Gamers Change Lives

Esports Venues, Festivals, and Innovative Partnerships with Sidick Bakayoko

Sidick Bakayoko from Côte d'Ivoire is the Founder and CEO at Paradise Game.
Our discussion included:
Sidick’s background including how he learned that being number one in a startup is a lot different than being #2 or #3.
Paradise Game
Paradise Game's mandate is to entertain, educate and empower young Africans through video games and esports.
How FEJA: Electronical and Video Games Festival of Abidjan began
Content creation as an extension of FEJA
The value of starting out with a small event to gain experience and build credibility in the industry
Recruiting partners for Paradise Game, including some that did not pay but added tremendous value
Realistic time frames for developing live events
Ed-tech Facilities
How esports venues were developed to become training centers
Working with commercial real estate developers to get the best deal for space
Working through the challenges of having many people tell you that that is not going to work
Content Creation
“In order for us to create the future we need to figure out a way to put it in front of people”
How creating a TV show created jobs and changed lives
The challenge of getting an audience for an entire event, and not just the championship
Sponsorship
How to recruit big brands to your project
How Sidick landed a deal with Orange Telecom – one of the largest in Africa
Explaining esports to brands not familiar with the industry
Expected time frames for landing sponsorship deals
What some of the top industries are who sponsor esports in Africa
Branded Pre-paid Cards
Why Paradise Game decided to enter the world of fin-tech
How the pre-paid card can unlock the gaming market
How Sidick was able to have interns from the Stanford Seed program join his team
Mobile
Is mobile the future of esports in Africa?
Olympics
Should the Olympics include esports?
 
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/esports-venues-festivals-and-innovative-partnerships-with-sidick-bakayoko
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FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Mr Sidick BAKAYOKO is a technology professional with more than 15 years of experience in the areas of marketing and product development of technology solutions.
Sidick is the Founder and CEO of Paradise Game, an Ivorian company that intends to Entertain, Educate and Empower young Africans. Paradise Game’s vision is to engage and influence 200 million young Africans using video games.
Earlier in his career, He led the sales and marketing efforts of mobile value-added service provider DIGITAL AFRIQUE TELECOM (DAT) in 27 African countries, delivering several challenging multimillion-dollar projects from start to finish.
He also led the marketing efforts of the revolutionary mobile application ClickOVA alongside SCANBUY founder Olivier Attia in New York city. The application was in 2007, an innovation in the space for seamlessly backing up contacts, pictures, and videos over wireless networks.
He holds an Electronics and Computer Engineering Degree from the New York Institute of Technology in the USA and participated in the Stanford University SEED program.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbakayoko
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paradisegame_/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParadiseGame.net
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ParadiseGame
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/SWnTRfubw7
Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/paradisegame_
Paradise Game: https://paradisegame.net/home
Stanford Seed: https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/seed
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Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
This is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of esports entrepreneurs and others to learn how they solved a particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
In Season Two our theme is “Follow the Money”.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!
 

Esports Sponsorship, Investment, and Merchandising

Our guests are Trev Keane, Director Esports Strategy: EPIC Global and Advisor/Judge at Stadia Ventures, and Cholwe Shabukali, Co- Founder and Managing Director at Team Gematrix and a Zambian Esports Pioneer.
Our discussion includes:
Cholwe’s background including how being selected for an accelerator program at BongoHive started her on turning a passion into a business.
Trev’s background recalling how “games were part of our lives” as he grew up in Ireland.
Sponsorship
Cultural barriers impacting women in Africa joining the esports industry
“How do you eat an elephant?”
What is a “challenger brand” and a “hero brand” in sponsorship?
Discovering where the brands are on their esports journey
The value of working with sponsorship agencies
Sponsorship Timeframe
What does the typical timeframe look like for a sponsorship deal?
Be patient: “Your urgency is not their urgency”
Understanding brand budgeting cycles
Investment
What sources of investment are most common in Europe and Africa
The number one piece of advice: “Understand your value”
Investigate accelerators in your market for business advice as well as for potential investors
Understand your community and bring that awareness to potential investors
Merchandising
How to develop a merchandising plan with the right objectives: fun and value
Community driven input in your merchandising program
Last words
Trev: “Think long term.”
Cholwe: “Be aggressively patient.”
 
