Davenport: Yeah, it's kind of a crazy story. 00:01:51.030 --> 00:01:55.630 So, my background is actually in engineering, mechanical engineering. 00:01:55.910 --> 00:02:11.860 I went to Olin College of Engineering in the Boston area and, you know, avoided software development, avoided electrical engineering, and found myself really into design and education and technology and the overlap of all of those things. 00:02:12.185 --> 00:02:23.075 And there was this project that I was doing as sort of a senior capstone project that was all about bringing education to underserved areas in the country. 00:02:23.125 --> 00:02:26.845 And that area in particular for this project was Clarksdale, Mississippi. 00:02:27.145 --> 00:02:29.515 The Mississippi Delta is a tech desert. 00:02:29.905 --> 00:02:42.505 When I was a senior in college, we developed an afterschool program for the Mississippi Delta where we were developing technology, entrepreneurship, and art curriculum for students in this area. 00:02:42.565 --> 00:02:47.425 And that was right around the same time that Le Baki had popped up as a little startup. 00:02:47.910 --> 00:02:53.660 Teaching students in an afterschool program in Clarksdale, how to do VR development. 00:02:53.690 --> 00:03:10.300 That was the original mission of Le Baki, is let's teach students in this tech desert how to engage their artistic talents and their interest in technology that they don't really have an outlet for and make cool stuff in vr. 00:03:10.550 --> 00:03:13.310 So I remember meeting the founder. 00:03:13.630 --> 00:03:28.920 Of Leba on a trip down to Clarksdale for that project, and we bonded over a love of design and technology I had all these cool virtual spaces that I'd designed just, you know, not with VR in mind, but he said, okay, bring your computer over here. 00:03:28.970 --> 00:03:35.690 Just upload that file right here and then put on this headset, and now you are inside this building that you just designed. 00:03:35.870 --> 00:03:37.280 And I was hooked immediately. 00:03:38.005 --> 00:03:46.555 So that was the first introduction and then we started to have conversations of how this can actually tie into education and the opportunities there. 00:03:46.865 --> 00:03:52.415 And then lo and behold, they hired me after I graduated Peak Pandemic 2020. 00:03:52.695 --> 00:04:00.265 So moved down to, at this point the company was in Jackson, Mississippi moved down to Jackson, and I've been here ever since. 00:04:01.054 --> 00:04:14.304 Shannon Putman: That's an incredible story and it has that aha, like I was hooked moment that I feel like a lot of us in the VR industry kind of experience and you know, rural and underserved. 00:04:14.324 --> 00:04:15.194 Populations. 00:04:15.194 --> 00:04:19.115 Rural education is definitely something that we believe in and we get behind. 00:04:19.115 --> 00:04:20.735 So I love that. 00:04:20.735 --> 00:04:27.515 And, you know, you mentioned you created this space and then you put the headset on and you were instantly like, in that space. 00:04:27.785 --> 00:04:34.115 So one of the things I always talk about is why spatial learning is so effective, you know, consuming a 3D content in a 3D format. 00:04:34.385 --> 00:04:41.015 So tell me a little bit more about like, kind of the power of that and why you're seeing Le Baki use that and why it's so successful. 00:04:42.015 --> 00:04:42.855 Zack Davenport: I'll tell you this too. 00:04:42.855 --> 00:04:46.065 I was super close to going to school for architecture. 00:04:46.315 --> 00:04:48.595 My mom went to school for architecture. 00:04:48.715 --> 00:04:55.164 My dad went to school for engineering, and so I've always been kind of this weird hybrid, but you know, I've always had a love for. 00:04:55.565 --> 00:05:00.335 Designing these spaces that maybe could or couldn't exist in the real world. 00:05:00.635 --> 00:05:07.535 And I realized, you know, I don't have to go be an engineer and live in a world where everything has to work perfectly. 00:05:07.685 --> 00:05:11.645 If I'm doing it in vr, I can push the limit as far as I want. 00:05:11.885 --> 00:05:20.565 I can use VR to its maximum potential to take you places that you'd never be able to go or you know, even if I'm just teaching you. 00:05:21.290 --> 00:05:24.470 A lesson about physics and Newton's laws of motion. 00:05:24.840 --> 00:05:26.340 Let's do it in a cool place. 00:05:26.340 --> 00:05:28.530 You know, let's go to the different planets. 00:05:28.530 --> 00:05:30.120 Let's experiment with gravity. 00:05:30.150 --> 00:05:31.350 Let's play some games. 00:05:31.350 --> 00:05:32.400 Let's go bowling. 00:05:32.719 --> 00:05:40.999 Let's have all of these different amazing interactive activities crammed into one space that could never exist in the real world. 00:05:41.249 --> 00:05:42.559 So the context. 