Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy Sotos.
Hi Jimmy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Up until 2020, I was pretty much just a basketball player. I had other interests and hobbies, but basketball dominated my life. Then this world of tik tok fell in my lap after going viral a couple times and by the end of my college basketball career at Ohio State, just a year and a half after first going viral, I had amassed over 1.5 Million followers. And now, almost 5 years later, I’ve been riding that wave all over the world (and internet).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has been anything but a smooth ride. I didn’t choose to be a content creator. Like I said, It kinda just fell in my lap. But I saw the doors that it could open for me and the opportunities it could create. I still decided to play basketball professionally overseas while trying to still do whatever it is that I was doing on tik tok. I didn’t know anything about growing my platform, or algortithms, or carving out a niche, etc. I was playing ball and throwing digital darts at a wall. After playing ball, I decided to take this whole social media thing seriously and commit to with the same level of intent and discipline that I had always had toward the game of basketball. And even then, it still wasn’t smooth sailing. But overtime, through trial and error, and applying myself, I think I now have the hang of it. But sometimes there’s too many opportunities, and you have to do your best to choose one over the other, It’s a good problem to have, but it doesn’t make for an easy decision. You have to be really secure with yourself, and never sacrifice your values or compromise your moral compass for quick money or opportunities. So saying, “no” I’ve learned, is necessary.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a full time content creator, most notable for my basketball content, but I’m very much an open book online, so I also have a huge community of supporters that follow me for my content around fashion/modeling, coffee/coffee culture, raving/edm music, my personality driven “yap sessions,” and/or just my all around lifestyle.
I’m most proud of my resilience. I’ve stumbled a lot throughout this journey but I never let any “failure” or “mishap” define me or prevent me from continuing to create content. I’ve tested out and experimented with numerous content lanes, strategies, focuses, editing styles, etc, as well as business ventures in effort to leverage and monetize my following for my various streams of income. Some worked, while others failed miserably. Nonetheless, I never quit.
What sets me apart is my willingness to put myself out there. From taking business/content risks to networking and reaching out to create opportunities for myself. I’m confident in my ability to command a room, voice my opinions, and convince people I’m worth working with or investing in. Whether that confidence is irrational or not, it’s necessary in order to create opportunities, so even at times where I’m doubting myself, I try to fake it til I make it. You have to step outside of you comfort zone sometimes and will it out of yourself.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory comes from playing basketball with my friends outside after school. Simpler times.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @jsotos1
- Other: Tik tok: @jimmysotos4