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/esports-sponsorship-investment-and-merchandising-with-cholwe-shabukali-and-trev-keane
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FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Trev Keane, Director Esports Strategy: EPIC Global and Advisor/Judge at Stadia Ventures.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevkeane/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/trevkeane
EPIC Global: https://www.linkedin.com/company/epic-global-agency-esports-gaming/
Stadia Ventures: http://www.stadiaventures.com/
Cholwe Shabukali is co-owner and managing director of Team Gematrix, Zambia's pioneer esports organization, her organization has a record of multiple sub-Saharan African championships and presence across 3 continents.
She was listed as the top 100 game changers by unreal engine in 2020. She is also the current interim Secretary General for the Esports Federation of Zambia.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cholwe-shabukali-26b780143/
Team Gematrix: https://gematrix.co/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Elen_Cholwe
BongoHive: https://bongohive.co.zm/
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
This is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of esports entrepreneurs and others to learn how they solved a particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
In Season Two our theme is “Follow the Money”.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!
 

Recruiting and Managing Esports Sponsors

Today’s guests is Luca Tucconi from Cape Town, South Africa. He is the National Gaming & Esports Specialist at Red Bull. Before that he founded ORENA, South Africa's Premier Esports Tournament & Events Agency.
Our discussion included:
Luca’s background including how he saw a void in the local tournament scene in South Africa and decided to fill it.
Red Bull South Africa:
Where esports fits into the company marketing strategy
How esports athletes are treated the same as traditional sports athletes
Sponsorship:
What role does sponsorship play in esports?
The lack of understanding of what individuals can truly offer to a brand
The first question an esports streamer or team looking for sponsorship should ask themselves
The importance of building a consistent foundation
The best strategy for someone starting out
Managing expectations
What are brands looking for and how do they measure success?
Platforms:
What gaming and esports platforms are the most popular in South Africa and Africa as a whole?
What social media platforms should a content creator should use?
Traditional Sports Comparisons:
What are the benefits of a league structure in esports
The role of ‘celebrity’ streamers
The growing role of gamers in the business world
The African Continent:
How can esports benefit the entire continent?
Servers, always servers
Mobile:
How does mobile fit into African esports?
What is the impact on sponsorship?
Olympics:
Should the Olympics include esports in their official program?
The issue of perceived violence in some games
Plus, the most surprising esports sponsors he has discovered
 
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/recruiting-and-managing-esports-sponsors-with-luca-tucconi
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FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Luca Tucconi is the National Gaming & Esports Specialist at Red Bull, South Africa, joining in 2018. Before that he was the Founder of Orena, South Africa's Premier Esports Tournament & Events Agency. He is in Cape Town, South Africa.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucatucconi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lucatucconi   
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginal Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
This is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of esports entrepreneurs and others to learn how they solved a particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
In Season Two our theme is “Follow the Money”.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!

Season Two Trailer: ”Follow the Money”

The Gamers Change Lives Podcast Season Two: “Follow the Money”
Do you have big goals for your esports team, or tournament, or enterprise? I’ll bet the answer is a big “YES!” We are gamers, right? We know what thinking big and winning feels like.
But the one thing holding us back from reaching our goals is money. There is never enough investment to start out or grow our business. We don’t have enough money to send our team across the world, or even across town. And there is never enough to be able to pay for that spectacular venue we see in our dreams for our next tournament. Or sometimes to pay out the tournament prizes.
Why does this happen more often than not?
In Season One of the Gamers Change Lives Podcast we spoke with so many successful esports entrepreneurs and others and the one common theme we learned from them all is that it takes money to make things happen. It takes money to create jobs. And to change lives.
But let’s face it money can be hard to find, especially in some parts of the world, maybe in your part of the world.
Season Two of the Gamers Change Lives Podcast is titled “Follow the Money”.
We know that there are plenty of sources of money out there. They exist in every part of the world, including yours. Trust me on this. Many of the people controlling investments and sponsorship don’t know about esports. They think of esports as their son or daughter playing Fortnite, or FIFA, or COD. They don’t think of esports as an opportunity for smart business deals. Not yet anyway.
Who is going to tell them? You are. And in Season Two we are going to help you do just that.
No, we are not going to be handing out money in Season Two. Instead, we are offering something much more valuable, the stories of others who have done exactly what you want to do.
“Finding funding in esports is not rocket science. It is learning where to look, what to say, and how to close deals all from people who have done it before.”
Join Us
Join us on our journey in Season Two of the Gamers Change Lives Podcast: “Follow the Money”. Subscribe today and be the first to hear of our new season and to hit the ground running on changing your esports adventure forever.
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/season-two-trailer-follow-the-money
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginal Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
The Gamers Change Lives Podcast is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of an inspiring esports entrepreneur and learn how they solved one particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!