00:05:43.234 --> 00:05:52.714 And the virtual environment in which you're learning has such a big effect on how you consume that media, how you interact with that content. 00:05:52.904 --> 00:05:58.574 And it's so important to me that you are not only comfortable and maybe comfortable is the wrong word. 00:05:58.574 --> 00:05:59.954 I don't want you to get too comfortable. 00:05:59.954 --> 00:06:01.304 I don't want it to feel familiar. 00:06:02.159 --> 00:06:12.909 I want it to feel like something that you've never seen before and is gonna keep you on your toes just enough to make you say, whoa, this is amazing and unlike anything I've ever seen or done before. 00:06:13.149 --> 00:06:16.059 And that's where the real learning and the magic happens. 00:06:16.904 --> 00:06:20.669 Shannon Putman: Yeah, that's so profound and so true. 00:06:20.699 --> 00:06:25.469 My father-in-law is a civil engineer, and so he worked for the architects a lot. 00:06:25.469 --> 00:06:31.079 And I would always see him talk about, well, architects would have these grand ideas and we would tell 'em what would actually be possible. 00:06:31.079 --> 00:06:38.249 And so like, not having those restrictions, you know, you're, I always say you're only limited by your imagination, so I never even thought about it like that. 00:06:38.249 --> 00:06:39.719 Coming from that pragmatic. 00:06:40.004 --> 00:06:43.114 Lens, but being able to break free from that's 00:06:43.349 --> 00:06:46.469 Zack Davenport: Yeah, thankfully I've got a big imagination. 00:06:47.469 --> 00:06:49.359 Shannon Putman: Which I think we all have to have, you know, 00:06:49.509 --> 00:06:49.709 Zack Davenport: gotta. 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:49.840 it, 00:06:50.259 --> 00:06:50.709 Shannon Putman: right? 00:06:50.709 --> 00:06:53.469 Like what fun is there in the, you know, the every day. 00:06:53.469 --> 00:06:55.059 Like I can get that every day. 00:06:55.059 --> 00:06:55.359 So. 00:06:56.359 --> 00:07:00.799 You know, you mentioned your experience with in Jackson and in the Mississippi Delta. 00:07:01.009 --> 00:07:14.779 How are you seeing that, you know, immersive experiences and especially, you know, Leba is actually bridging that gap in opportunities for some of our students that are in those rural settings or those technology deserts, as you've seen, as you said. 00:07:15.394 --> 00:07:18.574 Zack Davenport: Yeah, it's such an important question because really. 00:07:19.574 --> 00:07:30.554 Some of the core principles that guide us on what we do are all about, you know, using VR for equity and empowerment and VR is a great equalizer. 00:07:30.604 --> 00:07:39.964 One of the things that first struck me about vrs potential is you can walk a mile in someone's shoes, like almost quite literally. 00:07:40.204 --> 00:07:47.864 You know, let me take you on a journey and show you this individual story and show you what it felt like to go through this experience. 00:07:48.144 --> 00:08:05.299 So there's the power of VR for building empathy and making connections there, which is powerful in and of itself, but specifically in terms of bridging gaps that you see in rural and underserved communities that are unfortunately so prevalent throughout Mississippi. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:22.259 You know, like I said earlier, a lot of these places are tech deserts, and then we get to come into a school district that, you know, barely has computer access, maybe they've got some Chromebooks here and there, and suddenly they've got VR of all things. 00:08:22.259 --> 00:08:22.859 Holy cow. 00:08:22.859 --> 00:08:23.579 It's amazing. 00:08:23.579 --> 00:08:24.539 It's a game changer. 00:08:24.869 --> 00:08:31.559 2021, we deployed 553 headsets into Kemper County, Mississippi. 00:08:32.059 --> 00:08:33.849 Very rural school district. 00:08:34.179 --> 00:08:40.919 And you know, it was the first time that, you know, even a lot of the teachers had seen technology like this. 00:08:41.049 --> 00:08:46.989 And I remember, you know, you've got these teachers who joined this school as a part of Teach for America. 00:08:47.274 --> 00:08:57.714 And they're like, you know, I never thought that a Teach for America School would end up having something like this that just rolls up and completely changes the game. 00:08:58.084 --> 00:09:03.874 You know, Jackson Public Schools, we literally share a parking lot with the administrative offices of Jackson Public Schools. 00:09:04.064 --> 00:09:06.105 We've got over a thousand headsets in there. 00:09:06.325 --> 00:09:07.915 And really just seeing. 