Having an idea is only the first step in a very long journey to make a company successful. However, there are many nights of hard work, and many different paths that can be taken to find the right partners and funding to grow a company.

In this episode of Esports Connected, Megan is joined by Mark Besharaty, CEO and President of Gamelevate. Gamelevate is on a mission to become the premiere hub for esports information and content by sharing inclusive and diverse thoughts about the world of esports and gaming.

Mark shares his journey from bootstrapping at the beginning of his company to seeking investors. After hitting some obstacles when approaching standard investors, Mark decided to explore the crowdfunding route. He talks about the process of working with Start Engine, and the lessons he has learned along the way. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Gamelevate, visit: https://gamelevate.com/

If you’d like to learn more or even participate in Gamelevate’s funding campaign, visit: StartEngine.com/GamElevate

Resources mentioned: Rohan Bose at https://www.teknosassociates.com/

Full Episode Breakdown:

1:47 – Meeting Mark and how his storied career led him into the world of esports.

2:35 – Mark and Megan talk about the longevity of games, and how it’s going to make a huge difference in the world of esports.

5:25 – Mark talks about his love of gaming, and how it’s had an impact on his family.

8:00 – Mark talks about his crowdfunding experience and why he went that route after first bootstrapping his company.

10:37 – Mark discusses why he went down the Start Engine path, and what was so attractive about it.

14:05 – Mark walks us through this process of initially finding investors.

18:05 – Mark talks us through the process of putting together his financials, and what, specifically, investors were looking for.

21:29 – Mark talks about the advantages of crowdfunding, and why people feel inspired to give money for crowdfunding.

27:09 – Mark talks about how he determined what his company would offer, and the process he went through to value his startup.

33:29 – Mark talks about the journey so far, and some of the biggest lessons he has learned.