Women in Games: Creating a Pipeline

Today’s guests are Chantal-Denise Ortega, the Brand Partnerships Manager at Galaxy Racer North America, and HER Galaxy speaking from Mexico City. And Xinmiao Zhang who manages game pipelines and projects at Tencent speaking from Shanghai, China.
Our discussion included:
How our guests became involved with esports and gaming plus with Women in Games
Women in Games:
The goals of the organization: “to encourage, empower, and inspire women to join the games industry”
The “Mothership” in the UK
The two messages: encouraging women to join the industry as well as to help them reach leadership positions
The Asia Chapter of Women in Games
What led to the founding of the chapter in Asia?
The organization structure and the regions covered by the chapter
What are the cultural differences between the west and Asia?
How does language impacts the work of the organization?
What games that are most popular with the female demographic?
The Ambassador Program
What is the Ambassador Program at Women in Games and what role does it play?
How have awards and events helped to promote the program?
Jobs
The status of women in the gaming industry in 2022 and the lack of role models
Creating a pipeline of women to reach leadership roles in the gaming industry
What is the Investment and Entrepreneurship Forum?
Olympics
Should the Olympics include esports in their official program?
Mobile:
Is mobile the future of esports in Asia or has that already been decided?
The future of Women in Games
 
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/15-women-in-games-creating-a-pipeline
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FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Chantal-Denise Ortega is the Brand Partnerships Manager at Galaxy Racer North America and HER Galaxy. She also does consultancy for business development and partnerships in the area of gaming and esports. In 2019, she helped establish FIGHT Esports in Southeast Asia - running esports tournaments in the region both offline and online and establishing partnerships with game publishers and online platforms. Chantal joined W Coffee in 2020 and was appointed as a Women in Games WIGJ ambassador in 2021.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chantaldeniseo/
Website: https://chantalortega.com/   
Miao Zhang is currently managing game pipelines and projects at Tencent, based in Shanghai. She is devoted to promoting women’s leadership at companies and in society. Studied in China, US, and Italy, Xinmiao developed a strong interest in exploring the impact of cultures on different social groups and contributing to helping more women establish global minds. Besides, she also had experience in luxury fashion and management consulting.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xinmiao-zhang/
Website: https://www.womeningamesasia.org/about-1
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
The Gamers Change Lives Podcast is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of an inspiring esports entrepreneur and learn how they solved one particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!

Esports Sponsorship and Investment with Dimitris Farmakis from Greece

Today’s guest is Dimitris Farmakis. He is the Head of Esports at Yieldly and Yesports.
Our discussion included:
An overview of esports in Greece.
Yesports:
What is the mission of Yesports?
How do you recruit teams and streamers?
Is language an issue in esports?
Investment in esports (and no, this is not financial advice – you need a qualified financial advisor for that):
What types of esports organization are looking for investment?
What are some of the different investment formats?
Importance of talking the language of the investor
What are investors looking for in esports?
Are there alternatives to investment that can help esports entrepreneurs?
Sponsorship:
Finding sponsors in unusual places – think outside the box
The value of non-endemic sponsorship
Is esports seen as a worthwhile industry to sponsors and investors?
Who is a content creator in the world of esports?
Mobile:
Is mobile the future of esports in Greece?
Platforms for Streaming Games in Greece:
What are the most common streaming platforms?
Government
Is the government supportive of the esports industry?
What more can be done?
Olympics
Should the Olympics include esports in their official program?
Networking
The value of networking in esports
How to use LinkedIn
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/14-esports-sponsorship-and-investment-with-dimitris-farmakis-from-greece
 
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FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Dimitris Farmakis – Head of Esports at Yieldly and Yesports
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dimfarmakis/
Yesports: https://www.yesports.gg/   
Yieldly: https://yieldly.finance/
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
The Gamers Change Lives Podcast is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of an inspiring esports entrepreneur and learn how they solved one particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!