00:09:08.349 --> 00:09:24.849 The trajectory of learning and the enthusiasm about using technology to integrate into learning experiences the excitement it builds and the, you know, it makes people feel like I'm actually going to a school that's in the 21st century now. 00:09:25.849 --> 00:09:25.969 Shannon Putman: A 00:09:25.974 --> 00:09:35.199 Zack Davenport: novel yeah, so many technologies that we use in education are so painfully outdated and we are working really hard to overcome a lot of those challenges. 00:09:35.199 --> 00:09:43.869 Shannon Putman: you mentioned all of the, you know, the exciting things that I've always been, you know, preaching about VR and xr, you know, especially in education and training. 00:09:44.199 --> 00:09:50.889 What is like one misconception though, that you have heard from people that you kind of are trying to get people to understand? 00:09:51.295 --> 00:09:52.974 That they have about xr. 00:09:53.444 --> 00:09:53.745 Zack Davenport: Yeah. 00:09:53.775 --> 00:10:05.005 So especially in education we've encountered a lot of schools and a lot of teachers who You know, they will see this technology and they'll get really excited about it, and they'll say, that's cool. 00:10:05.005 --> 00:10:08.425 And I'll, I'm sure the kids would love this, but I just can't wrap my head around it. 00:10:08.425 --> 00:10:09.144 It's not for me. 00:10:10.104 --> 00:10:11.334 It doesn't need to be for you. 00:10:11.544 --> 00:10:14.634 You know, it's, at the end of the day, it's not really for you. 00:10:14.734 --> 00:10:17.165 It is for your students. 00:10:17.165 --> 00:10:21.905 At the end of the day, it is for the benefit of the students to enhance their learning experience. 00:10:22.204 --> 00:10:24.125 And if teachers can. 00:10:24.660 --> 00:10:31.199 Start to wrap their heads around that, that I don't need you to be an expert on this technology to effectively use it in the classroom. 00:10:31.560 --> 00:10:38.819 All I need you to do is know what it can do, because I guarantee the second you put that headset on a student's head, they're already a light year ahead of you. 00:10:38.849 --> 00:10:40.619 They've got it figured out, it speaks their language. 00:10:40.619 --> 00:10:44.519 This is what they do at home all day, every day when they're not at school. 00:10:44.969 --> 00:10:45.329 And so. 00:10:46.319 --> 00:11:02.250 You know, the the conception, the misconception potentially of feeling like you have to fully understand this technology and be an expert to use it effectively for training and education is something that we are constantly trying to push back against. 00:11:03.180 --> 00:11:04.050 Shannon Putman: I hear that. 00:11:04.110 --> 00:11:14.969 I literally was at a college class last night talking to pre-service teachers getting their degrees, and one of 'em was like, well, I don't really like tech, and I'm, and I literally looked at her and I said, well, it's not about you. 00:11:15.345 --> 00:11:21.555 So, you know, I couldn't agree more, and everybody says that every step of the way, they're like, you know, the overhead, well, I'm not using that smart board. 00:11:21.555 --> 00:11:24.505 And then, well, I'm not using, I'm not checking my email every day. 00:11:24.505 --> 00:11:26.485 And then it was, I'm not using that Chromebook. 00:11:26.485 --> 00:11:32.825 And look where we are, it's just like every new progression and so I couldn't agree more with that. 00:11:33.275 --> 00:11:34.295 Just a shot. 00:11:34.740 --> 00:11:35.970 Zack Davenport: yeah, absolutely. 00:11:36.020 --> 00:11:42.680 And it's the same sort of thing where if they see it being used enough, if they see other people using it and they see the potential. 00:11:42.915 --> 00:11:54.105 I read a really interesting statistic recently that said that over 60% of teachers use chat GPT in their classroom or to help with teaching and lesson planning. 00:11:54.555 --> 00:12:03.094 If you had told those same teachers, Three to five years ago that they were going to be using ai, artificial intelligence in their classroom on a daily basis. 00:12:03.484 --> 00:12:05.764 Like, no, I'm not, come on, get real. 00:12:06.105 --> 00:12:15.165 It's a technology that was well designed to be familiar and approachable and serve a very specific need. 00:12:15.165 --> 00:12:16.345 And they pulled it off. 00:12:16.345 --> 00:12:22.015 And I think VR can be the same if people can overcome those initial hesitations. 00:12:22.435 --> 00:12:23.665 Shannon Putman: I love that example too. 00:12:23.694 --> 00:12:26.365 'cause they thought, oh, the AI's coming to replace us. 00:12:26.425 --> 00:12:26.905 Nope. 00:12:27.235 --> 00:12:30.605 It's, just like vr, it's not replacing you, it's 00:12:30.800 --> 00:12:31.460 Zack Davenport: enhancing. 00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:32.630 It's augmenting. 00:12:33.380 --> 00:12:34.280 Shannon Putman: exactly. 00:12:34.280 --> 00:12:40.580 You still, the stage where de, despite what doomsdayers think that, you actually have to input what you need into Chad GBT. 00:12:40.580 --> 00:12:42.710 It's not just, it doesn't just give you stuff so. 00:12:42.920 --> 00:12:43.400 Zack Davenport: Yeah. 00:12:43.450 --> 00:12:44.170 Shannon Putman: Yeah, exactly. 