- Erin Ashley Simon moved from traditional media into esports and gaming.
- A former college athlete, Simon interned at local newspapers and also worked in marketing.
- Simon is now sponsored by Puma and represented by CAA talent agency.
If you want to work in esports, the first advice from Erin Ashley Simon is to start working outside of esports.
“Don’t go into the industry right away,” Simon, co-host of “The Download” esports and gaming show on VENN, told Insider. “We need different skill sets, different perspectives. The more that you obtain outside the industry and bring in, the more valuable you’re going to be.”
That may seem like contradictory advice, but Simon, who is represented by the agency CAA and also works for AT&T and Puma, in addition to owning her own esports brand, believes the rapidly growing industry needs an influx of outside ideas as it matures. The industry’s revenues are still growing after crossing $44 billion in 2020, according to Insider Intelligence.