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British character Caedrel is the largest title in League of Legends streaming proper now. With hundreds of thousands of followers, an EMEA Masters successful staff in Los Ratones, and extra views than the official Riot broadcasts, he’s on prime of the world. However behind many profitable personalities inside and out of doors of esports, there are the managers and brokers serving to them to shine. Mitsouko Anderson is that particular person for Caedrel, and her different purchasers together with Sjokz, Rekkles, Laure, Nisqy and Jimmy Broadbent.
Dom Sacco sits down with Mitsouko on the current NLC Winter finals in Nottingham to seek out out what it’s actually like working with such superstars, and the way she arrange her personal company Yume Expertise just a few months in the past.
For each viral clip, clutch second or esports champion lifting a trophy, there are numerous folks working behind the scenes to assist make these magic moments occur.
The large-name gamers and streamers may take quite a lot of the limelight, however we must always always remember the exhausting work of employees in manufacturing, advertising and marketing, administration and extra.
Mitsouko Anderson is somebody who has been pulling the strings in esports for a decade now, having labored as head of selling and later model director on the NUEL (now also referred to as UK College Esports UK & Eire), earlier than engaged on campaigns at Code Pink Esports and later being promoted to go of compaign administration.
In 2021 she joined Morgan Sports activities Regulation to launch DotX Expertise, beginning as Head of Partnerships then being promoted to Chief Working Officer.
In November 2024, Mitsouko took a leap of religion to arrange her personal company, Yume Expertise (Yume being pronounced ‘you-meh’, the Japanese phrase for ‘dream’). She introduced throughout 4 of her purchasers together with her: big-name League of Legends personalities Caedrel, Sjokz, Laure and sim racing driver Jimmy Broadbent.
Now, with the extra signings of Rekkles and Nisqy, and dealing on tasks like The League Awards and Los Ratones, the sky is the restrict for Mitsouko.
And whereas she by no means anticipated to enter expertise administration, she’s having fun with it, and says her present function is extra like an agent/supervisor hybrid.
“For me, essentially the most thrilling factor is working actually carefully along with your purchasers to create actually attention-grabbing partnerships on the one hand, but in addition assist create new IP, assist them create companies and types that they’ll then have in the long run,” Mitsouko tells Esports Information UK at Nottingham Trent College’s Confetti X facility forward of Los Ratones’ NLC Winter Finals LAN win.
“Realistically, once you’re on the measurement that my creators are, it’s very tough to sit down down and be like, ‘okay, I’ve this large thought and that is what I need to do with it’. And to go to your agent and say, like, ‘past partnerships, are you able to additionally run this factor?’ I believe that’s the distinction between agent and supervisor and I type of sit as a mix between the 2, the place I’m tremendous hands-on with tasks, concepts, normal profession development, enterprise development in different areas, but in addition can work on the industrial aspect, which can be quite a lot of the spine of understanding how these tasks work.
“I’m simply actually specializing in doing the very best I can for my present purchasers.”
So, what’s it like working as an esports agent day-to-day, with these type of personalities?
“One week I is perhaps in Berlin, having conferences to do with the LEC or to do with League of Legends, and the subsequent I is perhaps someplace within the South of England serving to a consumer open up a brand new showroom within the sim racing house,” Mitsouko states.
“Loads of it is determined by what you’ve happening with particular purchasers. There may be quite a lot of normal partnership administration and marketing campaign administration for any consumer that’s already working with a long-term or short-term associate, ensuring that deal goes easily, serving to facilitate new concepts, new creatives that may assist increase that partnership a bit extra.
“In fact, there’s quite a lot of gross sales concerned as properly, I’m at all times reaching out, pitching, networking, constructing relationships with potential companions.
“And I believe that’s additionally what I like about it, as a result of I additionally come from a campaigning/consultancy background, the place my job was to think about inventive ways in which manufacturers might activate within the esports and gaming house. And now I nonetheless do this, simply on a way more centered degree, the place I do know the ins and outs of Caedrel’s content material, for instance, and I do know what is going to work with him and what he would take pleasure in, and I do know what would then carry out properly for a model as properly.
“My focus will not be on what number of manufacturers I can attain out to, it’s on discovering out what my expertise genuinely care about by way of services that add to their life. I’d slightly know their dream manufacturers to work with and give attention to attempting to make that occur, slightly than bringing them issues they received’t care about for the sake of it.”