00:12:44.175 --> 00:12:44.954 I love that. 00:12:44.954 --> 00:12:56.125 And, our students aren't as impressed because they grew up with technology, so you've gotta do new things to keep them, like a smart board or, like sliding an image across a touchscreen TV is not impressive to them. 00:12:56.965 --> 00:12:58.315 Like, it's just not. 00:12:59.315 --> 00:13:08.685 So in keeping with that, can you kind of just give us a little rundown about like what Leki, actually is what, what's a part of your program, what type of materials do you guys have? 00:13:09.330 --> 00:13:10.110 Zack Davenport: Absolutely. 00:13:10.710 --> 00:13:15.990 So our primary offering is what we like to call the Immersive Institute. 00:13:16.380 --> 00:13:21.840 And the Immersive Institute is a huge catalog of educational content that we've been developing over the past. 00:13:22.215 --> 00:13:23.505 Five years or so. 00:13:23.605 --> 00:13:27.965 huge focus on K 12 education at the beginning. 00:13:28.035 --> 00:13:35.775 lots of content that we have on stem and I like to tell people we can go full magic school bus, right? 00:13:35.775 --> 00:13:39.015 Everybody knows and remembers and loves the Magic School bus. 00:13:39.495 --> 00:13:53.945 We can shrink you down to the microscopic level and take you inside a plant and animal cell and you can witness Cellular respiration, all of these different processes tour outer space fly up through the layers of Earth's atmosphere. 00:13:54.225 --> 00:13:57.075 actually look at the progression of the rock cycle. 00:13:57.545 --> 00:14:01.395 lots of things that you can do in stem lots that we can do in history as well. 00:14:01.425 --> 00:14:08.705 We bring historical figures to life and you get to hear their story from their perspective in their environment. 00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:17.150 We can take you to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Independence Hall and meet the founding fathers and read the Declaration of Independence. 00:14:17.460 --> 00:14:23.860 we've done a huge amount with career and technical education, CTE in recent years as well. 00:14:24.430 --> 00:14:34.480 And so a lot of the content that we make has been driven by, schools and training centers coming to us and saying, okay, this is really cool. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:40.960 These departments could use it for X, Y, Z, but I wanna be selfish and ask for A, B, C. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:43.270 And it's like, okay, yeah, we've heard that a few times. 00:14:43.270 --> 00:14:44.380 There's some real interest here. 00:14:44.380 --> 00:14:46.030 Let's consider it, let's make it happen. 00:14:46.340 --> 00:14:48.740 So we are constantly expanding. 00:14:48.800 --> 00:14:51.470 I'm constantly having to learn. 00:14:51.760 --> 00:14:58.290 New things and all this stuff that I learned about maybe last time I heard it brought up was in high school. 00:14:58.290 --> 00:15:02.370 It's like, okay, now we're gonna really take a deep dive and revisit all this. 00:15:02.540 --> 00:15:04.190 But we work directly with teachers. 00:15:04.190 --> 00:15:10.850 We look at their lesson plans, we look at their curriculum and the state standards. 00:15:11.130 --> 00:15:22.680 And put all those pieces together to make compelling and highly immersive and engaging interactive VR experiences In one big catalog that we call the Immersive Institute, 00:15:23.680 --> 00:15:28.920 Shannon Putman: I absolutely cherish that, especially because you said we actually work and listen to educators like. 00:15:29.155 --> 00:15:29.815 Zack Davenport: you have to. 00:15:30.145 --> 00:15:30.835 Shannon Putman: Thank you. 00:15:30.835 --> 00:15:48.805 That's your customer base you know, like, so the fact that you involved them in the process is what stood out to me, you know, with Leki as well, because you can tell when as a former educator, you know, I can tell when a software was designed by, you know, educators or not, or whether there's educator input. 00:15:49.165 --> 00:15:53.005 And that's so critical because, you know, we can be a finicky group, you know? 00:15:53.055 --> 00:16:01.245 So, I love that you do that and are you seeing, you know, you mentioned CTE and I'm seeing a big you know, trend in industry and workforce development. 00:16:01.245 --> 00:16:07.725 Are there any other, you know, kind of trends that you're seeing where you're getting a higher demand in for some VR experiences? 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:09.500 Zack Davenport: Absolutely. 