The DLC Drop Podcast

When leading creative teams, finding effective ways to offer them ownership and freedom is essential to obtain high-level results. A creative who is doing only what their boss is telling them to do is doing half of his job; the other half is figuring out different ways to do it. 

Our guest, Robert M. Atkins, is particularly good at empowering teams, contributing to a greater good in the online communities, and adding true value to the gaming community. He is the CEO at BALANCED Media | Technology. As a game developer, Robert worked in DOOM, and Counter-Strike, to mention just a few of the massive projects he has been involved in. 

We had a fantastic conversation about leadership, teams’ empowerment, ownership, the future of the gaming industry, esports as the future of entertainment, and monetizing the gaming industry. Robert kindly shared his point of view on how to benefit from offering freedom to creatives, how to inspire them, and help them create at their fullest potential. 

Visit BALANCED Media | Technology website: https://www.balancedmediatechnology.com/

or send him Robert an email at: [email protected]

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When leaders have some hands-on experience, they're more likely to develop authentic connections with their teams and external collaborators. To Chris Smith, our guest today, who had spent more than 10 years working at virtually any position in the industry before becoming a CEO, experienced hands-on leaders are kind of a cheat code. 

Chris Smith is the Founder and CEO of Big Esports, an esports and gaming PR consultant firm. Chris has worked in every role in the gaming industry: top-level competitive player, commentator, tournament coordinator, PR and marketing representative, and consultant, to name a few. 

Every new position he got into, he felt that was the job of his life... until he discovered the next one. His passion for gaming and his voracity for learning led him to start his own company. Chris's diverse journey turned him into a leader who knows every corner of an industry that saw him grow and evolve for the last 12 years. 

In this episode, we have a fantastic conversation about leadership, the evolution of the gaming community, esports and gaming education, and some of the industry's future trends. Chris kindly shared bits of his background and the attitude and mindset that helped him grow and evolve in the gaming industry. We also discuss what can take someone to "the right room" to meet the right people and forge the beginning of a career in gaming. 

Visit the Big Esports website: https://www.bigesports.gg/

Connect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smithymayo/

or follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smithymayo/

or Twitter: https://twitter.com/smithymayo

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In such a competitive and demanding industry like marketing, many creative agencies fail to implement a simple yet effective method to attract big brands: making themselves their most important clients. This is one of the many innovative ideas Chad Rea, our guest, put into practice in his own agency and allowed him to work with Fuel TV, Target, Mountain Dew, Starbucks, Aquafina, or Technicolor, to name a few. 

Chad Rea is a Social Impact Artist, International Creative Director, Creative Mentor, and Voice Over artist. Before becoming a full-time artist, Chad worked at the most prominent and most influential creative agencies in the U.S and Europe, including Wieden + Kennedy, Mother, Kessels Kramer, and his own unconventional agency, 86 the onions. 

In this episode, we go through Chad's fascinating journey into the advertising world; his passion for influencing large groups through entertainment and his overseas experiences changed the way he saw the marketing industry. We also explore the different approaches to marketing, brand positioning, hiring talent, culture, and much more. 

You can learn more about Chad's art at: https://www.chadrea.com/about

You can also follow him on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chadrea/?hl=es

or reach out to him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadrea/

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Although it is developing quickly and growing at a breakneck pace, the gaming industry is still relatively young, just as most of its members and, especially, its talent. This becomes evident when signing contracts and agreements as we see players close deals clearly not favorable to them. Justin Jacobson believes the lack of legal information, the pressure from those hiring, and players not understanding how negotiations work are some of the leading causes for this to happen. 

Justin Jacobson is an Esports and Entertainment Attorney, VP of The Jacobson Firm, PC, and Author of "The Essential Guide to the Business & Law of Esports & Professional Video Gaming." His book became a reference in the gaming industry, is used by many universities and was published in several countries. 

We had a fascinating conversation about the legal side of the gaming industry, which has massive importance and it's often overlooked. We also talked about Justin's process of writing the book, his initial idea, and how it was for him that it was so well received. We explore some of the most common mistakes young talents make when signing contracts, the red flags they should pay attention to, how contract negotiations should be conducted, and much more. 

Visit The Jacobson Firm website: https://thejacobsonfirmpc.com/

Connect with Justin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinmjacobson/?locale=es_ES

Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/justinjesq

Get a copy of his book: https://www.amazon.com/Essential-Business-Esports-Professional-Gaming/dp/0367675129/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=justin+m+jacobson&qid=1633391960&sr=8-1

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The gaming community is known for being a little hermetic; for some brands and companies, it feels like it is a small knitting club. To Billy Le Voir-Barry, our guest today, the best way to get into it is to put away the jacket, go to startups, meetups, turn off the sales DNA and interact with the community, in his own words: "just go on and be."

This is the kind of approach IBM applied during the time he worked there, with incredible success. 

Billy Le Voir-Barry is the President, Chief of Esports, and Gaming Visionary Officer at GENERATION Esports & Video Games Consulting. He is a gaming visionary, currently leveling up in the world of esports. Billy was an independent consultant, acting as a PMO Architect Technologist when IBM contacted him to work for them. He spent over ten years as a CTO IBM of Esports and Video Games with incredible success, and now his career goes full circle, working as a consultant in his own company. 

Our conversation today revolves around the complex task for companies and brands to approach the gaming community, how to do it organically, and what are, in Billy's opinion, the companies that did it right. We also talk about Billy's journey from being an independent contractor to working in one of the world's biggest companies to being an entrepreneur. We reflect on the importance of healthy leadership, eliminating toxicity in the workplace, and much more. 

