Pokimane on COVID-19, Streaming, and Internet Trolls | How I Built This with Guy Raz | NPR

TL;DR

Pokimane turned live streaming from a side hobby into a career by consistently engaging viewers, networking with other creators, joining game-focused Facebook groups, and developing a recognizable online presence. As her audience grew, sponsorships and management agencies made streaming financially viable, leading her to leave chemical engineering studies when balancing both paths became physically impractical.

Transcript

hello and welcome to how i built this resilience edition from npr i'm guy roz if you're just joining us for the first time this is our twice weekly um live conversation that is part of our podcast how i built this we talk to entrepreneurs who are building resilience during this challenging time and today i'm so excited actually my kids are even mor... Read More

Key Insights

• Live streaming is a form of live, extended video broadcasting where viewers can join at any time, communicate through chat, interact with the broadcaster, and engage with other people watching the same content simultaneously.
• Gaming streams serve both competitive and entertainment purposes. Viewers may watch a skilled player much as they watch professional sports, or they may follow a creator for jokes, conversation, personality, and shared enjoyment of an activity they also like.
• Pokimane’s interest in gaming began during childhood after watching her older brother play. Online games became especially meaningful because their communities helped her make friends from different parts of the world and find a sense of belonging.
• Pokimane started streaming after saving enough money near the end of high school to purchase a secondhand computer. She also persuaded her parents to upgrade the household internet, then began broadcasting occasionally as an enjoyable activity alongside her education.
• Early audience growth came from several sources, including organic discovery, networking with other streamers, recommendations from existing viewers, and participation in Facebook groups centered on the games she enjoyed. These efforts helped bring the first viewers into her community.
• Streaming became difficult to balance with chemical engineering because advanced classes demanded increasing amounts of time. Pokimane felt unable to attend classes, pass them, maintain a streaming schedule, and discover her full potential in both pursuits at once.
• Sponsorships demonstrated that streaming could become a sustainable career. Pokimane describes companies offering arrangements such as $2,000 per month in exchange for displaying branding, using products a specified number of times, and incorporating company logos into broadcasts.
• Management groups and agencies helped formalize the streaming industry by facilitating commercial partnerships between creators and sponsors. Their arrival helped Pokimane recognize that her weekend hobby and online community could develop into a structured business and full-time profession.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is video game live streaming and how does it work?

Video game live streaming is similar to watching an online video, except the broadcast occurs live and typically continues for several hours. Viewers can join at any point, watch the creator play, and communicate through a shared chat. The broadcaster can explain decisions, make jokes, and respond to viewers, while audience members also interact with one another in real time.

Q: Why do people watch other people play video games online?

People watch gaming streams for both skill and entertainment. A professional gamer can attract viewers in much the same way that a professional sports player does, because audiences appreciate expertise and competition. Other viewers are more interested in the broadcaster’s personality, jokes, commentary, and community. Streaming also lets people share an activity they enjoy with others who have similar interests.

Q: How did Pokimane first become interested in gaming?

Pokimane became interested in video games at a very young age because she watched her older brother play and wanted to do what he was doing. She continued gaming throughout high school and became particularly interested in League of Legends. Online communities deepened that interest by helping her form friendships, connect with people around the world, and experience a sense of belonging.

Q: How did Pokimane start streaming on Twitch?

Pokimane discovered Twitch through friends in the gaming community who shared links to different streamers. Near the end of high school, she saved money to buy a secondhand computer and persuaded her parents to upgrade their internet connection. She then began streaming occasionally for fun, while continuing along the educational path she initially expected to follow professionally.

Q: How did Pokimane attract her first streaming viewers?

Pokimane built her early audience through a combination of organic growth, networking, viewer recommendations, and intentional promotion. Some viewers mentioned her channel to other streamers, which helped her form new connections. She also joined Facebook groups related to games she enjoyed. Although these activities felt like fun at the time, they effectively marketed her stream and brought initial viewers into the community.

Q: Why did Pokimane leave her chemical engineering studies?

Pokimane left college after streaming and chemical engineering became impossible for her to balance effectively. Engineering classes grew more difficult and time-consuming as her degree progressed, while maintaining a streaming schedule also required substantial effort. She felt uncomfortable dividing her attention because she could not fully test her academic potential or determine how far she could grow her audience and online presence.

Q: How did sponsorships turn Pokimane’s streaming into a business?

Sponsorships gave Pokimane evidence that streaming could become more than a side hobby. She describes companies offering deals that could include $2,000 per month for displaying a logo and other branding, using designated products, and meeting specific promotional requirements. As more companies entered the streaming space and offers became more common, a potential full-time career became easier to envision.

Q: What role did agencies play in professional streaming?

Agencies and management groups helped professionalize streaming by facilitating deals between creators and sponsoring companies. Their participation signaled that the field was developing commercial structures beyond individual broadcasters casually earning side income. For Pokimane, the presence of these organizations, combined with increasing sponsorship opportunities, helped demonstrate that streaming could operate as a genuine business and support a full-time career.

