Entrepreneur: Audrey Rogers (Lae)

Biz: Laelindria

Tilt: Retro and cozy video games and her current rigs (setups)

Time to First Dollar: 6 months 

Primary Channel: TikTok (141.4K)

Other Channels: Twitch (943), Instagram (358), YouTube (169)

Rev Streams: Twitch subscriptions, TikTok Creator Fund, brand and game developer sponsorships, merch

Our Favorite Actionable Advice:

  • Take the room’s pulse: Laelindria returned to cozy gaming during the pandemic. As she started to stream, she found people quickly enjoyed her tilt.
  • Listen for revenue ideas: Though merchandise isn’t a big revenue stream, Lae creates merch that is personal and relevant to her community.
  • Grow a community: Her Discord channel is the best thing for her business. The community talks and gathers around topics that go beyond her original idea.

The Story

For Audrey Rogers, who goes by Lae, cozy gaming has been a part of her life since childhood. During COVID lockdowns, she found herself spending more time with the games she loves and decided to share them online. She tilted toward her lifelong interest to connect with those who love gaming, too. But her reach also inspires followers to try new games or gaming in general. 

Lae first reached for TikTok, and her success happened quickly. As she streamed, she showed her setup. “I have always wanted to have some sort of organized place to share my love of games on a larger scale than with just my friends but was never really sure how to approach this,” she says. 

Gaming and video content are a perfect marriage, so @laelindria posted about her gaming rig on #TikTok. #ContentEntrepreneur #CreatorEconomy Click To Tweet

“With the Covid-19 pandemic, I began spending more time playing comforting, casual games and also spending lots and lots of time on Twitch and TikTok,” she says. “Gaming and video content seem like a perfect marriage, so I just started posting about my gaming rig I was setting up on TikTok and games I was excited about. People resonated with the content, and I’ve been making it ever since.”

Cozy tilt

Now, her content aims to “help inspire a love of cozy games, indie games, and RPGs” as her YouTube tagline suggests. Laelindria leads with warmth, cozy feelings, a welcoming atmosphere, and games that any mainstream gamers would probably miss. She aims to spotlight indie developers and those slower-paced, peaceful games that create unique player experiences.

And her followers love it. Not only do Lae’s game suggestions serve as an escape, but so do her channels. She’s monetized her online presence, from streaming live on Twitch to sharing her recommendations on TikTok. 

“My income comes from a variety of sources, mostly Twitch subscribers, the TikTok Creator Fund, and paid sponsorships from brands and game developers,” she says. “At this point in time, sponsored content makes up the majority of my income. Brands will typically pay me for a video or series of videos on TikTok when they have a new or upcoming game they wish to market.”

Sponsored content makes up the majority of @laelindria's creator income. #Twitch #TikTok #ContentBusiness Click To Tweet

Merch collaboration

Lae also has a merchandise collection, which is largely collaborative with her followers. “Most of my merch has come from inside jokes from my streams. Something funny will happen, and someone will say, ‘Oh my god, we need to make merch of that!’ And if I have time, I will do it,” she says.

“The merch income has been pretty negligible if I’m being honest, but creating more physical products for gamers is something I am hoping to explore in the future,” Lae says.

Discord discourse

Lae’s counsel for other content entrepreneurs includes being selective with brand collaborations and never compromising your own morals for money. But her most valuable advice is the one thing that has really changed her life as a creator – making a Discord server. 

The chat and video platform allows a community of people to share and meet online. For Laelindria, it’s been a way to form authentic connections with followers and advertise her upcoming content. 

“My Discord server is probably the best move I’ve made as a creator,” she said. “Since a big mission of mine is to build a welcoming community, Discord is truly the best avenue for this.

My #Discord server is probably the best move I've made as a creator, says @laelindria. #Community #CreatorEconomy Click To Tweet

Personally, I have gained true friendships through my Discord and group of amazing like-minded people to share not just a love of gaming, but other things I enjoy like anime, books, movies, and more,” she says. 

“We have created so many regular community-building events like game nights and movie nights, and it really is just a welcoming, amazing place that I’m so proud to be a part of. 

“From a business growth standpoint, it’s been completely invaluable. It’s really become the main ‘hub’ of my content. I announce streams, YouTube videos, Patreon updates, merch, and more here. I think a large portion of my Twitch traffic comes directly from members of my Discord.”

About the author

Kelly Wynne is a journalist and creative writer living in Chicago with her pet dachshund. She's an advocate for women's rights, mental health, and chronic illness.