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:09.890 Yeah. 00:16:09.920 --> 00:16:14.960 One huge demand that we're seeing right now and are responding to. 00:16:15.460 --> 00:16:20.470 Probably stronger than we've responded to any other demand is diesel and automotive. 00:16:20.900 --> 00:16:36.995 So, you know, especially in the south, there is a huge industry for trucking and repair on these big diesel trucks and heavy equipment and machinery and. 00:16:37.430 --> 00:16:46.700 There is a little bit of competition out in the marketplace of folks doing diesel and career and technical education in that regard. 00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:55.680 But we looked at what they were teaching and how they were teaching it, and we realized that there was a missing emphasis on actually troubleshooting. 00:16:56.040 --> 00:16:59.595 So building up the problem solving mindset of. 00:17:00.285 --> 00:17:02.055 Here's a problem on a truck. 00:17:02.295 --> 00:17:04.575 What tools do we have at our disposal? 00:17:04.875 --> 00:17:10.995 How can we put these tools together and actually, you know, use our critical thinking skills and get to the bottom of this? 00:17:10.995 --> 00:17:14.925 Because that, at the end of the day, is an employable skill, right? 00:17:15.205 --> 00:17:20.095 I can show you a hammer at all day long. 00:17:20.095 --> 00:17:25.195 I can show you all these tools and you can identify them and name them and know basically how to use them. 00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:33.200 That's great, but can I actually give you a problem that you can jump into and dissect and start to solve on your own? 00:17:33.650 --> 00:17:35.300 We wanna try to address that. 00:17:36.270 --> 00:17:48.105 Shannon Putman: I absolutely love that you mentioned that because a lot of these simulations and training scenarios, because we have the ability, they tend to be very, you know, self guide. 00:17:48.155 --> 00:17:49.685 Overly supportive. 00:17:49.685 --> 00:17:57.785 So you know, whether you're in the scenario and the next thing you have to do is match your hand to the virtual hand to put it in that space or put it in this space. 00:17:57.785 --> 00:18:00.305 And so there is a lack of critical thinking. 00:18:00.665 --> 00:18:08.065 And so I love that you mentioned that because you know, like you said in the south, maybe they're they're at a garage that doesn't have that certain tool. 00:18:08.065 --> 00:18:09.535 And so what are you going to do? 00:18:09.775 --> 00:18:12.175 How going to think about it and problem solve? 00:18:13.120 --> 00:18:15.940 Zack Davenport: Yeah, and I like to think about, you know, the. 00:18:16.765 --> 00:18:19.225 Chronology of learning as well. 00:18:19.255 --> 00:18:24.475 If we have some lessons at the very beginning that teach you the basics, right? 00:18:24.945 --> 00:18:36.750 If I'm making sure that you go through these experiences in sequence, then I don't have to hold your hand every single time for subsequent things that I'm pretty sure that you've learned in a past experience. 00:18:36.750 --> 00:18:38.160 I trust that you can. 00:18:38.515 --> 00:18:46.915 Grab this multimeter and know how to set it to a specific setting, and we can move a little bit faster and dive a little bit deeper in subsequent experiences. 00:18:47.690 --> 00:18:48.470 Shannon Putman: Absolutely. 00:18:48.710 --> 00:18:49.190 I love that. 00:18:49.280 --> 00:18:51.440 It's like releasing the range, you know, and 00:18:51.490 --> 00:18:57.870 that's the goal of what we wanna do for education anyway, you know, and progress down that, that learning journey as we say. 00:18:58.570 --> 00:19:05.610 So, everything that you've been saying is all like it, I've been in this industry since 2016 and everything, like every day, it still blows my mind. 00:19:05.610 --> 00:19:07.490 So, I absolutely love the message. 00:19:07.490 --> 00:19:13.230 I love what you guys do and I'm really excited to hopefully be, you know, working with Leba more in the future. 00:19:13.230 --> 00:19:19.480 And, you know, how is it that you guys have been able to sustain yourself for so long? 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:27.330 Because this is an industry too that we see companies come and go quickly and you know, the ones that tend to stay have certain things that, you know, they do well. 00:19:27.330 --> 00:19:30.540 And what do you guys think Leba offers that's a little bit different. 00:19:31.305 --> 00:19:33.075 Zack Davenport: Yeah, I mean, you're absolutely right. 00:19:33.185 --> 00:19:37.060 It's a tough industry and you know, a conversation that I have. 00:19:37.685 --> 00:19:51.325 Weekly is I'll have folks come to me and say, Hey, you know what, if we had this additional thing that we added to our content catalog, what if we had a whole suite on hvac? 00:19:51.325 --> 00:19:52.975 What if we had a whole suite on aviation? 