Summary

In this episode of How I Built This: Resilience Edition, Guy Raz interviews Iman Anis, better known as Pokimane, a popular video gamer and live streamer. She explains the world of video game streaming and how she turned it into a successful business. Pokimane discusses her journey from being a college student studying chemical engineering to becoming one of the most well-known streamers on Twitch. She shares insights into the challenges and opportunities of being a content creator, including sponsorship deals, subscriptions, and collaborations. Pokimane also talks about the importance of building a supportive community and setting boundaries, as well as the responsibility she feels in representing diversity in the gaming industry.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is video game streaming and how does it work?

Video game streaming is like watching a live YouTube video where viewers can tune in at any time and watch a broadcaster play video games. It involves interaction through chat with both the broadcaster and other viewers. It can be compared to watching professional sports or simply watching people do things you enjoy.

Q: How did Pokimane get into video game streaming?

Pokimane started playing video games at a young age and became interested in streaming after discovering Twitch through her gaming community. She bought a PC, upgraded her internet, and started streaming as a hobby while studying chemical engineering in college. Over time, her stream gained traction and started growing, leading her to make the decision to focus on streaming as a career.

Q: How did Pokimane gain followers and grow her stream?

Pokimane gained traction through networking, luck, and organic growth. Some of her viewers mentioned her stream to other streamers, which helped her make connections and expand her community. She also engaged in intentional marketing by participating in relevant Facebook groups and creating opportunities for viewers to discover her stream.

Q: How did Pokimane monetize her streaming career?

Pokimane monetized her stream through sponsorships and subscriptions. Companies started entering the streaming space and offering sponsorships to streamers like her, where she promotes their products or uses their branding on her stream. Additionally, viewers can subscribe to her channel on Twitch for a set monthly fee, which provides them with benefits like chat icons and emotes.

Q: How does Pokimane interact with her audience while streaming?

Pokimane interacts with her audience through real-time chat, where viewers can message her and engage with each other. She responds to viewers' messages, makes jokes, and tries to have a good time. Chat interaction is an important aspect of streaming and helps create a sense of community between the broadcaster and viewers.

Q: How does Pokimane balance her live streaming career and personal life?

Pokimane sets clear guidelines for herself and establishes boundaries between work and personal life. She starts her streaming day after taking time for herself in the morning and ensures she has a routine to get ready for the stream. While streaming, she tries to minimize breaks to avoid dead air and keeps a balance between being interactive and taking care of her personal needs.

Q: What challenges does Pokimane face as a female streamer and how does she handle them?

Pokimane faces threats and sexist behavior online, which can be difficult and scary to deal with. She recommends finding a supportive community of women who can understand and empathize with the challenges. Documenting incidents for safety purposes and not giving attention to negative individuals is also crucial. Validating one's own feelings and recognizing that bad days happen but bouncing back and continuing to create content is important.

Q: Does Pokimane feel a pressure to broaden representation in the gaming industry?

As one of the most well-known female streamers, Pokimane recognizes that she represents women in gaming to some extent. She feels a responsibility to uplift and support more women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals in the gaming industry. She believes in fostering diversity and creating a space where everyone can feel included and belong.

Q: How does Pokimane think e-culture will change pop culture?

Pokimane sees e-culture and pop culture becoming more intertwined as traditional celebrities and content creators delve into different platforms. The lines between pop artists and creators are blurring, with pop artists venturing into TikTok and content creators exploring music and other forms of entertainment. The integration will continue, and public figures will be expected to have a presence across various platforms.

Q: How does Pokimane plan to diversify her business outside of gaming?

Pokimane sees herself as more than just a content creator and has diverse interests. She has collaborated with brands for makeup products and co-owns a clothing brand. She mentions her passion for product development and creating things that provide value to people. She is open to exploring different avenues like writing a book and exploring skincare to diversify her business.

Takeaways

Pokimane's journey from a college student to a successful video game streamer showcases the opportunities and challenges of being a content creator. She emphasizes the importance of community support, setting boundaries, and staying resilient in the face of online negativity. Pokimane has monetized her streaming career through sponsorships, subscriptions, and collaborations, and she actively seeks to uplift diversity in an industry that has traditionally been dominated by men. She sees the integration of e-culture and pop culture continuing, with public figures expected to be present on multiple platforms. Additionally, Pokimane plans to diversify her business by exploring various product categories and pursuing her passion for creating value for her audience.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Pokimane describes live streaming as an extended live video where viewers watch a broadcaster, participate in chat, and interact with one another. Gaming streams can resemble professional sports broadcasts, but audiences may also watch primarily for entertainment, conversation, jokes, and the broadcaster’s personality rather than elite competitive performance alone.

• Her streaming journey began after years of gaming and discovering Twitch through the League of Legends community. She saved money for a secondhand computer, persuaded her parents to improve the internet connection, and streamed occasionally for fun. Networking, viewer recommendations, Facebook groups, and organic discovery helped attract her earliest audience.

• While studying chemical engineering, Pokimane faced increasingly difficult and time-consuming classes as her streaming audience grew. Sponsorship offers, including arrangements involving monthly payments, branding, and product use, showed that streaming could become a real business. Unable to give both pursuits her full effort, she eventually left college to pursue streaming professionally.