There is a difference between professional organizations and gaming communities; professional teams focus only on professional players and neglect community building. However, it is possible to create a community, have a professional structure, and be competitive at the same time, and Team 7AM is the living proof of that.

John Smith-Howell, Director of Team 7AM, created a professional esports team grounded on community values, offering its players the opportunity to compete at the highest level and be part of a supportive environment ideal for developing new talents.

He shares his vision of what kind of support esports teams should provide for their players beyond financial support and how gamers could benefit from it. We talked about how he overcame leaving school at an early age and found fulfillment in professional gaming. We also talked about how gaming is a great tool to connect kids from all over the world.

You can connect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsmith-howell/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/7am_WundA

Visit Team 7AM’s website: https://team7am.com/

The Esports Connected Podcast was created by the Esports Trade Association. To find out more, visit: https://esportsta.org/

Full Episode Breakdown:

2:34 – John talks about 7AM’s plans to expand their exposure outside of Europe.

7:51 – John explains how he feels about the difference between professional teams and gaming communities and how they see that at Team 7AM.

11:02 – John talks about how the market’s small ants can also produce quality content.

15:47 – John comments on what kind of support they aim to provide to gamers in Team 7AM.

18:37 – Megan asks John to talk about his relationship with work and how he handles stress.

23:04 – John talks about his role at Team 7AM as Director and the oldest person and how he shields the organization’s younger members.

26:03 – Megan and John talk about the shift in how gaming was seen in the Super Nintendo and Sega Megadrive era and nowadays. 

29:22 – John shares his story of leaving school at age 13 and how that impacted his life.

35:13 – John talks about how isolated he felt being a 13 years old gamer and how he focused on his growth and development.

40:02 – John gives his point of view on selling and the importance of building relationships in business.

44:39 – Megan and John talk about how online gaming never was about spending time with a console but with other community members and making friends.

49:28 – Megan and John discuss the importance of coaching in the esports industry.

54:00 – John talks about the importance of gamers’ mental health and why it should be taken more seriously in the industry.