00:19:53.605 --> 00:19:59.445 And the question that I need to ask myself and get other people to investigate as well is. 00:19:59.955 --> 00:20:01.185 Look at the marketplace. 00:20:01.215 --> 00:20:14.725 You know, there is a company out there who has spent the last five years, and this is all hypothetical, but I'm sure it exists on just doing HVAC or just doing aviation in vr. 00:20:14.785 --> 00:20:22.675 And they probably have some amazing experts on their team and they've probably spent a huge amount of time and resources doing just that. 00:20:22.885 --> 00:20:26.755 So why would anybody pick us? 00:20:27.085 --> 00:20:28.045 Over them. 00:20:28.245 --> 00:20:32.115 You know, a company that doesn't have anything built out yet. 00:20:32.445 --> 00:20:40.395 But at the end of the day, the flip side of that is by expanding our content catalog so much by listening to the market and finding. 00:20:41.025 --> 00:20:52.485 You know, these niches that haven't yet been tapped or haven't been tapped in a specific way, like diesel and troubleshooting specifically, we can sneak in there and we can add a little bit of value. 00:20:52.575 --> 00:20:58.225 And our biggest competitive edge is our breadth of content, right? 00:20:58.555 --> 00:20:58.945 We have. 00:20:59.945 --> 00:21:09.665 You know, everything from basic math and measurement to, oh my gosh, you just did an inspection on this giant 18 wheeler truck. 00:21:09.725 --> 00:21:10.235 Okay. 00:21:10.415 --> 00:21:10.805 Yeah. 00:21:10.805 --> 00:21:13.445 We cover that full span. 00:21:13.665 --> 00:21:20.235 And so we can go to schools and training centers and CTE centers and say, Hey, you know. 00:21:20.520 --> 00:21:21.210 With us. 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:22.540 You get this and this. 00:21:22.540 --> 00:21:36.090 You can support all these departments and being able to adapt and identify how can we say yes to your existing needs and challenges without trying to reinvent the wheel. 00:21:37.090 --> 00:21:42.610 Shannon Putman: That's critical too, because we all know budgets and even just with current climate, how it is. 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:44.980 You know, it's like, all right, well I got this. 00:21:44.980 --> 00:21:46.600 Now do I have to buy another software for this? 00:21:46.600 --> 00:21:47.710 Do I have to buy another for this? 00:21:47.710 --> 00:22:02.280 And so, you know, being able to get Everything in one package as opposed to individually can help, you know, include that cross-disciplinary so that it isn't, you know, inequity even in the school. 00:22:02.280 --> 00:22:10.260 Because if, you know, the science teacher uses the headsets and is really advanced, but no other teacher does, well, if you're not science class, you don't get it. 00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:14.160 So ensuring that even at the school level, there's equity. 00:22:14.950 --> 00:22:18.940 Zack Davenport: And it makes it so there's, you know, one point of support. 00:22:18.970 --> 00:22:26.980 You have cohesion in terms of how the content is deployed and from my perspective, how it's generally developed, right? 00:22:27.190 --> 00:22:29.110 Having the same set of tools that you use for. 00:22:29.875 --> 00:22:36.085 All experiences, whether it's, you know, a history lesson or a diesel lesson, right? 00:22:36.295 --> 00:22:42.595 We can use the same kind of core sets of tools and adapt them to wildly different applications. 00:22:42.695 --> 00:22:46.055 And that ends up being, of course, to our benefit. 00:22:46.055 --> 00:22:57.175 We can make content more efficiently and more usable for the end user, and it makes far more sense on how to get anybody up and running if they've. 00:22:57.580 --> 00:22:58.840 Never touched it before. 00:22:59.840 --> 00:23:00.560 Shannon Putman: Absolutely. 00:23:00.950 --> 00:23:03.295 And I, like I said, I love everything that you guys are doing. 00:23:03.355 --> 00:23:15.985 And is there anything that you wanted to, you know, as we're kind of getting towards the close, is there anything that you wanted to share that, you know, we haven't covered or, you know, a lasting impression about laki or anything like that? 00:23:16.985 --> 00:23:17.925 Zack Davenport: That's a good question. 00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:23.970 You know, it's like we were saying earlier it's been a challenge every step of the way, but it's been an amazing challenge. 00:23:24.290 --> 00:23:42.760 And so much of being in a space like this is trying to, Adopt the mindset that we try to foster in those who use our technology is, you know, learn something new, change your perspective, adapt you know, look at this in a new lens. 00:23:43.020 --> 00:23:44.490 VR is a great way to do that. 00:23:44.490 --> 00:23:49.560 But of course we have had to do that to get as far as we have. 00:23:49.890 --> 00:23:51.570 I was just thinking about this the other day. 00:23:51.570 --> 00:24:04.510 I was working on an electrical experience teaching about circuits on vehicles like actually making circuit diagrams and setting up interactive circuit stations. 