In this episode, I interview Ben Feferman, the CEO and co-founder of Amuka eSports which is Canada’s leader in esports venues, leagues and tournaments. His firm also raises capital for fast growing esports businesses, and Ben is the co-founder of Canada's first and only incubator for esports-related companies.
 
Time Stamps
[01:20] Ben’s professional background and why he started his own company
[03:00] The evolution of esports: how video games became a competitive spectator sport
[05:42] Building community through esports
[07:24] Gamifying the workplace as a team building practice
[08:26] What an esports-facilitation business model looks like
[09:45] How the pandemic has reshaped the esports industry
[15:06] The upside of transitioning to virtual operations
[16:13] Trial and error in the esports business model
[17:47] How Ben divides his time between his ventures
[19:01] Using acquihire to build a team
[22:10] The size and potential of the Esport market
[24:14] Ben’s forecast for mobile gaming and VR esports
[25:42] Next steps for Amuka Esports
[26:45] Celebrity investments in esports teams
[29:16] Professional esports league models
[30:46] The challenges of transient popularity in esports
[32:10] Fostering creativity through lateral organisation at Amuka Esports
 
 
Links and Resources:
Ben Feferman’s LinkedIn profile
Ben Ferferman’s Twitch channel
Amuka Esports website
Steve’s blog
https://StevePreda.com