Lambchop But It's Ironmouse

Lambchop Mouse is real!!! Thank you for the opportunity 🥹 #ironmouseart

Oh, yeah. I can see the vision. Gamers are going to love it. 🎮

Publishers and developers always talk about building an immersive experience unlike anything players have had before But somehow, taking gamers out for ads after a hard fought boss battle or heartbreaking cutscene is a billion dollar idea? Even gamers have limits.

RIP Gigimurin

As a VTuber manager, I believe that beginning creators often benefit from some tailored guidance; which is why I have a general consultation tier to my services! You can ask me ANY questions at 50/hr and I will provide you tailored advice for you! 🔽

*Very* early impressions on Geega's Level One Talent - I'm trying to stay neutral + add something beyond "scam" vs "trust her", which is why I'm quoting Flork's tweet instead of the announcement itself. TL;DR: there are three layers people are trying to judge here at the same time - capacity + capability (of Geega and team), the actual offering itself, and how it's being communicated/marketed. Most concerns people have are with the latter two, and nobody can fully judge the first one just yet. Not enough people are clearly distinguishing between them. --- Anyway - most of the criticism I'm seeing falls into a few baskets: - "it's an MLM/grifter scam" (communication) - "it's all free online" (the offering) - "it's for beginners, so it's predatory" (communication) - "just spend it on an editor instead" (the offering) - "who's actually delivering this?" (communication - nobody's been named) - "talent company = agency red flag" (communication) - "1:1 can't scale" (the offering - the structure promises 1:1 time to every member) - "it's too expensive for who it's aimed at" (the offering) I'll pick up the ones I've got something to add to. Almost all of those points are about the offer + how it's been explained, not evidence about whether it delivers. And right now there really isn't any evidence on whether the service helps, because it's only JUST launched in paid alpha. "But it's Geega, and it's a project spearheaded by a successful creator!" Yes, I take my hat off to Sponsorbot's early promising reviews, and Geega's track record as a creator in the space. But that's not direct confirmation of Level One's effectiveness either, and the rules explicitly say they don't guarantee outcomes (which is honest, to be fair). The catch is that this argument reads like "a successful creator is behind this, so it could work for you too", and that's the same pull that guru courses run on - which is likely part of why people are reacting the way they are. That said, it cuts both ways: her name is on the tin, so it's her own credibility on the line. There's also a more charitable possibility: one common pattern I've seen (and am guilty of myself) is businesses focusing on building a decent product/offering, but not communicating it properly or often enough to the market (if at all), or checking it against actual demand. (Lorecrafters as a studio is very much in this exact position.) I wouldn't rule out the possibility that this is what Level One is facing right now, but I can't say for sure. On some of the "MLM/grifter scam" accusations: First off - there's no actual MLM-style recruitment/referral structure here. But the launch language reads a lot like a typical tech launch: an alpha that's very much being built in public, early-bird pricing, "offerings subject to availability", "bear with us" et al. Both the model (paid professional networks) and some of the launch practices (paying for early access in exchange for a bigger hand in shaping the product) are also quite common in that sphere. Also - to a lot of people, there are things in the announcement + the offer itself that probably sound like a social media guru/influencer course launch (which is a thing that I know gives some people the ick). Neither is actually bad in itself - but I suspect the mix of techie launch + guru/influencer launch vibes clashes with the VTuber space in particular, where people have been burned by folks who speak in exactly those patterns. From the outside, it's hard to tell which one you're actually looking at. On "it's free online": Yeah, the info mostly is. What's much harder to find reliably for free is curation of said info, vetted people to learn from and hire, and someone helping you act on it - which is what Level One appears to be selling, and the part that could justify a price. But the announcement led with "guides for every aspect of streaming" (the most replaceable part) instead of saying that, so I'm not surprised that a lot of criticism latched on to that part. The one thing neither free nor paid resources can give you is your own lived experience and judgement. That only comes from trial and error - good guidance (paid or otherwise) can shorten it, but it can't replace it. Full disclosure: even with all the essays I currently write and post for free - I'm also working on a book, which is something I'd charge for too, and that's due to the time, expertise and judgement needed to curate, edit and stand behind what goes in. So I get why curation can be worth paying for. (I've also got thoughts on whether paying for a resource changes how people use it, but that's for a different post.) Who is it *actually* for? The Twitch Affiliate/Partner requirement for creator members sits in the "Users Permitted" section of the server rules - alongside 18+, no alts + channel verification, with "manual approval available for established creators on other platforms" (so it's not Twitch exclusive). To me, that reads as an identity/accountability gate, not a "you're ready for these resources" gate. "The first level of your streaming career" (per Geega's own words) probably means the first level of treating streaming as a business, which is (typically) after you've started. But past that, the Discord description says it's for "creators looking to build a larger network with the primary goal of improving their content creation or the quality of their enjoyment while creating content." That's a goal-based definition, not a stage-based one - it tells you why you might join, but it isn't clear about whether you're at the point where you'd actually get value for your subscription. And yes, there's a feature list, but not the specifics you'd need to judge fit for yourself: who the managers and speakers are, how deep the guides go, or what a typical month looks like. Which is probably why some people seem to be skeptical of what the words "level one/first level" might imply, and are filling in the gaps themselves - and for some people, it means "for beginners". In short: "we don't quite know yet". Who I feel it *might* suit: Creators who've already started, are plateauing, and whose bottleneck isn't actually info but time/energy/connections - people for whom being able to have a one-stop network to consult about hiring, content strategy etc is cheaper, especially when compared to figuring it all out alone from multiple sources. The drawback is of course that you likely won't get bespoke assistance that fully fits your needs, but it'll (hopefully) be a step up from uncurated advice from various sources that can contradict itself and can't always back itself up. IMO, this looks to be the bridge in between "free with full DIY" and "bespoke manager + team". You might well find after a while that you outgrow it, and that you're confident enough in building your own support team with the connections and knowledge you've obtained - which is the point anyway. Who it's probably not for yet: If you're brand new to dabbling in content, you don't need what Level One is offering at this stage (I'd even say you might actually be at Level Zero, which isn't a bad place to be.) Flork is right - you don't need a manager yet. Go stream/record content, build habits, an early community, fall in love with the medium, enjoy the trial/error of the process - and come back when you're there. If you find you still enjoy making content even with the learning friction, that's good - because that's the thing that'll see you through when the tough "business" side of the grind starts kicking in. And if you're confident in your judgement when it comes to hiring support staff: the money may be better spent directly on an editor, designer etc if you're willing to do the legwork of looking for people yourself and onboarding them, and you're willing to accept the risk if things go sour. What would help people evaluate Level One Talent: Named managers + speakers, a public FAQ with terms (right now you need to verify to even see the rules), and clearer "this is/isn't for you" criteria - preferably on an official website. Some of this may exist on Geega's streams, or inside the relevant Discord servers - which means the people best placed to understand it right now are those who already trust Geega and are closely following her. For everyone else, signing up right now means paying before they can properly evaluate it, and it's not in everyone's budget or risk appetite - and that's okay. What I'm personally looking out for: Reviews that members post on their own, especially "it was fine but not for me" ones. Those will tell us more than featured success stories - and hopefully will shape the product for the better. IMO, there's one thing that could've gone a long way pre-launch: having industry people - preferably those not involved with Level One at the founding stage - review the offer properly, then vouch for it publicly with specifics: what they looked at, who they think it suits, and who it doesn't. Or having confirmed scheduled speakers come out in public to say that they're tapped for a future lecture - but I get why this may not be feasible just yet. Right now most of the public support reads as "you're so cool" - which is support for Geega and that's great, but not a proper assessment of Level One as a product/service. (Ironically, Level One's own commissions board works on exactly that principle: you stake your standing on who you vouch for.) For transparency: I don't know Geega personally, but I do wish her the very best with this - and I don't fault anyone for trying new ways to tackle the issue of VTubing/content creation lacking - or not having easy access to - competent backend people. I also manage one indie talent, but I'm not looking to expand those services - my current focus is on writing and creative production, plus mentorship of our creative staff at Lorecrafters. So this isn't me defending my turf. My post is not a verdict either way - and Level One Talent itself is still in its early days, so I expect and do hope for more info to come. But there's clearly a gap between what it might be, and how it's being explained/communicated - and IMO, that's something I'd personally like to see sorted sooner rather than later. #RAINArambles