Mitsouko Anderson, Yume Expertise
“Then, past that, it’s coming to occasions like this, being on the bottom. Lots of people suppose it’s simply sitting down and sending emails, and there’s a lot of that! However there’s additionally quite a lot of speaking to folks and being on website.”
I ask her what number of emails she will get in a day, and he or she’s undecided of the quantity.
“I believe you type of should be fairly ruthless to a level with emails,” Mitsouko says. “But in addition, I’m a giant fan of productiveness habits and all these things, and there’s a way with inbox known as inbox zero, the place you archive, delete or reply to all the pieces.
“I like organisation, which I really feel like is a vital a part of what I do. You type of should be organised, in any other case all the pieces is a large number.”
Going again to partnerships, and Mitsouko cites the work Laure and Sjokz did with the Marriott Bonvoy lodge loyalty programme final 12 months.
“They obtained to do the type of content material that they love doing on Instagram, however carry throughout gaming and carry throughout superb lodge experiences with Marriott in a manner that was not like, ‘uh oh, scripted sponsored stuff that my viewers is gonna hate, that is gonna be cringe” she explains.
“It was genuinely stuff that they beloved creating, and the model might see that, they usually beloved the way it got here throughout, as a result of it was simply easy. That’s my job quite a lot of the time – discovering options, together with in gross sales.”
What sort of a task does Mitsouko Anderson and Yume Expertise have with Los Ratones?
Whereas Mitsouko is Caedrel’s agent, she additionally helped construct his League of Legends staff, Los Ratones.
“Los Ratones was actually some of the thrilling issues I’ve ever helped construct,” Mitsouko beams. “It began with Caedrel sharing this sensible however chaotic imaginative and prescient for a staff constructed solely round creators. And really, not even simply being creator-led, but in addition having this core transparency: he wished to have the ability to share all the pieces along with his stream. The reasoning behind choices, scrims, sport critiques, merch design processes, the ups-and-downs of competing in an expert league…
“From there, it turned my job to assist make it actual – discussions to allow streaming from participant POVs (now one thing that’s absolutely enabled in ERLs as of this 12 months), securing Los Ratones’ slot within the NLC, being a inventive sounding board when it got here to issues like model identification, and laying the foundations to truly launch.
“Principally, my function was to assist form the mission into one thing that might truly exist exterior of our heads and ensure Caedrel might give attention to constructing the staff, its identification and in addition taking that step into being not solely an proprietor but in addition a coach.”
Was there a standout second for Mitsouko early on?
“The announcement was all a little bit of a blur, however I believe a key second for me was touchdown Los Ratones at Pink Bull League of Its Personal to play towards T1 after about one month of going public with the staff.
“I’ve been fortunate to have a terrific relationship with a few of the unimaginable staff at Pink Bull, they usually had been extremely supportive when Caedrel and I got here to them with the marginally mad thought of getting LR into the occasion on such quick discover.
“It was a giant ask, however they absolutely embraced it and had been genuinely excited to assist make it a actuality. So many individuals behind the scenes put in an enormous quantity of effort to tug off one thing particular. Seeing followers so excited to fulfill the staff in particular person, having Caedrel co-stream from on-site and coach, watching Velja and Baus on stage for the primary time, after which truly successful? That was simply… an unforgettable second.”
Mitsouko has grow to be a part of the LR journey, and as such, is recognised by the followers and the group, showing in a few of the staff’s vlogs, and in fan creations on social media.
What’s it been like for Mitsouko to handle the staff alongside her particular person purchasers?
“It was positively a bit hectic at the beginning,” she admits. “I used to be in the course of launching Yume Expertise, engaged on some main partnerships for purchasers, and prepping the League Awards, all whereas serving to to get a brand-new staff off the bottom. It was a whirlwind, however in a bizarre manner, the timing was type of good.
“One of many causes I began Yume within the first place was to have the liberty to tackle tasks like this—ones that transcend simply industrial offers and really assist my expertise construct one thing larger, like their very own IP. Serving to convey Los Ratones to life felt like a extremely pure extension of what I would like Yume to face for: creator-first, creatively bold, and never afraid to do issues in a different way.