Visit GENERATION Esports & Video Games Consulting website: https://consultingesports.com/

or connect with Billy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billy-le-voir-barry-b198446/?trk=public_profile_browsemap_profile-result-card_result-card_full-click

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I have to admit, I've always been a little bit skeptical about business coaches. The idea of people teaching others how to do things they haven't done themselves sounded like the modern version of an oil snake salesman to me. But after working with today's guest, Sharon Gill, my idea of what coaching is changed. It changed my career, how I see the world around me, and how I see myself in it. Before being coached, I'd never dreamed of being an entrepreneur, and today I can't imagine my life not being one. 

Today, I'm honored to bring Sharon Gill to the show. She is a Leadership Strategist & Purpose Centered Business Coach; Sharon is also the Founder and CEO of the Sharon Gill International Consulting Services. Sharon has been mentoring people, coaching, and sharing information her whole life, even before becoming a Certified Coach. She is passionate about empowering people and helping them live their God-ordained lives. 

In this episode, we explore the world of coaching from Sharon's unique perspective. We talk about self-imposed challenges and blockages, the stories we tell ourselves about success and failure, and the power of believing in ourselves and our abilities. Sharon shared bits of her background, how professional coaching changed her life and the lives of many people around her, and her passion for helping others. We also explore the concepts of mindset, goals, affirmations, and much more. 

Visit Sharon's website: https://www.sharongill.com/

or connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharongillinternational/

You can also send her an email:

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Growing up surrounded by entrepreneurs and with a natural talent for seeing opportunities to capitalize his abilities and help people, Danny Martin couldn't see himself anywhere else than running his own company. He studied Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship, even without what kind of company he would run. Today, he is a visionary and one of the most influential thought leaders in the esports industry. 

Danny Ray Martin is the co-founder and CEO of Esposure Inc. and Esports Subject Matter Expert at SMU. He is passionate about opening doors and facilitating the entrance of young students to the gaming and esports industry. He helped hundreds of students get scholarships and employment from acclaimed Universities and esports Organizations like Central Methodist University, Complexity Gaming, Pacers Gaming, and Mavs Gaming. 

In this episode, the conversation flows around the different challenges and the possible solutions for young people to get into the esports and gaming industry. Danny kindly shared bits of his background, how easy it was for him to decide his career path, the difficulties he learned to deal with along the way, and how COVID changed his business and the mindset he and his team were putting into it. 

Visit Esposure website to learn more about their programs: https://www.esposure.gg/

Follow them on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/esposure.gg/

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/esposuregg

or subscribe to their YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJCr9VO4MCiOiDfYHEeAnOw

You can also connect with Danny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyrmartin/

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Company owners know that investing in people leads to the best business results. It will also improve employees' personal lives and eventually develop the company's brand as a rebound effect of that improvement. To Ed Offterdinger, professional development goes further than that; he sees it as a social contribution. 

Ed Offterdinger is a Leadership Coach, Conscious Capitalist, Author, and Former CEO. He is the co-founder of AO People Partners and co-author of the book "Conscious, Capable, and Ready to Contribute: A Fable." Ed built his extensive and successful career in consulting and public accounting under two premises: heavily investing in leadership and professional development for himself and others.

In this episode, Ed brings a different perspective of personal and professional development. We talk about the book he co-authored, his creative process, and the people and situations that inspired it. We explore the benefits of investing in people, eliminating the "kill the closest snake" mentality, what coaching can offer to improve managers' and employees' experiences, and much more. 

Connect with Ed on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-offterdinger/

Pre-order his book: https://consciousandcapable.com/

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For an artist, a creator, the connection between his creation and the user is everything. Books, movies, and songs can establish a deep relationship with their audiences, and still, perhaps none of them gets close to the link between a gamer with a controller in their hands and a video game. To Jamie King, video games reach this level of connection because they offer users unlimited possibilities to experience and play in a way they can't in real life. 

Jamie King is the VP of Marketing at Solace Lifesciences, Inc, and Former Head of Esports, EVP at Engine Shop. He has a vast and incredible background in the gaming industry; he was Chief Creative Officer at 4MM Games LLC and Co-Founder & Vp of Development at Rockstar Games. 

On this episode, John and Jamie have a fantastic conversation from almost every angle possible of the gaming industry. They talk about how brands and sponsors should approach the industry, the pros and cons of treating gaming and esports as entertainment, and the difference between new and traditional esports marketing strategies. Jamie shares his experiences at Rockstar, how it started, and the process of creating games for adults, the impact Grand Theft Auto has at the beginning, and much more. 

You can connect with Jamie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamieking/

Some resources mentioned:

Twitch Rivals: https://www.twitch.tv/twitchrivals?lang=es

eMLS: https://www.mlssoccer.com/emls/#best-moments-2021-emls-all-star-challenge-presented-by-mcdonald-s

You can support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: https://www.lls.org/

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Imagine seeing a need for a new type of shoe, but not having product design training in addition to no true list of industry contacts. 

Would you purse creating the business?

It’s a dilemma that Ryan and Eric of MUVEZ Footwear were faced with, but they persevered, and even when a manufacturing company in China told them their design was impossible, they came home, bought items at a hardware store and built their own prototype.

This tenacity provided them an opportunity to not just pitch their business on Shark Tank, but win a deal with Daymond John.

Today, Ryan and Eric Cruz talk to John about how they developed their shoe, what being on a show like Shark Tank is like, and why conscious capitalism is such a big part of their brand, plus so much more.

Connect with MUVEZ at: https://www.muvez.co/

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