In an age where most brands still think authenticity means “posting a behind-the-scenes photo on Instagram,” one teenager livestreamed himself dancing with robots, failing Shaolin monk training, and crying in front of Chinese schoolchildren — all while being watched by millions.

And, in doing so, he may have written the playbook for global attention in 2025.

His social media handle is iShowSpeed.

His tool is the IRL livestream.

And his China tour — a two-week journey across six cities, streamed in real-time — was far more than entertainment. It was a living case study on how influence works in a most powerful way.

No AI can replicate the emotions and the human traits that were on full display.

This is about what it means to build connection in the global attention economy — and what lessons we can extract if we’re employees trying to grow, entrepreneurs trying to scale, or investors trying to bet on the future.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Who Is iShowSpeed?

If you're unfamiliar, iShowSpeed is the online alias of Darren Watkins Jr., a 19-year-old American YouTuber and livestreamer who rose to fame during the pandemic with his over-the-top personality, relentless energy, and absurd commitment to entertainment.

He barks like a dog. He screams at video games. He breaks into dance midstream. He’s part stand-up comedian, part hyperactive football fanboy, part social experiment.

And yet... what makes him different isn't just his antics. It's that he’s unfiltered in a way almost no creator is anymore.

While traditional influencers curate their lives to look ideal, Speed curates nothing. He lives online, in real-time, and lets the audience see almost everything.

Joy, awkwardness, breakdowns, triumphs, frustration.

This vulnerability, wrapped in chaos, is what built his fanbase of tens of millions — and what made his March – April 2025 IRL tour of China such a revelation.

What’s An IRL Stream — And Why Does It Matter?

“IRL” stands for “in real life,” and IRL streaming refers to livestreaming one's daily experiences like walking through a city, trying new food, talking to strangers — all while interacting with a live audience.

It’s live. It’s raw. It’s reactive.

Unlike pre-recorded YouTube videos, IRL streams don’t allow for editing, retakes, or polish. What happens, happens.

Mistakes are seen. Emotions are visible. The connection between creator and viewer is unfiltered and emotionally potent.

This format creates a parasocial intimacy that even the best Netflix documentary can’t replicate.

It’s the difference between watching a show and feeling like you're on the journey.

Here’s Speed’s journey:

The China Tour — A Recap of Speed’s IRL Journey

From March 24 to April 7, 2025, iShowSpeed toured China and livestreamed it all in 4 - 6 hours each time. Here are some highlights:

• Shanghai: Explored the city’s skyline, interacted with locals, and test-drove the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra, a high-end electric supercar.

• Beijing: Visited the Great Wall of China, where he attempted (and nailed) a backflip with tens of thousands watching live.

• Henan: Visited the Shaolin Temple, where he trained — and struggled — with the monks in a physically humbling display. This is one of the funniest things he’s ever done that isn’t the usual.

• Chengdu: Battled a humanoid robot in a dance-off at Oh Bay, engaging with the latest from Chinese AI company EngineAI. You can see that the robots are flexible and they’re real (not CGI).

• Changsha: Collaborated with Chinese pop icon Da Zhang Wei at the Hunan TV studio and explored Taiping Street and Yuelu Mountain.

• Hong Kong: Attracted massive crowds during unscripted walks, at one point nearly shutting down a street.

• Mongolia (April 11): Ended his tour with a final emotional live stream, reflecting on the experience.

He had an intinerary, but:

No script.

No PR campaign.

Just Speed, 2 bodyguards, a camera, a translator, and a deep desire to connect.

And Here Are The 10x Lessons

10x Lesson No.1: Global Attention Flows Through Emotion, Not Infrastructure

Most Western companies assume going global means translation, distribution, and compliance.

Speed just showed that connection travels faster than infrastructure ever will.

He didn't speak the language. He didn’t localize his brand.

Yet kids in Chengdu knew him. Fans in Shanghai followed him. People across Weibo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu engaged with his content.

He didn’t break into the Chinese market. He just showed up. The demand was already there.

This is a reminder that the globalisation of attention doesn’t require bureaucracy — it requires resonance.

• If you’re an employee, this means your “personal brand” isn’t just for LinkedIn. It can open global doors — but only if you show more than your job title.

• If you’re a founder, your product might already be global — you just haven’t caught up to your users yet.

• If you’re an investor, pay attention to creators and companies who can cross cultural lines without translation. That’s where the multiplier lives.

Speed isn’t exporting content. He’s exporting emotion, which is far more scalable.

10x Lesson No.2: Curiosity Is A Universal Language

Speed didn’t pretend to know anything of Chinese culture.

