Starting a business in Esports: Content Creator/Streamers Perspective

I started my content journey in February 2018. As an avid lover of gaming/esports since it’s very early days, this is an industry that I’ve always had a passion to get further involved with. During February 2018 I took a step into streaming which would then change my entire life. 6 months later I found myself changing career, moving into full-time content with thousands of followers already behind me.

I became Twitch partner just 1 year after streaming and since then have amassed almost 400K followers across a mass of social media platforms including Tiktok, Twitch, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Discord, Kick and more. Learning how to effectively manage each platform and to adapt to the industry allowed me to use my explosive energy and positive mentality to make an impact to people’s lives. One key area of my success came through lockdown.

My strategy going into lockdown was already focusing on FPS games. I’ve always had an extreme interest in Call of Duty with it being my favourite franchise of all-time. After lockdown has begun, content consumption increased by an average of around 900% with everyone being stuck in their households and turning to gaming to pass the time.

I utilised the (not so very popular) app at the time called Tiktok, at least in the gaming world. A few years ago, the app was predominantly known for gimmicky dances, and it was almost unheard of that Content Creators within the gaming world would utilise the app. A friend of mine presented me the opportunity and told me the app would explode so I made sure to get in early. Tiktok alone brought me over 75% of my entire following during the lockdown period because I saw the opportunity, utilised it and the situation we were in at the time.

Alongside Tiktok, it was extremely important to maintain a presence on other social media apps sharing my thoughts, experiences, learning processes and mostly importantly building momentum.

Momentum is such a key word to utilise because it has been the sole reason that I’ve been able to build a career into Esports. I take any small victory that I achieve during any part of my career and use it to elevate me to a new position. Within this industry and most others, opportunities are what you make of them, so you must use every victory to elevate yourself further, never get comfortable.

Moving to present day, I am now a content creator for the #1 Esports organisation in the country, FNATIC. The negotiations for this process lasted almost an entire year and the original discussions were supposed to be for a YouTube development group, not a full partnership. Due to my persistence, presence on social media, hard work & more I managed to tie myself into a position with the org in a full-blown partnership.

And today’s streaming economy is no different. Tiktok and lockdown were great for exploding our industry into new heights, but it’s also made it extremely competitive. New streaming platforms like Kick rising the tables are making the streaming space more competitive. The entire industry is changing daily and as an individual in esports, it’s important that you adapt to what’s in front you.

A question I’m often asked is how do I make it full-time within the industry? It may sound cliché but make sure you set yourself daily goals. Wake up each day with the motivation of tackling it to its fullest. Celebrate each win and let others known that you’re serious about your business. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone to explore new opportunities. Don’t follow the same path as what everyone else is doing, just because it seems safe. No-one ever got anywhere in life by playing it safe. Be a leader and take control of your own destiny, because no-one is going to do it for you.

Marco/Stallion

Marco is 32 years old and a multi-employed content creator/lecturer from Northamptonshire, UK.