Accidentally Famous: How an LA-Based Broadcaster Became the “Grand Central Station” of LiveMe
Do you know someone who seems to meet new people and make friends wherever they go?
On LiveMe, Auggie (🌺Auggie㋡98♡🐼) is that person. Though he’s been on the app for less than a year, he’s already established himself as one of the prime up-and-coming broadcasters.
In a new installment of LiveMe Spotlight, we talked to Auggie about the importance of building relationships when creating a community and his advice for future broadcasters.
Discovering LiveMe
Auggie was born in Los Angeles and grew up in a big family.
“I have a family of 14 brothers and sisters, but I’m the only that does LiveMe,” he laughed. “It’s funny. I never imagined I’d be a broadcaster.”
Auggie had always wanted to live on the East Coast and “experience the four seasons” so when his company offered him a new retail job 10 years ago, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to move. But after living in big cities like New York City and Philadelphia, Auggie eventually decided to return home. As he was preparing to leave, he discovered LiveMe. Initially a little unsure of joining since he had no real interest in being a social media personality, he used the app as a way to keep his “mind awake” as he made the long drive back to California.
Soon enough, Auggie started connecting with other people on LiveMe. He eventually was mentored by a successful broadcaster he met during a broadcast, and after a few weeks of watching other people’s streams and meeting new friends, he decided to start broadcasting himself.
“I didn’t think I’d get 100 followers. I just thought I’d meet people,” he told LiveMe.
Broadcasting on LiveMe
Since last summer, Auggie has focused on building a community. Today he has over 53,000 fans.
“I call myself the Grand Central Station of the app because everybody who comes in hangs out and meets who they want to hang out with, and then they go their own way. It’s like a revolving door, and I like that — that I can connect people,” he said.
Auggie now broadcasts every day, and he’s even “beamed” for up to 12 hours. Despite his busy streaming schedule, however, he makes the time to visit other broadcasters and gift them regularly, something he’s been doing since he first joined the app.
“I enjoy seeing these people, associating with people, but I never thought I’d be gifted myself,” Auggie admitted. Though he’s earned millions of Diamonds (one of the most sought-after virtual currencies), he still hasn’t redeemed his gifts for cash.
“I’ve converted everything back into the app. I didn’t join the app to make money…I did it because I enjoy the environment and the people I’m around,” he told LiveMe.
“A lot of friends call me “Famous” on the app, and I always laugh…They always see me at the LiveMe events,” Auggie joked. He recently attended the Global Gala in Taiwan, #LiveMeStarryNight, and Khalid’s birthday party, where LiveMe live streamed all the behind-the-scenes action.
“I recognize all of them [other broadcasters]…I like to know who’s who on the app,” Auggie said. “It’s never about the gifts with these people. Their fans give them gifts, but when I build a relationship with these people, it’s like building a family.”
Building an Ohana
“You’d never think that this app can create unity — a family. And for me it does. My family is called ‘ohana.’ It means there’s no drama here. Let’s support each other,” Auggie said when asked about his LiveMe family. “It’s never about the Diamonds or the gifts. It’s just about being there for each other when you need each other. That’s the foundation I started with on the app.”
Auggie has become close with several of the people he’s met on the platform, many of whom don’t even live in California. His friend Daniel lives in Atlanta, and he’s even learned to speak Portuguese because he speaks to his Brazilian friends so often.
Another broadcaster he’s grown close with is MissLadyship🌐💕, one of LiveMe’s biggest stars with over 600,000 followers. “I met her in Taiwan. We bonded. We have this connection. I joke that she’s my ‘wifey,” Auggie said.
When asked if meeting people through LiveMe is an “authentic” way to meet people Auggie said, “I didn’t initially think it would be. On an app, you wouldn’t think you’d get to really meet people and get to know them. But this [LiveMe] has created that platform.”
Many of Auggie’s followers have told him that his broadcasts have been an escape for the issues they’re dealing with in their lives. “I didn’t think I’d be able to influence people in a positive way like that, where I could turn their day around,” he said.
His Advice for Future Broadcasters
For people who are thinking about joining LiveMe, Auggie has advice: Don’t broadcast right away.
“You can be a broadcaster, a gifter, or a viewer. Identify what you want to be. There’s no wrong way.” he said. “If you decide to be a broadcaster, first visit a lot of broadcasts, join their beams, meet people, be a good person, associate…”
Auggie also emphasized the importance of consistency when broadcasting. “Your fans want to see you and expect to see you.”
What’s Next?
In the future, Auggie hopes to continue to be a “positive influence” on the app and grow his family. One day, he’d like to combine families with one of his best friends on the app, a feature that’s not yet available on the app.
“The community is evolving…There are so many new broadcasters coming in,” Auggie told LiveMe. “This app can be a beautiful thing if you make it beautiful.”
All photos courtesy of Auggie.
Want to read more interviews with LiveMe broadcasters? Check out the rest of our Spotlight series here.