Esports Content Creation and Branding in India with Dhiman Kashyap

Today’s guest is Dhiman Kashyap, Co - Founder, CEO of Resilience Esports & ex-Head of Operations at Esports Federation of India (ESFI).
Our discussion included:
Establishing and building a team to create a successful esports organization
The importance of having the right people in place
The ability to use the team to build for the future
Content Creators
Who is a content creator in the world of esports?
What does the talent team at Resilience Esports look for when recruiting content creators?
Training to become a successful content creator
Jobs
What are some of the jobs that have been created at Resilience Esports?
Brands
Why are brands increasingly interested in esports?
How are non-endemic brands sold on the idea of investing in the esports industry?
Mobile
Is mobile the future of esports in India?
Projected growth of the PC market in India
Platforms for Streaming in India
What are the most common streaming platforms?
Do the platforms support the esports industry in India?
Language and Culture in Esports
Is language a barrier to success in esports?
How does culture impact esports and content creators?
Olympics
Should the Olympics include esports in their official program?
Will qualifying events add to jobs in the esports industry?
 
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/13-esports-content-creation-and-branding-in-india-with-dhiman-kashyap
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FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Dhiman Kashyap – Resilience Esports, Delhi, India
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhiman-kashyap-98296714b/  
Resilience Esports: https://resilienceesports.com/
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
The Gamers Change Lives Podcast is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of an inspiring esports entrepreneur and learn how they solved one particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!
 

The Institutional Esports Movement with Ido Brosh from Israel

Today’s guest is Ido Brosh, “The Esports Guy from Israel.” Ido is the VP Europe of the International Esports Federation. He is also the President of Esports Europe and Founder and CEO of Winzard.
Ido's esports accomplishments demonstrate that working through the many esports organizations on a local, national, and international level, can result in greater accomplishments.
Our discussion included:
How the Israeli Esports Association began his esports career.What role do esports organizations play in the esports world? What is the “Institutional Esports Movement”? 
Government• How the growth and maturity of the esports industry has led to more and more interaction with the government; and why that is a good thing.• Why can’t esports be treated like traditional sports, with the same resources?• The higher importance of government in smaller countries.
NGO funding sources – always follow the money.
The International Esports Federation (IESF)• What it the mission of the IESF?• How does it fit into the esports ecosystem?
Hosting events in Israel. Where does politics fit in?• Having more events will bring a greater awareness of players as individuals, and not as someone only wrapped in a flag.• Gaming truly is its own language
Winzard
What is Winzard? And how does it work to create multiple streams of income?
Mobile• Is mobile the future of esports in Israel and MENA?
Olympics• Should the Olympics include esports in their program?
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/12-the-institutional-esports-movement-with-ido-brosh-from-israel*  *  *FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:Ido Brosh: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/winzard/Twitter: https://twitter.com/winzard7The International Esports Federation: https://iesf.org/ Esports Europe: https://esportseurope.org/ Winzard Twitter: https://twitter.com/WinzardEsportsWinzard: https://winzard.net/*  *  *Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode. Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.And tell your friends!CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast PRODUCTION:Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/ Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/  
ABOUT THE SHOW:Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.The Gamers Change Lives Podcast is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of an inspiring esports entrepreneur and learn how they solved one particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!

