Recognition and validation are perhaps two of the most desired achievements of every human being. The fulfillment of a big victory might only be compared by the recognition of colleagues and competitors. That is one of the many reasons why the Esports Awards exist; to recognize excellence, create a legacy, and honor the industry.  

Our guest for today’s show is Mike Ashford, an enthusiastic, expert digital marketer, former Managing Director, and now CEO of the Esports Awards.  

We had a fantastic conversation about Mike’s journey in the industry, the Esports Awards evolution, growth, and values. We also talked about Mike’s passion for marketing, his work ethic, the gaming industry’s future, and the role of influencers. 

You can visit the Esports Awards website: https://esportsawards.com/

Or you can connect with Mike on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ashford/

Full Episode Breakdown:

2:05 – From GoldenEye 007 player to CEO of the Esports Awards. Mike shares his incredible journey in the gaming industry. 

5:48 – Twitch, you need to broadcast this. Mike talks about the beginning of the Esports Awards’ immense success. 

9:34 – Mike and John talk about the fantastic experience of working on what they’re passionate about.

14:01 – Mike speaks about the many ways of getting into the gaming industry.

17:36 – Growing as an underdog. Mike talks about his childhood and his struggles to learn at school, his early jobs, and how that helped him build a strong work ethic.

21:22 – John and Mike talk about how important it is to have the ability to identify opportunities based on our capabilities. 

25:37 – Mike shares his thoughts on why he thinks the Esports Awards made such a success in the industry.

31:10 – Mike talks about the growth and evolution of the Awards thanks to the community’s active participation.

34:46 – This is global; this not only affects the UK. Mike talks about their realization of the Awards’ growth and the hard decision of letting go of a headline sponsor because it wasn’t aligned with their values. 

39:08 – Experiences and moments first. Mike talks about the Esports Awards mission and vision. 

44:46 – Mike talks about the importance of protecting the Awards’ authenticity.

50:28 – Mike talks about his favorite moments at the Awards and his most satisfactory experiences working on them.