First Month as a Twitch Affiliate Streamer

     So my first month as a Twitch streamer has come and gone in what seems like a complete whirlwind.  I was trying to write a blog/walkthrough/guide per week as a way to help myself with a sort of reference library for various challenges, and started submitting them to various platforms hoping they could help others. One day I decided, completely on a whim, to try my hand at streaming whatever lab environments I wanted to keep documentation of, and if a few other people saw it and it helped, I would be happy.  But in typical Joe fashion I threw myself completely at this, and boy did it take off like a rocket ship.

     Being as I had no idea what I was doing, I started spending some time finding what streaming software might allow me to get started.  I landed on Streamlabs OBS, which, despite marketing suggesting it's simplicity, I found incredibly challenging.  So to Youtube I went!  I found some guides that provided FREE overlay materials that I could use but quickly realized I wanted something flashier and more personalized.  So I taught myself how to modify overlays.  And add microphones, cameras, images, screens, widgets, chat boxes, and everything else required to keep viewers happy and engaged.  I imagined I would be talking to an empty chat box for a while, but that was ok as these videos were as much for me as they were for future viewers.

     Well, that never happened.  I've been fortunate to have earned a place along side Heath Adams, a.k.a. The Cyber Mentor. Through working with him at TCM-Sec, helping to manage his Udemy courses, and building the friendship we have, Heath has been ever supportive of this endeavor.  His daily "raids" helped me to hit affiliate status in a few short days, and has brought my fledgling presence into the light of his substantial following.  It's because of this that I saw my efforts actually hitting home with folks, and recognizing more and more daily viewers every time the camera turns on and I go live.  People from other areas of my life are talking about the things I'm doing, and how my videos and advice are helping them along their career path.  And it all serves as motivation and validation to continue this hard work.

     And I do mean hard.  I spend hours preparing for each guided walkthrough in a lab environment, from figuring out how to conquer it, to going back through a second or third time figuring it out manually, then screenshots, documentation, blogging, and prep work for that day's video.  It's truly hard work that I know is noticed when I see folks thanking me for the help, or that extra hint, or showing them how to defeat a challenge without tools like Metasploit. 

     What we are doing matters.  This small and tight knit community we are building reminds me that we are all in this together, and that the best way to learn is from one another.  And I am happy and proud to be doing my part to give back.  We all start somewhere, and I implore you to consider how you will give back someday to those who remind you where you started at as well.

I'll see you on the other side of the camera!