Servers Plus How to Introduce Gaming to Non-gaming Companies with Brad Kirby in South Africa

Today’s guest is Brad Kirby from Cape Town South Africa. Pioneer in African gaming and esports. Seasoned Project Manager with Business Development and Digital Marketing Management experience. Deep understanding of the gaming and esports industry and experience in planning, developing, streamlining, and implementing multiple successful skill-based gaming strategies which include influencing gaming strategy and direction for media titans like Naspers, Multichoice, and Econet Media, across the African continent.
Our discussion focused on infrastructure (servers, always the servers) and how to bring gaming to non-gaming companies.
The benefits of gaming that he noticed in himself and for others.
Being a gaming/esports evangelist:
How to demonstrate to media and tech companies the value of the gaming audience
How to talk to the “suits”
The value of perseverance
Show them the money
Servers
Servers 101: why is location so important to gamers and esports professionals
How gaming drove down the cost of connectivity in South Africa
Publishers vs. private servers
Media Companies
Are media companies interested in esports?
How can esports can use broadcast TV?
Do sponsors understand esports?
Mobile
Is mobile the future of esports in Africa?
Olympics
Should the Olympics include esports in their program?
 
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/11-servers-plus-how-to-introduce-gaming-to-non-gaming-companies-with-brad-kirby-in-south-africa
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FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Brad Kirby:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-kirby-0562922/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShotgunSchmoe
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shotgunschmoe
Discord: https://www.discordapp.com/users/Shotgun%20Schmoe#2428
The African Cyber Gaming League (ACGL): https://acgl.co.za/
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
The Gamers Change Lives Podcast is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of an inspiring esports entrepreneur and learn how they solved one particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!

Esports in Africa with Michael Akintaju in Atlanta

Today’s guest is Michael Akintaju. He lives in Atlanta, GA in the US, and is from Lagos, Nigeria. He is a writer at the AfroGamer where you may have heard him on the AfroGamer Podcast. He is also a project manager Lagos Esports Forum (LESF) and Co-Founder of Mobiele.
Michael demonstrates that it is possible to support esports around the world from anywhere in the world.
Our discussion included:
What is it like to work on esports in Africa and Nigeria while living in the US?
The Lagos Esports Forum (LESF)
What is the LEST and how did it come about?
What was it like to start a project in the middle of the COVID pandemic?
How LESF began returning to in person events in a big way with Mortal Kombat on a cinema screen
Mobile
Is mobile the future of esports in Africa?
The three reasons it will dominate in the future
Mobile events
Mobiele – what is this new platform and how did it come about?
Future plans for Mobiele
The Afro Gamer
Michael talks about the podcast and some of his favorite moments
Other Afro Gamer projects and how it got started
Investment in Esports
The investment climate in esports
International funding for Africa esports
The difference between gaming and esports
Olympics
Should the Olympics include esports in their program?
The Commonwealth Games
 
Episode Webpage: https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/10-esports-in-africa-with-michael-akintaju-in-atlanta
*  *  *
FEATURED IN THIS EPISDOE:
Michael Akintaju:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelakintaju/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ifeakintaju
Lagos Esports Forum: https://thelesf.com/
The AfroGamer: https://theafrogamer.com/
The AfroGamer Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-afrogamer/id1492919060
Mobiele - https://themobiele.com/Home
*  *  *
Please subscribe to our podcast wherever you are listening to this episode.
Leave us a rating and a review if you like our content for others to discover what we are doing.
And tell your friends!
CONNECT WITH US ELSEWHERE:
Visit our website at https://www.gamerschangelivespodcast.com/  to learn more about our program, our blog, and sign up for our emails to be notified of upcoming episodes.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GamersChangeLives
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thegclpodcast
PRODUCTION:
Creator and host: Tom Leonard (USA) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomeleonard/
Producer: Reginald Nsowah (Ghana) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/reginald-nsowah-09352929/ 
ABOUT THE SHOW:
Play Games. Create Jobs. Change Lives.
The Gamers Change Lives Podcast is a show about how to build an esports business from literally anywhere in the world where each week we showcase the journey of an inspiring esports entrepreneur and learn how they solved one particular problem that everyone will ultimately face.
I am your host, Tom Leonard. I have a background in entertainment marketing. After working with many amazing esports entrepreneurs from emerging markets, they inspired me to create a show to tell their stories so that others can be motivated to create their own esports business. Gaming and esports can create jobs tackling the problem of global youth unemployment. Creating jobs from playing games. What could be better than that?
Thanks for listening to The Gamers Change Lives Podcast!