“That mentioned, I’m below no phantasm that working a staff, managing a few of the greatest names in LoL, and working an company is a sustainable solo effort. So towards the top of final 12 months, we introduced in Kieran (Holmes-Darby, previously of Excel) as Basic Supervisor of Los Ratones to steer the day-to-day and work carefully with Caedrel throughout all issues Los Ratones. That allowed me to step again and focus extra absolutely on Yume, whereas nonetheless being a supportive determine behind the scenes—leaping in when Caedrel or the staff wants additional help, or when conversations profit from a industrial or strategic lens, particularly given I helped construct the framework from the beginning and proceed to work carefully with Caedrel, who’s such a core a part of how the staff operates.
“Kieran brings quite a lot of expertise from the org aspect of the {industry}, so he’s been a terrific asset—and actually, I’m additionally very pleased to now not be the one checking out journey and visas and all of the logistics-bits that had been previously below my remit!” (laughs)
As somebody who describes herself as digicam shy, what’s it like working with such enormous names?
“I’m positively extra of a behind the scenes particular person,” Mitsouko says. “I’m very, very digicam shy and I like organising issues and seeing them come collectively in a manner meaning the expertise can shine, and I believe that’s the proper method when you’re working within the expertise house.
“It’s in fact my job industry-wise to shout in regards to the superb work that we do with companions. That’s, once more, gross sales. What it isn’t my job to do is to go and say like, ‘hey, I’m the brainpower behind X, Y and Z expertise’ or fish for recognition from their audiences. I simply need to elevate what they’re doing.
“I do make a lot of noise in regards to the stuff that we’ve been capable of do on the {industry} aspect, which I believe is the primary differentiator I see. My job is to share the information that I’ve to the business-side, in order that we’re capable of join with extra companions and have interaction with extra manufacturers. However in relation to the group and in direction of the viewers, it’s to take a again seat.”
“I’ve sorted Caedrel’s stream a few occasions now. It’s very intimidating. It was additionally on the similar with the League of its Personal Pink Bull occasion, the stage debut for Los Ratones, the place I believe there have been a whole lot of hundreds watching, and I used to be like, ‘oh, I’m not a streamer, I don’t know what to do or say’. However they’re all very good to me, which may be very candy contemplating in addition they take the mickey out of Caedrel lots!”
Mitsouko Anderson, Yume Expertise
What in regards to the League Awards? How a lot was this Caedrel and Sjokz, and the way a lot was it Yume Expertise?
“It was very collaborative,” Mitsouko explains. “I believe lots of people, once they’re excited about creator-run tasks, suppose that it’s impossible that it’ll truly be the creators engaged on it. However the quantity of labor that Sjokz and Caedrel put into The League Awards was loopy.
“They had been tremendous concerned, and I believe that pushed it to a level of stress that most likely might have been averted if issues had been type of taken out of their palms or put with different folks. However I believe that’s additionally why it was so charming and so totally different from different award reveals, as a result of they wished to be tremendous concerned, they wished it to really feel like this was placed on by folks within the {industry} that they may discuss.
“We had IWillDominate and YamatoCannon on the present as properly, and it had that type of feeling it was created by creators for different folks within the {industry}.
“So that they had been tremendous concerned, clearly we had a great deal of superb folks from totally different backgrounds, whether or not it was from a video perspective, a social media perspective, all engaged on it. However the total inventive course and quite a lot of the work put in was tremendous pushed by Sjokz and Caedrel, and I used to be there to maintain issues on monitor and assist be sure that issues had been being achieved by deadlines, working with Twitch as properly to help the awards as companions and issues like that.”
What learnings did they take from the inaugural League Awards for the 2025 present?
“I believe the important thing studying was to begin earlier and be extra ready!” Mitsouko says. “It’s very tough once you’re a full-time expertise to sit down down and be like, ‘okay, that is this large mission that I wanna do, and I’m gonna do it on this specific date and that is all of the stuff I’ve to do’.
“Often it’s one thing they’ve been excited about for some time, however truly, like, you already know, pulling the set off and going, ‘okay, let’s do that’ is a giant turning level. It was a really quick turnaround final 12 months, so I believe that’s a key studying is to begin earlier, and be extra ready. I believe there have been additionally totally different learnings to do with issues just like the voting course of, and even small issues like, ‘oh, how did how did the group reply to the format of the present?’
