The Team Owner

The Background of Team Owners

G2 Owner: Carlos Rodriguez, former professional eSports Player to owning an empire. 

Watch: The Winning Mentality of G2 Carlos | Unfold: 10.42 (Minutes)

This video captured how small things define the identity of G2 owner Carlos Rodriguez and how his 'non-complacent' mentality has defined who he is and where his organisation is going. 

But so, like Carlos, we can find many Team Owners with completely different backgrounds that shape what their organisation is. Take the Misfits Owner: Ben Spoont, he is a Lawyer. Or a well-known persona in North America, Cloud 9 Owner: Jack Etienne, he is a Software Engineer. Everywhere you look, they all have different backgrounds telling us that there's no secret recipe. All skills are obtained with effort, love for what you do and persistence.

The Shared Identity of an eSports Org and their Owners

Have you ever asked yourself why do we support specific teams for long periods of time even after our favourite players are gone or just not directly involved with the teams anymore? Have you ever sat and thought this through? We will give you a clue. It has to do with the power of team building and branding and how this is so important from the moment you consolidate a team in the eSports scene. People are easily forgotten, but their ideas stick in our minds. This idea that sticks in our minds is called branding , and many team owners had this objective clear even before starting to compete.

Like a brand, a team has an identity, and this identity is the reflection of a sum of things, from their owners to their players, from their results to the way they act and interact with their fandom. Teams have discovered that the only long-lasting way to bring added value to their brands or names is by occupying a specific idea into the minds of their followers and stay.

Let's do something fun to portrait this example. We will give you names of teams across the eSports genre, and you will have to match their name with what you think they represent. If you are not sure or haven't heard of these teams, please feel free to research a little about them before you answer quickly, take your time!

Media Training

As the eSports Industry grows and gains more mainstream attention, team owners may find themselves in the public eye more often in interviews, press conferences or other media appearances media training can help team Owners develop the skills and knowledge needed to communicate effectively with the public.

This includes techniques for speaking clearly and confidently, handling tough questions, and staying on message. In addition to enhancing their communication skills, media training can also help team owners avoid potentially damaging missteps or controversies. By learning how to navigate media interactions, team owners can manage their public image and protect the reputation of their team's brand.

Here's a couple of tips that may help you whenever you get in contact with the public:

• Know to whom you are talking. Make sure you know who the ones are listening to your answers, think of them first before answering or sharing anything.
• Stay on message. Don’t wander around an answer, deliver your message and don’t give any opportunities to go overboard on different subjects.
• Practice Active Listening. Understand what you have been asked first, make sure of that, don’t be scared of asking a question before you answer.
• Be confident but be humble. Confidence is important in any media apprearance but it's also important to be humble and not be seen as arrogant.
• Be prepared for tough questions. They will try to unbalance you, make sure you are ready to answer controversial matters.
• Be authentic: Be genuine in your interaction with the media, this will help you to build trust and make yourself credible to others.

Watch: Before/After Media Training: (1:21 Minutes)

Networking to build value

Networking, we have heard this word before, haven't we? But what does it really mean and how do we even start?

Well, there is no more simple answer to that; networking is a skill that must be honed like any other. But if this skill has been mastered, it could bring a lot of value to not only your image as a person and therefore an owner, but a brand.

Socialising is part of our DNA; humans are social beings and any sort of relationship you have with others was built upon social skills. From your family to your friends this bond is a bridge between you and the other party.

Ah yes, but what about our own set of skills? Ask yourself. I can't just magically make this skill pop out of nowhere can't I? What if I don’t feel comfortable? What if Im not prepared? Here is an amazing video that would help you understand what networking is and how getting out of the comfort zone means growth and there for the improvement of this important skill to master:

Watch: An introvert's guide to networking | Rick Turoczy | TEDxPortland: (3.23 minutes)

Choosing the Right Team to build your Organisation

Team Building is necessary on any aspirant person that wants to become a leader. Ideally you want to be around people that are better than you or can become better than you at doing something specifically for your team. It is important whenever you are teambuilding that you guide yourself with the following:

1. Identify the necessary skills. Make sure you identify people that have technical skills, communication skills, leadership skills or any other skill that you need, even if they don’t have it know, are they capable of getting them?
2. Foster positive culture. A positive team culture is essential for building a strong and effective team, this includes creating a supportive and collaborative work environment.
3. Provide Training and development Opportunities. Invest in your talent, make sure that they know that you are betting on them.
4. Set Goals for the Team and your expectations in results. Keep everyone focused and motivated.
5. Foster Collaboration and good chemistry amongst team members. Make them feel that they belong. Their success is everyone's and the losses are shared.

Watch:How to Build a Dream Team as an Entrepreneur: (16.31 minutes)

Take a moment to think about your favourite eSports team or organisation. What made you become a fan? Was it the players? The branding?