00:24:04.510 --> 00:24:16.180 And it's like, well, dang, I tried to avoid electrical engineering and software engineering when I was in college, and now I'm doing both of those things and hardly any mechanical engineering at all. 00:24:17.080 --> 00:24:26.330 If I could show day one, Zach at Leba, all the stuff that we've accomplished you know, I didn't know how to do any of this VR development stuff when I first started. 00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:30.010 But I believe in everybody's ability to learn. 00:24:30.100 --> 00:24:41.010 I believe in everybody's ability to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and say, okay, what is the one thing that I can do right now in this moment to. 00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:46.200 Take a step forward to improve my situation or the world around me. 00:24:46.420 --> 00:24:48.980 And that's critical for everybody. 00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:59.870 Shannon Putman: Those are inspiring and wise words and words that I think are needed, especially right now with so much uncertainty and just everything that's going on, you know? 00:25:00.120 --> 00:25:02.600 Like, gotta try to find the light where we can. 00:25:02.600 --> 00:25:05.620 And I think Loki does that and I think VR does that. 00:25:05.620 --> 00:25:09.680 And I'm so thrilled that you joined me today. 00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:15.080 Is there, they say you're supposed to like, like, and subscribe or smash that lick button, whatever all the say. 00:25:15.470 --> 00:25:21.385 But is there anything if anybody wanted, if they wanted more information about Le Baki or reach out to somebody, where would you suggest they go? 00:25:22.385 --> 00:25:23.705 Zack Davenport: lechy.com. 00:25:23.795 --> 00:25:24.695 That is our site. 00:25:24.695 --> 00:25:28.165 We actually did a brand new website refresh last year. 00:25:28.435 --> 00:25:31.825 We are posting a lot more on social media. 00:25:31.825 --> 00:25:34.135 You can find us on all the major platforms. 00:25:34.395 --> 00:25:36.465 More of a LinkedIn guy myself. 00:25:36.805 --> 00:25:38.995 But you know, all the major platforms were out there. 00:25:38.995 --> 00:25:39.895 We've got a presence. 00:25:39.895 --> 00:25:43.965 We're posting snippets and sneak peeks of all the cool projects that we're working on. 00:25:44.025 --> 00:25:45.705 So, yeah, come check us out. 00:25:46.335 --> 00:25:46.875 Shannon Putman: Awesome. 00:25:47.235 --> 00:25:48.615 Thank you so much Zach. 00:25:48.615 --> 00:25:52.515 And I know you might think you're getting away without the closing countdown, but 00:25:52.635 --> 00:25:53.505 Zack Davenport: Let's do it. 00:25:53.595 --> 00:25:54.225 Bring it on. 00:25:54.255 --> 00:25:54.795 Shannon Putman: Okay. 00:25:55.035 --> 00:26:05.860 So this is a unique one, but since you mentioned, you know, being from your Boston area now Mississippi, things like that, you can only take three carryon items. 00:26:06.860 --> 00:26:07.040 Zack Davenport: you 00:26:07.040 --> 00:26:10.520 Shannon Putman: on your next flight, what three items do you take? 00:26:10.730 --> 00:26:16.040 So if you say like a backpack, just know that counts as an item so you can't sneak other things in there. 00:26:16.925 --> 00:26:17.435 Zack Davenport: Ooh. 00:26:18.215 --> 00:26:23.315 Well, that opens the Pandora's box of what's in my backpack right now. 00:26:23.425 --> 00:26:32.425 This is a fun little lesson I learned back in college from a friend of mine who had this like modular toolkit that they kept in their backpack at all times. 00:26:32.635 --> 00:26:41.245 So it has a tape measure, a screwdriver band-aids, paperclips, all these things that are in this like segments of rope. 00:26:41.500 --> 00:26:43.480 Who knows what you're gonna need and when. 00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:47.830 And so all of this is like literally in my backpack that's right beside me right now. 00:26:47.830 --> 00:26:51.760 And it sounds like you're letting me count that as one entire thing. 00:26:52.100 --> 00:26:56.420 so that gets me really quite far and I do appreciate that. 00:26:56.780 --> 00:26:58.010 I'm an audio file. 00:26:58.060 --> 00:27:02.770 Maybe I have my headphones in my backpack, but they're probably like in my pocket. 00:27:02.820 --> 00:27:03.660 My AirPods. 00:27:03.940 --> 00:27:05.380 Gotta listen to the music, right? 00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:06.160 Gotta have that. 00:27:06.580 --> 00:27:09.820 So let's say backpack, headphones. 