Speaking Engagements & Press
I’ve spoken to rooms ranging from 10 to 10,000 - from TwitchCon to VidCon, from a16z to Samsung’s Galaxy Creator Collective, to lecture halls at UCLA and Carnegie Mellon. I don’t just do inspirational - I get incredibly specific, and often take questions until they run out.
Talks
Create With Purpose
Why most creators burn out, why it almost never has anything to do with the algorithm, and what to build instead. Based on my book of the same name. Best for: creator conferences, platform events, university programs
Foundations, Additives & Distractions
A working framework for telling the difference between advice that builds something and advice that just fills a calendar. Practical, opinionated, and specific to whatever platform the room actually uses. Best for: creator camps, workshops, team offsites
What the Numbers Aren’t Telling You
Twenty years of watching people optimize the wrong metric. What to measure, what to ignore, and how to know the difference before you’ve spent a year on it. Best for: platform events, marketing teams, creator programs
Working With Japan
Two decades of partnerships with Japanese brands, and what Western teams consistently get wrong about them. Practical cross-cultural guidance for anyone building products, campaigns, or content in that space. Best for: brand teams, agencies, industry panels
Interviews:
"How To Build a Healthy Streaming Community" - Extra Life, CMNH (06/24/20)
"KawaiiGuyLA" - The COMM (10/07/2019)
”The Past, Present & Future of Digital Content: JamesTalks with Jon Brence” - JamesTalks (08/20/18)
"Learnin' Stuff with Jon Brence" - AwwSam.com (05/04/2018)
”Sitting Down with Jon Brence” - Dying the American Dream Podcast (10/11/17)
”Chrissa Sparkles & Jon Brence” - The Purrrcast (02/15/17)
”We Are The Cast & Crew of SMBC Theater - AMA!” - Reddit AMA (2011)
Speaking Engagements:
TwitchCon Rotterdam - Creator Camp/Twitch Talks Key Speaker (06/29/24)
TwitchCon Paris - Creator Camp Speaker (07/08/23)
Samsung Galaxy Creator Collective - Key Speaker (02/28/2022)
a16z Summit - Keynote Speaker (07/29/20)
Extra Life United - Hackathon - Judge (04/08/20)
VLOG University with iJustine - Guest Speaker (01/31/20)
Buffer Festival - "Content with Purpose" - Keynote Speaker (10/04/19)
PAX West - "Gaming for Charity" - Panelist (08/30/19)
VidCon 2019 - “Streaming on Twitch 101” - Guest Speaker (07/11/19)
Producer’s Guild Make Your Mark Competition - Judge (11/11/18)
VidCon 2018 - “Go Live or You’re F*&%ed” - Panelist (06/21/18)
Producer’s Guild Make Your Mark Competition - Judge (11/11/17)
UCLA - Graduate Acting - Guest Lecture (06/06/17)
Digital LA / Paladin Software “Video Strategy Panel” - Panelist (5/17/17)
Carnegie Mellon University - Masters of Entertainment Management - Guest Seminar (04/15/17)
Japanese American National Museum - Decoden Design & Workshop (10/22/16)
UCLA - Professional Program in Producing - Guest Lecture (08/09/16)
VidCon 2016 - Jeopardy Host (06/24/16)
Fullscreen Movie Nights @ VidCon 2016 - Host (06/23/16)
UCLA - Graduate Acting - Guest Lecture (05/03/16)
Japanese American National Museum - Giant Robot Decoden Workshop (01/24/16)
RTX 2015 - Pizza Hut Retro Arcade Host (08/07/15)
Camp Fangamer - Special Guest Speaker (07/19/15)
VidCon 2014 - ‘Worst Game Ever’ Host (06/26/14)
Press:
”Extra Life United Elevated By The Dedication of Gaming Influencers” - Extra Life, CHMN (04/21/20)
”Canadian YouTube Giant WatchMojo Invests in Digital Video Festival ‘Buffer’” - TubeFilter.com (09/05/19)
"The Relentless Pace of Satisfying Fans Is Burning Out Some YouTube Stars" - NPR.org (08/13/18)
”YouTube Abandons Content Creators” - Game Talk Live (05/23/18)
"YouTube Channels Are Seeing Lift in Live Viewership" - Digiday.com (05/16/2018)
"Out Web Fest to Celebrate Web Content in West Hollywood" - Los Angeles Blade (05/09/18)
”That Couch Potato at his Game Console? He Might Be Making Millions” - McClatchyDC (01/19/18)
Rock & Roll Bride Issue 13 - Cover + Feature (02/26/17)
”YouTube Stars PopularMMOs Sign Book Deal with Harper Collins Publishers” - Press Release (12/14/17)
”Pastel Kawaii Wonderland-Inspired Wedding #CutestWeddingEver” - GreenWeddingShoes (10/18/16)
"The Front Page Is Weird New Pilot from 5 Second Films" - NewMediaRockstars.com (10/19/14)
”22squared is all over the place with ‘Unexpect Everything Campaign for Toyota” - Adweek (10/11/13)
”Toyota and game devs team up on Corollacade” - Engadget (10/09/13)
”Kicking Off Kotaku Presents” - Kotaku.com (07/02/12)
“Meet Seven Members of YouTube’s First LA Space Class” - USA Today (01/01/13)
"Scenes from The Class Struggle At The Javits Center" - FLEEN.com (10/05/11)
"Fresh Blood At Anime Festival" - TTDILA.com (07/01/10)
Guest Articles:
”The Big Question: Why” - Fullscreen.com (02/20/18)
”The End of Influencer” - Fullscreen.com (09/07/17)