A gaming research startup needed a growth engine. I built it.
1K+ subscribers · 287K+ views
SIDO's entire social presence — built from zero. From a founder's YouTube channel to on-site content
at a live esports combine in LA to a shipped multi-episode industry show.
Full creative ownership, end-to-end execution.
Four months. Three initiatives. Full creative ownership.
SIDO is a research organization studying how people learn, train, and perform through competitive games.
They work with investors, game developers, universities, and professional esports teams —
led by founder Parth Naidu (ex-TSM Head Coach) and Amy Zhang.
They needed someone who could move fast across content, growth, and operations without waiting
for direction. The work was owned end-to-end — from strategy to published output — building the public-facing
presence that gave their research and consulting credibility in the esports community.
Build public credibility for a research startup with no existing social presence — and connect their work to the broader esports community.
What I Owned
Growth strategy, content operations, channel management, video production, live event coverage, guest outreach, and promotional design.
Environment
Lean startup with public-facing stakes, tight deadlines, and no existing playbook — systems built while the work shipped.
Outcome
1K+ subscribers, 287K+ views, industry credibility through content, a live combine documented in LA, and a shipped multi-episode show.
01Sep – Nov 2025
From Zero to 287K Views on YouTube
Growth strategy • Content ops • SEO • Thumbnail design • Shorts production • Community management
SIDO's research needed a public face. Parth's YouTube channel was built from zero —
every layer owned end-to-end: growth strategy, content calendar, SEO,
thumbnail design, scripting support, Shorts production, and community management.
The result: 1,000+ subscribers and 287K+ views — a credible platform
that gave SIDO's research and consulting real visibility in the esports space.
Scope
Content calendar, packaging, editing, metadata, channel operations, and cross-platform coordination with X/Twitter.
Constraint
No existing social presence or playbook. The growth engine was built while shipping content daily.
Outcome
A credible public platform that positioned SIDO as a serious voice in esports — backed by real audience traction.
0 → 1,000+ subscribers. Every video touched.
The full operation ran end-to-end: content calendar, custom thumbnails for every upload,
metadata & SEO optimization, Shorts editing and publishing, community tab posts,
and cross-platform coordination with Twitter/X. Nothing went live without being touched.
Parth's debut longform video — scripted, filmed, edited, and thumbnailed end-to-end —
went viral in the League of Legends esports community, sparking conversation across Twitter/X.
Ten emerging players flew to Los Angeles for a combine at FlyQuest's facility —
bootcamp scrims, player photoshoots, performance training, and a visit to Riot Games' studio.
SIDO's research in action: studying player development in a live competitive environment.
DarkZero (now NRG) had creatives on the ground handling photo and video production — but as SIDO's content lead and the only content person from the hosting org,
the storytelling fell to one person. Every piece of documentation, real-time social output, and promotional coverage that gave the combine its visibility.
Role on Site
SIDO's content lead on the ground — covering athletes, staff moments, training, and social output.
Challenge
Capture enough range to make the week feel premium while publishing fast enough to matter.
Proof
Live social traction, polished videos, and behind-the-scenes artifacts that feel real.
Day 1 — Setting the Scene
The first full day of the combine — players arriving, scrims starting, and the week kicking off.
Between scrims, coaching sessions, and facility time — DarkZero had creatives capturing footage, but SIDO's story was mine to tell.
Everything captured shipped the same day it was filmed.
Training & Gameplay
From players arriving at the facility to performance coaching and competitive scrims —
the full arc of each day, documented and published. SIDO's Twitter/X ran in parallel: copy written,
highlight clips cut and shipped in real time. Everything same-day.
10 players. 10 stories. One week to capture them all.
The combine wasn't just about gameplay — it was about the people. The final deliverable
brought every player's individual story to the surface.
The Final Deliverable — Player Confessionals
A confessional series capturing each player's story — directed, filmed, and edited as
the culmination of the entire bootcamp. Published on SIDO's YouTube, each video
built to feel personal and cinematic — the kind of content that turns a bootcamp into a brand moment.
The series that capped the entire combine.
Each confessional was a sit-down interview — directed, filmed, and edited end-to-end.
Players reflected on the week, their growth, and what comes next.
Published as a playlist on SIDO's YouTube — the final proof that the program delivered.
Multiple players from the bootcamp gained industry attention — but two ultimately
landed LCS roster spots the following split. KryRa signed with Disguised.
Cryogen joined FlyQuest. The pipeline delivered.
KryRa & Cryogen — At the Combine
KryRa — Disguised (LCS)
Cryogen — FlyQuest (LCS)
03Dec 2025
Tier2Blueprint Stream
Graphic design • Guest outreach • Production • Live streaming • Brand identity
SIDO's consulting arm works with pro teams, coaches, and players — but that credibility needed a public stage.
A multi-guest Twitch stream produced from scratch: coaches, analysts, and players
from the League of Legends Tier 2 ecosystem across three episodes on competitive career paths
and the state of the scene. Every piece owned end-to-end — concept, format design, guest outreach,
graphic design, promotion, and VOD packaging — positioning SIDO as the go-to voice in Tier 2 development.
Format
Three-episode live discussion series designed to elevate SIDO's authority in Tier 2.
Ownership
Concept, guest coordination, promotion, visual design, and VOD packaging.
Design Value
The show looked intentional before a viewer heard a single word.
Graphic Design
Poster, stream overlays, and all 3 VOD thumbnails
Guest Outreach
Sourced and coordinated all guests across 3 episodes
Production
Format design, pre-show promotion, and live production
Building a social presence from zero isn't just creative work — it's systems, cadence, and positioning. The role demanded thinking like a growth operator, not just a content creator.
Ownership scales trust
Full ownership from day one meant every result was mine to defend. That accountability made me sharper and earned me more responsibility as the co-op went on.
Startups reward bias for action
No playbook existed. Move fast, learn faster — whether that meant covering a live combine in LA or producing a show format from scratch.
Want to know what helped me land this co-op?
A YouTube channel built from scratch to 3.5M+ views — the proof of work that opened this door.