00:27:10.100 --> 00:27:11.960 That'll get me pretty far. 00:27:12.010 --> 00:27:12.520 I mean. 00:27:13.270 --> 00:27:17.660 Are we assuming that all my clothes and stuff are packed in checked luggage? 00:27:18.140 --> 00:27:18.530 Shannon Putman: yes, 00:27:18.530 --> 00:27:18.950 Zack Davenport: you can. 00:27:18.950 --> 00:27:19.850 Shannon Putman: You can assume that. 00:27:19.850 --> 00:27:20.390 Zack Davenport: Great. 00:27:20.750 --> 00:27:22.100 We'll get a good snack then. 00:27:22.100 --> 00:27:22.310 Right? 00:27:22.310 --> 00:27:24.260 We'll get a good airplane snack. 00:27:24.360 --> 00:27:26.280 Fond of Haribo gummy bears. 00:27:26.310 --> 00:27:27.630 Shannon Putman: Okay, nice. 00:27:27.690 --> 00:27:28.530 Very nice. 00:27:28.860 --> 00:27:32.040 I would like, not that I'm trying to, you know, get you or anything. 00:27:32.040 --> 00:27:36.840 I would like to point out though, you said headphones, but you didn't say any source of music. 00:27:37.840 --> 00:27:38.350 Zack Davenport: Okay. 00:27:38.350 --> 00:27:39.310 Well, are 00:27:39.310 --> 00:27:40.720 Shannon Putman: we also assuming 00:27:40.795 --> 00:27:43.735 allow you to have them connected your phone if you 00:27:43.790 --> 00:27:43.791 Zack Davenport: Yeah. 00:27:43.796 --> 00:27:44.930 My phone's in my pocket. 00:27:44.945 --> 00:27:45.575 Shannon Putman: exactly. 00:27:45.575 --> 00:27:48.015 So we shall count that 00:27:48.015 --> 00:27:48.135 Zack Davenport: as 00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:52.510 I'm one entity with my clothes in all of the things in my pockets. 00:27:52.930 --> 00:27:53.260 don't know. 00:27:54.110 --> 00:27:56.605 Shannon Putman: You show up wearing your retainer, everything. 00:27:56.605 --> 00:27:56.875 You're like, 00:27:56.875 --> 00:27:57.385 Zack Davenport: man, 00:27:57.565 --> 00:27:58.405 Shannon Putman: Shannon got me. 00:27:58.405 --> 00:27:59.245 I have to have everything 00:27:59.845 --> 00:28:01.135 Zack Davenport: This is my trench coat. 00:28:01.195 --> 00:28:06.805 I have everything that I would ever need for the next 10 years in all the pockets come prepared. 00:28:07.805 --> 00:28:09.965 This is my Desert Island trench coat. 00:28:10.145 --> 00:28:10.655 Shannon Putman: There you go. 00:28:11.525 --> 00:28:12.065 I love it. 00:28:12.425 --> 00:28:17.285 No, it's interesting though, to see, 'cause you know the whole trend about raw dogging or whatever people do. 00:28:17.285 --> 00:28:18.335 I'm like, I'm not doing that. 00:28:18.810 --> 00:28:19.955 I was like, no way. 00:28:19.955 --> 00:28:23.655 So I just like to see what people say and that though. 00:28:23.655 --> 00:28:24.255 That toolkit. 00:28:24.255 --> 00:28:24.735 That was a good 00:28:24.735 --> 00:28:25.035 Zack Davenport: one. 00:28:25.450 --> 00:28:34.270 I mean, come prepared, but also open yourself up to the surprises that may await in any moment. 00:28:34.610 --> 00:28:43.660 this is something that I've learned from living in Mississippi and living in the South for a while now is it's a different way of life often, and you have to. 00:28:44.053 --> 00:28:46.723 One thing I heard is man plans and God laughs. 00:28:46.783 --> 00:28:47.233 Right? 00:28:47.443 --> 00:28:56.353 Open yourself up to the possibility that something crazy could happen, and just because you weren't expecting it doesn't mean that you shouldn't dive in head first. 00:28:57.133 --> 00:29:00.493 Shannon Putman: I couldn't think of a better sentiment to end on. 00:29:01.093 --> 00:29:03.773 prepared but be, you know, open 00:29:03.803 --> 00:29:04.458 Zack Davenport: Be open to the moment. 00:29:04.853 --> 00:29:05.153 Shannon Putman: Right. 00:29:05.153 --> 00:29:05.693 Exactly. 00:29:05.693 --> 00:29:09.233 That's gonna be my new Putin's podcast pops tagline. 00:29:09.923 --> 00:29:10.403 I love it. 00:29:10.643 --> 00:29:11.243 Must steal it. 00:29:11.243 --> 00:29:11.873 No, I'm just kidding. 00:29:11.873 --> 00:29:12.623 I will give you credit. 00:29:13.623 --> 00:29:14.193 Zack Davenport: Sure. 00:29:15.018 --> 00:29:16.278 Shannon Putman: Well, Zach, thank you so much. 00:29:16.278 --> 00:29:17.328 This has been amazing. 00:29:17.358 --> 00:29:25.858 I really, truly appreciate you taking the time to chat with us today and I can't wait to continue our relationship and get to do some pretty awesome things together. 00:29:26.503 --> 00:29:27.373 Zack Davenport: This has been so fun. 00:29:27.373 --> 00:29:28.363 I really appreciate it. 00:29:28.363 --> 00:29:30.583 I'm looking forward to talking more very soon. 00:29:30.838 --> 00:29:31.228 Shannon Putman: Awesome. 00:29:31.228 --> 00:29:32.068 Thanks again, Zach. 00:29:32.068 --> 00:29:32.728 Have a great one. 00:29:33.223 --> 00:29:33.733 Zack Davenport: You too. 00:29:33.733 --> 00:29:34.213 Bye.