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Alumnus Turns Passion for Gaming Into Career
Alumnus Turns Passion for Gaming Into Career
Jimmy Baratta, J.D., ‘06 is the Chief Gaming Officer of Holodeck Ventures. He is also an investor and strategist for competitive org and lifestyle brand XSET, as well as an instructor of esports at the University of California, Irvine.
Baratta started his career in gaming through his company FT Empire LLC, where he advised non-endemic talent and partners and successfully bridged the gap between gaming and non-gaming clients. Through this consultancy group, FT Empire, Baratta worked with some of the biggest names in video games and entertainment. He has since filled roles in business development, brand strategy and talent/community management for leagues, developers, and agencies. Baratta now leads the creation and commercialization of new content focused on gaming, esports and the rapidly evolving world of the Metaverse: a future iteration of the internet, made up of persistent, shared virtual spaces linked into a perceived virtual universe. Previously, Baratta has been a trusted advisor to organizations like Wizard Labs, EsportzNetwork, Fallen Media, VY Esports and more.
Prior to working in esports, Jimmy was a civil litigation attorney for over 7 years.
How did you get started in your profession?
I followed my passion. I realized on Sundays that I was watching football less and less, and playing games more and more. One of my squadmates suggested we start streaming on Twitch. I shortly after made the full-time jump. I supported myself off my savings for a year until I found my footing. But the risk was well worth it.
What is your proudest accomplishment since graduating from Sage Hill School?
Getting engaged. It's been a bumpy road leaving law for esports. I can say without the support of my fiance and family, that I would never have made it. I'm so happy where I am in my personal life that it bleeds into everything I do.
What about your experience at Sage Hill prepared you for what you are doing now?
As you hopefully know by now, Sage Hill is not like any other high school. It teaches you a way of thinking. It doesn't just show or share the answers and path. Sage Hill allows its students to be themselves, to find different solutions to problems, and to approach any issue with multiple perspectives in mind. That foundation really shaped the man I am today, and is something I hope to share with my students at UC Irvine in the esports course I teach.
What about your Sage Hill experience impacted the person you are today? This could be a favorite class, a person, a club, etc.
There's a lot to say on this one. To be brief, I'll say the friendships. All of the groomsmen in my wedding are lifelong friends I made at Sage Hill. Surrounding yourself with smart, ambitious people is as important as anything else in life. Having these friends provides motivation, support, and so many more benefits in life.
If you could share one piece of advice to current Sage Hill students, what would it be?
A very hard question to be honest and something I don't take lightly. One generic piece of advice is hard since we are all so different. We have different needs and wants, and will internalize and process information and experiences in ways unique to us. Like I said above, what I love about Sage Hill was how in my time and now, the school really celebrated that diversity. Whether through the Multicultural Fair (which my mother, Laura Baratta, started by the way!) or promoting the arts and sciences as much as sports, Sage Hill provided a place for my classmates and I to thrive on whatever path we chose. I suppose in answering, I'd say to have respect for others. To know that when you meet someone, the things you say, the way you behave, and the way they react can all be easily misinterpreted. But if you come from a place of understanding and respect, it will serve you well, lead to fewer misalignments, and open more doors down the road.
Sage Hill School
A college preparatory independent day school for grades 7-12.
20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
Phone: 949.219.0100 | Fax: 949.219.1399
20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
Phone: 949.219.0100 | Fax: 949.219.1399
Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.