The Paladin of Brooklyn

Welcome to Episode Three of Y6 of The Academy of Esports podcast!

I’m your host, James O’Hagan. Thank you for joining me as I welcome a friend, a mentor, and a global legend in esports and education— Mark “Garvey” Candella, former founder & director of Twitch Student and current Chief Business & Strategy Officer of AcadArena.

Garvey joined me from his home base in the Philippines to share a journey that has taken him from a challenging start on the streets of Brooklyn to becoming one of the most well-known and respected figures in esports education and community-building. 

Just one example of a chapter along the way: his work ethic as a young UPS driver led him to a spot at power lunches over the famous red sauce of Forlinis in Manhattan– delivering financial prowess through osmosis as a side order– and established him as a founding innovator of day trading. 

Without question, this is and will remain one of my favorite podcast conversations of all-time. No summary could do justice to the wisdom shared, how much I learned about someone I thought I already knew, and how grateful I am to Garvey for his openness. 

Sit back, relax, and listen to a story that will captivate you, educate you, and inspire you. 

Connect with Garvey:

• LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/mark-garvey-candella-a9946bb3
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/garveynyc
• Connect with AcadArena: https://linktr.ee/acadarena
• CONQuest Festival: https://www.conquestph.com/

Connect with James O’Hagan, Founder & Host of The Academy of Esports:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesohagan 
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jimohagan 
• Contact: https://hihello.me/p/b1241eeb-bf95-476b-a258-6d80ef2a79fe 

The Academy of Esports

• Site: https://taoesports.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/taoesports
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/taoesports
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063689103336
• Subscribe to Watch: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAcademyofEsports
• Subscribe to Listen: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taoesports

Episode References:

• Welcome Back Kotter Opening: https://youtu.be/Mmm3KTa601s
• D&D Paladin: https://www.dndbeyond.com/classes/paladin
• 2018 TAO Esports Interview: https://youtu.be/1HFdlJM7-Z4
• Keeping Up With the Dow Jones; From Suites to Streets, All Eyes Are on Stock Market (NYT Aug 1998):  .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}