We had the good fortune of connecting with Darryl D. Smith and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darryl D., we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Oddly, I had been in content creation for a long time, but I never realized it. I was a photographer for Harmland Visions and Rhedeont Photography for nearly a decade. But, I never saw it as content creation. Eventually, I was forced to walk away from photography due to an accident.

Long story short, a truck ran into my apartment while I was sitting on the couch. The accident left me with herniated discs in my back, which I still deal with today. The back pain can sometimes be unbearable, and it does make life difficult at times. That led me to leave photography and try other avenues of business. While pursuing a career in financial services, the pandemic hit, and it hit hard.

I started reassessing things in my life and wondered what was it that I wanted to do. I started trying to figure out what made me the happiest. All I could think of was when I was at Grambling State University, producing content. I worked for the newspaper, TV station, and did photography then. I’d also been part of a multimedia program with professional newspaper.

I started coming across memories on Facebook, and I saw me on Grambling’s campus, mostly alone as nearly everyone went home for a break, and I created a video talking about how boring it was to be on campus by myself. People loved the video and commented on it for quite some time. Seeing that video ignited a fire in me a bit. I wanted to get back to that creative DDS. The DDS that took chances and just put things out there to have fun.

As I remembered those days and desired that version of myself, I had been watching the now-defunct Mixer since December 2019. Right before the pandemic, I came across MoonLiteWolf. Now, before I get into this story, I was one of the folks that swore I’d never watch someone play a video game online. “Why would I watch when I can just play the game myself?” I’d always say. Microsoft bought Beam, which became Mixer. Since I am a HUGE Xbox fan, I decided to see what Mixer was about when it was still Beam. I created an account and never thought anything of it.

Once it was named Mixer, we were all given a free sub to their newest acquisition at the time — Ninja. Since it was free, I figured why not use the sub and see what Mixer was about. I watched Ninja play Fortnite … and a chat that was moving like crazy. I was astonished. “People actually … watch this?!”, I thought. Suddenly, I was hooked. I started becoming enamored, and I eventually found King Gothalion and got even MORE hooked on livestreaming. Goth was hilarious and I started finding games I never would’ve played through him.

Eventually, I started wondering if any Black people streamed. I’d never seen a Black person stream, so I got curious. One night, I stumbled across MoonLiteWolf. I rarely talked in chat before, so I decided to see if she would respond. To my surprise, she actually had a conversation with me. This was a little bit shocking at the time! That made my interest grow even more. I followed Moon, and I stayed for the duration of the stream. She then raided MunchkinDoom.

At that very moment, MunchkinDoom was talking about how people could make a career out of content creation. I had the bug planted in my ear to do content creation, but I wasn’t sure if it was something I really wanted to do. I asked Munch a few questions, and she looked dead into the camera and said, “Why don’t you try it and see if you like it?” That was the final bit of boost I needed to push me over the edge to give it a try.

I did my first stream on Mixer on Feb. 25, 2020, and to my surprise, folks showed up and started talking! They actually enjoyed the gameplay and my reactions, and that go me 100% hooked. I continued to do random streams here and there, as I was still focused on my financial services career. However, once everything shut down due to COVID, I was able to do more streams. The more I streamed, the more I liked it!

On April 15, 2020, I decided to pursue content creation as a passion. It was a great ride on Mixer, but then it shut down suddenly. We found out via Twitter. I was devastated! I was going for Mixer partner, and I was sure I was going to get it by 2021. However, with Mixer closed, I went to Twitch for a while before going to Facebook Gaming. I started building there and applied to the Black Gaming Creator Program. On Feb. 25, 2021, I was officially accepted into the program.

Long story short — or TLDR — my thought process was simple. I just wanted to make a career out of something I had fun doing. I wanted to get back to being creative and having fun while doing it. I enjoyed financial services, and I learned a ton that I’m applying right now. However, content creation was something I feel God called me to do, as every prayer I’ve asked him to answer, he has done it without question. Now, all I have to do is put in the work!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
To get to where I am today, I had to fail — a lot. There were things I thought would work that didn’t work. There were things I tried that got no traction. I just kept failing and failing until things started clicking. Even now, I still fail. But those failures allow me to get stronger and grow into a better person and content creator.

So, was it easy? Definitely not! It was a lot of hard work! It may seem like a little but getting someone to give $5 a month in support with subs is not something easy to accomplish. There are a ton of live content creators out there (over 16M on Facebook and Twitch alone!), so the fact someone would even subscribe for $5 or more is a blessing! I never take that in vain, because that $5 could go to a meal at McDonald’s or a bill. But instead, they blessed me with the ability to help feed my family and fund my career.

