Horizon Union Co-Founder Kieran Wood hopes to help content creators progress as entrepreneurs
Content creator-focused esports organisation Horizon Union, which was formed in the UK, has launched a new Beyond Programme to support content creators.
The Beyond Programme aims to support, nurture and provide Horizon’s creators with creator-led benefits and packages tailored to industry trends, development and revenue-generating opportunities needed for creators at different stages of their careers.
Under the scheme, creators are able to progress through four tiers: Sunset Bronze, Sparkling Silver, Sun Gold, and Beyond Platinum.
Within each tier, creators also benefit from bespoke services, such as mentoring, content strategy development, work/health and life balance services, and business strategy coaching, to name a few.
The programme officially launched in June 2023 and is accessible to creators globally.
“From the pressure to constantly produce new content to the fear of negative feedback, the journey of a freelance content creator can be tough to navigate,” read a press release sent to Esports News UK. “Constant comparison to others, pressure to maintain a certain image, and time management pressures can all lead to burnout and other serious mental health issues. Unfortunately, in most cases, freelancers do not have access to the same levels of support as full-time employees at the organisations with which they partner.
“Horizon announces the launch of the Beyond Programme which aims to resolve this issue by providing creators with access to bespoke support and nurture programmes as they progress through their careers at the company. By measuring success through varying industry metrics, Horizon’s Beyond Programme and intuitive performance tracking tool provide clear insight and progression for creators to take advantage of an offering that is inaccessible to the wider gaming industry.”
Beyond Programme launched to provide support following creator economy growth
Currently worth an estimated $104.2bn, the creator economy has seen rapid growth over the past two years, with the number of creators globally estimated to be around 23% of the global population.
While this explosion of growth is enabling creators to monetise their content effectively, many work as freelancers and need more investment in career development or access to support facilities afforded to contracted employees, so says Horizon.
Kieran Wood, Co-Founder & Operations and Commercial Lead at Horizon (pictured, top), said:
“At Horizon, we are committed to ensuring that creators have access to professional resources, benefits, and support to help them progress as entrepreneurs while maintaining their autonomy and identity.”
Kieran Wood, Horizon Union
“The development of the Beyond Programme has been a key project for the team over the last year. We are delighted to be bringing to the market a programme that makes us, as a business, accountable for nurturing talent across the creator community with full transparency.”
“Over the coming months and years, the creator economy is set to continue to grow exponentially. This was the perfect time for us to provide creators with a servicing product that is purposefully made to factor in both the growth and wellbeing of their careers and, most importantly, hold us accountable to delivering a unique service.”
Creators can find more info and apply to join the Beyond Programme on the Horizon Union website.
Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