Instead, he walked through markets pointing at things, making sounds, laughing, asking questions, trying things — wrong often, but curious always.

And that made him beloved.

He wasn’t patronising. He was playful and present.

The subtext of his entire trip was:

“I don’t know what this is, but I’m here to experience it.”

That mindset is magnetic.

Most professionals think their job is to look smart.

But in a complex world, the skill that matters most is how fast you can learn in public.

• Employees who act like tourists in their own industry — constantly asking why — grow faster.

• Entrepreneurs who enter new markets with humility are welcomed. Those who assume expertise? Not so much.

• Investors who are curious before being critical often spot talent others overlook.

Speed’s gift is simple: he doesn’t posture, he plays. And that’s what makes him universally watchable.

10x Lesson No.3: Adaptability Scales Your Identity

At each stop, Speed changed.

• In Beijing, he played the bold tourist at the Great Wall.

• In Henan, he became a humble student among Shaolin monks.

• In Changsha, he danced alongside a Chinese pop legend on national TV.

• In Hong Kong, he became a reluctant celebrity, overwhelmed by swarms of fans.

And in each place, he remained himself, while adjusting his tone, energy, and presence to the room he was in.

This is identity fluidity — the ability to be many things without being fake.

Most people think brand means consistency. But the best brands are context-aware.

Speed didn’t need to change who he was. He just tuned into the moment and let different parts of himself come forward.

That’s the exact trait:

• That employees need when moving from Individual Contributor to manager.

• That founders need when going from team of 4 to 40.

• That investors need when navigating different cultures, industries, and personality types.

Adaptability is a survival skill and a scale multiplier.

10x Lesson No.4: The World Respects Humility

The Shaolin Temple moment was profound.

Speed, known for his physical agility and bravado, showed up ready to entertain. But the Shaolin monks — some barely teenagers — moved with such precision, such control, such discipline, that the tone changed.

He tried to follow. He failed.

He lost his balance. He laughed, but not like before.

This wasn’t a joke anymore.

He got quiet.

It was the most human part of the trip.

Charisma gets you into the room. Humility keeps you there.

Most professionals overestimate what they can do with energy alone. Speed’s Shaolin moment was a reminder that discipline outlasts talent.

Speed eventually managed to complete his lessons and performed to an audience on stage, accompanied by his famous back flips.

Employees: Be entertaining, sure — but be useful consistently.

Entrepreneurs: Passion is great. But execution is what survives the dip.

Investors: Don’t just look for charm. Look for founders who can get humbled and keep moving.

10x Lesson No.5: Vulnerability At Scale Is The New Moat

In Changsha, at a school visit, children sang to Speed in Mandarin.

He cried. On stream. In front of tens of thousands of live viewers.

He didn't try to hold it in. He didn’t crack a joke. He let himself be overwhelmed.

And it didn’t weaken his brand. It deepened it.

Because in an age of AI-generated everything, emotional transparency is the last unfair advantage.

People don’t follow perfection. They follow people who feel real.

Speed is wildly flawed. And that’s why he works.

• Employees: Don’t be afraid to show effort, fear, learning curves. It builds trust.

• Entrepreneurs: You don’t have to “know everything.” You have to be honest when you don’t.

• Investors: The best founder updates share conviction and vulnerability in addition to metrics.

The irony? In being fully human, Speed built something untouchable.

Speed invited the world to feel with him — to watch him stumble, learn, celebrate, cry, connect.

He gave us a glimpse of where the future is heading:

• Less strategy, more presence.

• Less perfection, more feeling.

• Less marketing, more meaning.

If you’re trying to build a career, a company, or a capital stack that lasts, you could do worse than studying a 19-year-old who barked his way across Asia and left people in tears.

Not because he’s a clown.

Because he’s a mirror.

And the best brands — and the best humans — always are.

Cheers!

P.S. The uncertainty over Trump’s on-again-off-again-no-exemptions-with-some-exemptions tariffs is causing huge turmoil in the financial markets. Protect your money and even grow them during this time with the following:

1. Gold

2. Bitcoin

3. Altcoins Trading (Fully Automated)

NOTE:

The 10x Factors for investors’s content is educational in nature, with examples used to illustrate the learning points. We are not financial advisors and do not provide financial advice. Please speak to your financial advisor before making any investment decision. Note that every investment comes with its own risks and drawbacks. Past results cannot guarantee future returns. Do not invest with money you cannot afford to lose.

This content may contain affiliate links. When you click on these links and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. We only promote companies that we have personally used or researched and believe will add value to our readers.