A lesson I’ve learned, even before content creation, is that we overestimate what we will accomplish in a year and underestimate what we will accomplish in five years. The things I’ve accomplished so far has been insanity to me. I was a special guest at RTX Austin — a Rooster Teeth event. I have a media badge for PAX West. I was a featured creator at DreamHack Dallas. I did a panel for SXSW with Meta and Rolling Stone. And this was all within 2022! I never imagined I would accomplish this much so quickly, but I severely underestimated what I could do.

I’ve known this for a long time, but I’ve really learned more and more that the worst someone can say is “No.” It’s not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean that they hate you. It doesn’t mean that you’re a horrible person. It just means either “not yet” or “you’re great, but you don’t fit our brand.” That’s it. At least that’s how I see it. I’m not going to let a NO stop me from doing something I’m enjoying. Nor am I going to let it turn me into a sourpuss and Negative Nancy — so to speak. A negative mindset will block any blessing long-term, so I’m always wary of allowing negativity seep in. I do whatever it takes to get it out of my mind, and that has helped me so much.

One thing I’m learning a lot of people do not know about me is that I wear hearing aids. I was born with hearing impairment and had to get hearing aids during 3rd grade. It was quite an adjustment at the time, and I still wear them today. Despite having hearing aids and having my hearing impaired, I always find a way to win. Nothing has ever stopped me, as I even was an Honor Roll student throughout my entire scholastic career.

I want to find a way to showcase the hearing aids more, as I think there are a lot of people that think see hearing aids as a deterrent to success. Thanks to my mom always telling me that I could do anything and that my hearing aids aren’t an excuse, I’ve always found a way to win, regardless of the situation. I think that’s something worth standing for, and I’m hoping to inspire a new generation of folks with disabilities to keep winning, especially those with auditory disabilities.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If they had never been to the area, there are a few spots I would take them too. I’d have to let them get a chance to see some of the best spots of DFW, especially if we’re talking about unlimited funds to go places!

One of the first spots I’d want them to see is actually free. It’s The Fabrication Yard. There’s a lot of dope graffiti there, and it’s a cool spot to create some content as well. So, we’d be able to get some photos and maybe create a few fun short-form videos as well!

Another spot we’d have to hit up is Deep Ellum. There’s a lot of cool spots in Deep Ellum, so we’d have to try a few of them, such as Twisted Root Burger, Angry Dog, and Pecan Lodge. I’ve never been to Pecan Lodge, and it’s on my bucket list to go to, but I’ve enjoyed Angry Dog and Twisted Root numerous times! There’s no way I’d let my best friend not have some dope food.

Another placed I’d love to go for food is Chef Point Bar & Restaurant in Colleyville. My wife and I had an anniversary dinner there once, and the food was UNBELIEVABLE. It was totally worth the money, and we need to go back again. We planned on going back, but the pandemic hit, and we haven’t made time to go back since. Now, I have to find a way to go there sooner than later, as I’m craving some Chef Point now!

Right down the street is another place that my wife and I enjoyed tremendously — Lo-Lo’s Chicken & Waffles in Grapevine. The chicken was amazing, and the waffles were huge and fluffy. The atmosphere was nice too, and our servers did an amazing job of making us feel special. I’d have to make sure that the homies go there to enjoy a great meal that’ll put you to sleep afterwards like it did us.

Now being that we are in DFW, I’d have to make sure we check out Cowboys Stadium. I’m a New Orleans Saints fan, but even I can marvel at the greatness of Jerry World AKA AT&T Stadium. It’s an unbelievable stadium, and one that football fans should at least visit once in their lifetime. A tour of the stadium would have to be on the agenda.

And one of the last places to visit would be the Ronald Kirk Pedestrian Bridge. It has the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in the background, and it’s one of the most iconic bridges in DFW. There’s no denying that you’re in Dallas when you see that bridge, so it’d have to be a spot to visit and take photos. Plus, you can see the city in the background, which just brings about a certain peace. It’d be a great spot to just forget about the troubles of the world and take in life as it happens around us.

Two bonus places I would throw in would be the Fort Worth Zoo and Dallas Botanical Gardens. Both are amazing in their own right, and I truly enjoy myself each time I visit. It’s always a pleasure to visit these locations, and I truly think anyone of any age would enjoy themselves there!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I mentioned them earlier, but I really credit MoonLiteWolf and MunchkinDoom for giving me that final push. Without them giving me the last bit of confidence boost, I highly doubt I’d be doing something I love. To this day, I’m still friends with both of them, and I will always support them. They helped changed my life for the better, so I will always be grateful for that!

Speaking of MunchkinDoom, she’s been an invaluable friend in this journey of content creation. Not only did she teach me the ropes and help me when I was completely lost on what to do, but she also has taught me how to be myself more than ever.

While they gave me the final confidence boost, there was a group of buddies that told me before they met me that I should start streaming. I always scoffed at the idea, but they wore me down and made me consider it more and more, which led me to getting that final confidence boost. That group of buddies — which we call The Petty Genius Squad, pushed me more than ever to create content when they heard my reactions to certain games. Without them planting the idea in my head, I probably never would’ve looked into content creation more.