What if I wanted someone to remind me?

I didn’t think I could love my Boss, but I think I’m coming around. (I do not work for GEEGA) Would love to contribute in some manner to this vision, but I am a wee circuit just starting out myself. Will be keeping an eye on this one, but GEEGA is definitely my favorite Indie. ❤️

Besides her own emotes, these are my favorite ones I own for Ironmouse. She looks so good in Fortnite!! 💖 Mousey using the Red Carpet emote brings a lot of joy and happiness to my heart. She looks so carefree and lively. I know every one of her fans hopes she achieves this level confidence. 🥰

Content Creation Tip!! Find a way to schedule things that works well for you! I was asked to check out The Consilium Creator System, and I'm really impressed with what they've been able to create straight into Notion! So do check it out~ 🔗⤵️

Pausing for a second to express how lucky I feel every day to get to do things I like with people I enjoy. Most of my closest friends have come from my time as a content creator through VTubing, NoPixel, or in random discord servers. I seriously cannot express how unique and kind the friends I’ve made are. As I think back on how I made it to where I am, I picture tons of faces that helped me along that path. I think the best thing I can do with my time and position is try to be one of those faces for others. But since I’m also a corporate sicko, I’m approaching it with scale in mind, especially now that my health has vastly improved. That said, I’m here to announce more announcements: I didn’t just start 1 company, I’m actually starting 7 projects across 4 companies. For the rest of this month, I’m going to shitpost a little bit less and focus on telling you about what I’ve been working on as a founder in the creator industry. All of these projects are launching in Alpha or Beta, so I’m turning all of you (especially mutuals) into my guinea pigs to give me feedback as you try things out. Working myself to death any%