How esports agent Mitsouko signed Caedrel and Sjokz
“Within the case of Caedrel, funnily sufficient, he truly got here to a NUEL occasion that I ran manner again when on the Pink Bull Gaming Sphere. He was a participant again then, it might need been for H2K,” Mitsouko remembers.
“Somebody came visiting to me they usually’re like, ‘do you know there’s an expert League of Legends participant right here?’
“And I used to be like, ‘actually? I don’t suppose I had them on the visitor listing.’ (laughs)
“So I went over and had a chat and he was very pretty, all the way down to earth, a fairly shy man, however we stayed in contact now and again.
“I believe UK esports is type of small, so when he was with Excel Esports they usually had occasions in Twickenham, I’d at all times see him round. So we simply stored loosely in contact after which once I launched DotX with Morgan Sports activities Regulation, I reached out and was like, ‘when you’re ever on the lookout for an agent, then you already know the place to succeed in me.’
“I believe this was two and a half years in the past now.
“When Caedrel mentioned he was on the lookout for an agent, he utterly grilled me. He requested me most likely the toughest questions that any expertise has ever requested me in preliminary discussions about illustration, however yeah, he ended up taking a leap as a result of he was the largest consumer that we had on the time, when he signed.”
Mitsouko Anderson, Yume Expertise
“Since then, it’s simply been up and up and up and clearly retains rising, he joined at a time the place he was nonetheless a caster and now he’s just like the world’s greatest Twitch streamer, which is simply insane. He’s a really exhausting employee. I used to be fortunate to be the one to work alongside him as his agent at a time the place there was a lot of thrilling stuff happening and this enormous transition was taking place in his profession.”
“And when it got here to Sjokz, I’ve been a large fan for a really very long time and he or she was (and nonetheless is) an enormous inspiration for me. Now having the ability to work alongside her, and Laure as properly, two of the ladies that I believe lots of people look as much as within the {industry}, is absolutely, actually rewarding.
“I believe I’ve set a – hopefully, fingers crossed – a great fame for myself as an agent that works exhausting for folks and that genuinely cares. And I believe that’s why I’ve been capable of work with such excessive degree expertise, as a result of they know I’m gonna do all the pieces I can to assist them obtain issues, make tasks come to life and in addition do a great job in relation to the industrial aspect, and shield them and their pursuits, but in addition get them cool sponsorship offers. So I believe phrase of mouth, fame and proper place, proper time [helps when signing talent].”
When it got here to leaving DotX and establishing Yume Expertise, Mitsouko says: “I wasn’t certain what the subsequent chapter would seem like after I resigned at DotX, however after a forwards and backwards over my discover interval we ultimately got here to an settlement the place they had been okay with 4 of my purchasers additionally leaving with me – all purchasers that I labored very carefully with.
“I’d been working with them for some time and in some instances, 4 or 5 years with folks like Jimmy Broadbent. It was tremendous necessary to me that, no matter my very own private scenario with my profession, I might be certain I might give them as easy a transition as attainable. I wished them to know that they’re gonna get the identical degree of care, the identical degree of illustration, that they know me for. I don’t need to let my purchasers down, I need to put them first: I like what I do and I like working with them. And now I get to work with them in an organization that’s my very own and make my very own choices about how I do this.
“They’ve all been tremendous supportive once I defined to them what I used to be doing [setting up Yume Talent], the the reason why I used to be doing it, they usually had been additionally very supportive in attempting to be sure that my transition was additionally actually easy and seamless.”
The that means of Yume
As talked about, Yume (pronounced ‘you-meh’) is the Japanese phrase for ‘dream’.
So, why the title Yume?
“For me, like, I at all times had this sense in my head. What am I going to name my firm?” Mitsouko asks. “However quite a lot of the time whereas rising up, I used to be on combined footing with my background, which is combined Japanese and English. And I’ve quite a lot of inspiration from my mum, who moved to England at a time the place there weren’t very many Japanese folks round us. I believe she is an extremely robust girl, somebody that evokes me and somebody that I don’t actually get to speak about that always [in esports].
“In relation to pronunciation, I believe it’s type of humorous, as a result of I used to additionally hate my title and be tremendous embarrassed by it due to the distinctive pronunciation. I’d shorten my title to make it simpler for folks and all such a stuff.