I would love to shout out my parents for always supporting me no matter what I decided to do. They have consistently told me that I could achieve anything I set my mind to, even when the world was telling me that I couldn’t do it. They told me I couldn’t win due to my hearing loss, and my mom and dad both pushed me to achieve like it wasn’t there. They got me extra help when I needed it and made sure I had access to high quality care to get my hearing aids. Without them, I wouldn’t have made it this far, and I’m forever grateful that I got lucky with them as my parents! Thanks mom and dad … for everything!

I’d also have to shout out Mixer as well. I know Mixer and I ended on bad terms (I mean I did get “fired” while I was sleeping via Twitter!), but Mixer allowed me to test out livestreaming and see if it was something I wanted to do. It was implemented seamlessly with the Xbox, and I was able to start trying it out. Testing the waters, so to speak. Mixer also allowed me to understand the business so much more before I got knee deep into it.

I’d also like to show some love to Facebook Gaming and StreamElements. Facebook Gaming allowed me to be part of their Black Gaming Creator Program, and it’s been a wild ride since joining the program. I went from hardly knowing a soul to being in the same room with folks I always looked up to. Without the BGCP, I would not be able to pursue this dream of mine full-time!

StreamElements has also been a blessing as well, as they helped me with the rebranding and learning more about myself as well. With their Creator Diversity Program, I was able to play a variety of games I may not have had access to, and I was able to expand my content creation portfolio as well. They also gave me a chance to create content specifically for them, which was a lot of fun!

One person that I have to send love and thanks to is Courtney Goetz. She believed in me from the moment I started on Facebook, eventually giving me a chance in the BGCP. Without Courtney, there would be no DDS618 right now. She also kept giving me advice and making sure I had numerous tools to succeed. I get emotional every time I think about what she has done for me, as I know life would be totally different without her guidance and help in my life.

Another person I have to show some love is Zune Girl. She gave me the kick in the behind I needed when I met her in person in Austin, and I’ve been more focused than ever since then. Without her basically telling me that I’m worthy of what I want in this industry, I don’t think I would’ve gone for some things I went for recently. Zune gave me more confidence in myself, and I’m forever grateful for that, because she could’ve just given me a simple hi and been done.

Torbin is also someone I want to give a huge thanks to. Torbin was formerly of DreamHack, and they were the first organization outside of Facebook to give me a shot. I was invited to be a special guest to their virtual DreamHack event, and I was showcased on their website. As a content creator that hadn’t been in the game for a long time, that meant SO much to me. It gave me a little more confidence that I was doing the right thing and making an impact as I kept moving forward. I’m so glad that Torbin took a shot on me, and I’ll never forget that!

I also have to show love to MsFunsiz3, Quanicus, JulzD4W, Ghostlyk, VercinaHeart, iAm_iKandi, UhMaayyze, King Gothalion, Richblkman, iamBrandon, SerenityStar46, KellyKale, ThriveGaming, LilChaos, MsPinky313, ZiggyTheBeast, JiggyThePoo, Gradient Concept, and so many more. I’m sure I left someone out! Charge it to my head, not my heart!

All of the aforementioned content creators have helped shape my career in ways I can’t express enough. They have been there during the hardest of times and the best of times. The advice they have given — whether a dissertation or a single line — was monumental. Without them, I wouldn’t be growing at the rate I’m growing. They have helped me tremendously!

Obviously, I have to thank my friends and family from my parents to my sister to The Dingles to my homie C-Mo and so many more. All of them never batted an eye when I said I was going to stream and encouraged me to chase something important to me. I honestly felt that if I didn’t give it a try now, I never would. Instead of giving me doubts, they gave me hope and courage to chase those dreams!

Another important piece of the puzzle of DDS is the community. To everyone who ever commented, subbed, dropped donations, bought stars/bits/embers, bought merch, shared the content, liked the content … thank you. My community makes this content creation so, so much easier! Without them supporting me, I would be bored out of my mind or probably doing something else. Thank you to my amazing community who always show up, no matter the platform!

And one of the most important shout outs goes to my wife, Kali. Without her support, I wouldn’t have made it this far. She’s been my rock and someone I can lean on when things get shaky. She’s an amazing photographer and wife, and I’m blessed to have her in my life. She told me to chase my dreams, and she never wavered, even when times got ridiculously hard due to the pandemic. Without her, I wouldn’t be me, so I’m forever grateful for her love and patience as I chase my dreams!

Website: http://www.dds618.com

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/DDS618_

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darryldsmith/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DDS618_

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DDS618

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/DDS618

Other: http://www.tiktok.com/@DDS618

Image Credits
RTX photo credit goes to Wes Ellis (https://www.instagram.com/atwes) Other photo credits go to Kali Rogers-Smith (https://linktr.ee/krheative)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.