“So when it got here to my company, I type of wished to have one thing that was consultant of what it was that I wished to attain for purchasers. As tacky as it might sound, I need to fulfill their desires, and be sure that it’s not similar to, ‘right here’s some partnerships’. It’s far more than that. It’s actually about making legacies for them. But in addition to have that Japanese title seems like I get to re-own that a part of me, and if folks can’t pronounce it, then I’ll inform them the best way to pronounce it, they usually can study and cope with it! (laughs)”
What’s subsequent for Yume Expertise and Los Ratones sooner or later?
Will Yume Expertise be seeking to rent extra brokers sooner or later?
“It’s one of many attention-grabbing challenges with expertise businesses,” Mitsouko solutions. “It’s often the case that purchasers you signal need to work particularly with you. And I believe that’s a studying that I’ve had over my time working within the expertise administration space is when you signal somebody, they signal as a result of they’ve heard you might be good, they usually need to work with you, otherwise you’ve met them at occasion and also you’ve achieved one thing with them they usually’ve been like, ‘wow, cool, I wanna work with you’.
“They don’t wanna signal with the company that agent is at after which be advised ‘proper, you’re gonna be working with this particular person, see ya, I’ll by no means communicate to you once more’.
“One of many the reason why I’m going to be selective with who I signal is I need to be certain I can decide to the expertise I’ve. And development for me will I believe be bringing on somebody that may begin selecting up work with these abilities throughout the board, as somebody that may work alongside me and construct up that belief’.
“I believe it’s far more collaborative, one thing the place expertise throughout the board can construct up a degree of belief with somebody I work with carefully, and that’s the way it grows. However even then, I don’t suppose it will likely be one thing the place I would like the company to have 50+ expertise.
“Some businesses signal as many abilities as attainable and do as many offers as attainable and that’s the best way that they are going to generate profits. Whereas for me, I’d slightly do cool stuff with cool folks and develop at a tempo that is sensible. I don’t care about quantity, I care about impression.
“Some businesses signal as many abilities as attainable and do as many offers as attainable and that’s the best way that they are going to generate profits. Whereas for me, I’d slightly do cool stuff with cool folks and develop at a tempo that is sensible. I don’t care about quantity, I care about impression.”
And what’s subsequent for Los Ratones?
“There’s no large machine behind LR—it’s been Caedrel main it from day one, and placing in much more work off-stream than the loopy quantity he already does visibly on-stream,” Mitsouko says. “He’s juggling content material creation, co-streaming main leagues, teaching, and working a staff, all whereas always setting new objectives for himself and LR. I don’t suppose he ever stops working (which additionally means I’ve at all times obtained lots to do), however that work ethic and degree of drive is strictly what makes even essentially the most bold objectives really feel not simply thrilling, however truly attainable.
“By way of what’s subsequent, there are positively these sorts of ambitions to push additional—whether or not that’s determining a path right into a tier-one league, serving to Baus stay as much as his “successful Worlds in 2026” promise (no stress), or one thing else solely. However I believe we’re all conscious it must be taken one step at a time.
“What makes Los Ratones so particular can be what makes it exhausting – we’re not constructed like most esports orgs. We’re very lean. We’re community-focused. We’re creator-first. That provides us quite a lot of freedom and authenticity, but it surely additionally provides quite a lot of complexity. There are quite a lot of transferring components, and each resolution requires care and intention.
“My function now’s nearly supporting no matter course the staff needs to take subsequent— serving to to open the proper doorways, backing Caedrel’s imaginative and prescient, and holding issues aligned with what makes Los Ratones, Los Ratones. Regardless of the subsequent chapter appears like, I do know it’ll be one thing particular, and I really feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”
Associated content material: Caedrel has posted a video on what’s subsequent for Los Ratones
Dom is an award-winning author and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the 12 months 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth College with a 2:1 diploma in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller within the late ’80s, he has written for a variety of publications together with GamesTM, Nintendo Official Journal, {industry} publication MCV and others. He labored as head of content material for the British Esports Federation up till February 2021, when he stepped again to work full-time on Esports Information UK and provide esports consultancy and freelance companies. Observe: Dom nonetheless produces the British Esports publication on a contract foundation, so our protection of British Esports is at all times stored easy – often simply protecting the occasional press launch – due to this battle of curiosity.
