Today we’d like to introduce you to Taylor Ayers.
Hi Taylor, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Detailed Version
It all started with this little blue Pac-Man Joystick game. I spent hours upon hours trying to beat my own high score on Galaga, Xevious, Mappy, or Pac-Man. What I loved most about it was the way it stimulated my brain. I was so laser-focused, content, and happy with accomplishing these little goals I made for myself on this big silver box with flashing lights, colors, and a little ship or character.
As I got older, my parents didn’t allow us to play any gory, horror, or shooting games, so instead they got me a Nintendo DS and games like Nancy Drew and Brain Age. You would think as a kid I would be bummed out, but I loved it! I loved a good challenge and competing against myself. It didn’t matter the game. This is where I developed my desire and love for challenges and opportunities to put the pressure on. As I became a teenager, I fell into games like Skyrim and Fortnite and spent several hours of my free time just locking in to those worlds.
Now, another desire I had as a teenager was to become some sort of creator. I didn’t know how—I just knew that one day it would happen. Back then and even in early adulthood, I never even considered having a gaming channel. In fact, I used to judge folks who watched them because I never understood the appeal. That is, until one day my brother asked me to come hang out with him and watch some YouTube. He insisted that the videos would be funny and he thought that I would like them. Boy was he right! This turned out to be a core memory between my brother and I, watching Berleezy play horror games and scream and shout at the screen. It clicked for me why people watch this! It’s another means of an escape. A fun escape into the world of someone else, just like when we watch a TV show or movie.
Throughout this time that I discovered my interest in gaming channels, I was struggling to start my own lifestyle channel. To be quite honest, I wasn’t passionate about the content I was making and it felt performative and not natural. As I went to college, I wasn’t consistent with content and would have spurts of a few weeks of being consistent and then fall off every time. I wasn’t motivated. My brain wasn’t stimulated. It didn’t feel like a fun challenge.
After I graduated, I started working and decided that I wanted to find a way to make being a full-time creator a reality for myself, but I wanted to do something I was passionate about. I did some brainstorming, but nothing felt right. That is until one day it clicked. I was watching a gaming video and had the thought, “huh… I wonder if there are any girl gamer channels out there, especially ones who look like me…”
As I did some research, it was so hard to find other Black girl gamers and the search results were very limited. I felt like the space was very small and I decided that this was going to be my challenge. I am going to fill this gap where there is a lack of representation of gamers who look like me. For the first time in my creator journey, I felt that natural fire and passion towards making this happen.
On this journey, I discovered bigger creators like JazzyGuns and AyChristine who had been doing this for years and had built a huge platform, but still weren’t shown when I would search up “black female gamers.” This fueled the fire even more to be an agent of change in this space so that I could fill this space and inspire others to do the same, so that what was once more rare to find could become common. This is where it all started, and in the year of 2023, I hit the ground running and haven’t stopped since. There have been so many obstacles towards reaching success as a creator, but what’s an obstacle to someone who loves a challenge? Simply a game.
Brief Version
I first fell in love with gaming as a kid, fueled by a little blue Pac-Man joystick. It wasn’t about the graphics; it was about the challenge. My parents kept me from the gory stuff, so I spent my time on my Nintendo DS, conquering games like Nancy Drew and Brain Age. The more I played, the more I craved a good challenge, an opportunity to put pressure on myself and win.
Growing up, I never saw myself as a gaming creator. I didn’t get the appeal until my brother and I watched Berleezy play horror games. It was a core memory where it clicked: watching gaming streams is another form of escape, just like watching a movie, and the comedy of it all made it even better. My journey as a content creator didn’t start with gaming, though. I tried a lifestyle channel, but it felt forced, performative. I wasn’t passionate, and my brain wasn’t stimulated.
It wasn’t until after college, when I was struggling to find my footing, that I had a thought that changed everything. I wondered if there were any Black girl gamers out there, and my search came up empty. The lack of representation was jarring. That’s when I found my true challenge: to fill that gap. I discovered pioneers like JazzyGuns and AyChristine, but even they weren’t showing up in my search results. That fueled my fire even more.
I started my channel, Ms. Duchess Games, in 2023, not just to play games, but to be an agent of change. I’m building a space where what was once rare to find could become common. This is more than a game to me; it’s a mission. What’s an obstacle to success for someone who loves challenges? Simply a game.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Detailed Version
Not a lot of people know this, but a month after starting this creator journey, I lost my job. In the midst of trying to turn this fiery passion into a concrete creator career, other areas of my life crumbled. Instead of letting it get to me, I locked in on my “why”: to be the force and the example for those who look like me in a space where they don’t see themselves.
The same day that I lost my job, I spent the last bit of money left on my credit card on a creator camp run by AyChristine. I also streamed for ten or twelve hours every single day because I had a goal and didn’t want to waste any time reaching it. Outside of that, I was doing Instacart to make ends meet and was barely eating, which led to a lot of weight loss. I wound up burning myself out and getting sick because I was constantly in go-mode for hours on end.
When I finally got a new job, I spent all of my time outside of work streaming and planning and streaming. I burnt myself out again until I learned the hard way to take care of myself. While it’s great to have such a fiery passion, I had to unlearn leading with a survival mindset. I had to take a step back and be strategic about my approach so that I wouldn’t stunt my growth with my own actions.
The first year was a rocky road, between losing my job, burnout, a breakup, a car accident, a big move, a new job, and my first-ever gaming convention. The biggest lesson I learned that year was that my biggest obstacle is myself. I had what I needed to make the best of my circumstances, but not taking care of me slowed me down. It kept me from giving my 100%. It’s a lesson I carry with me and was intentional about the next year. It was a learning process, but one that I’ve learned is even more rewarding when you prioritize putting just as much energy into nurturing yourself as you do your journey.
Brief Version
A month after starting my creator journey, I lost my job. In the midst of pursuing my passion, my personal life crumbled. But instead of letting it break me, I locked in on my “why”—to be a force and an example for people who look like me. The day I was laid off, I spent the last of the money on my credit card to join a creator camp run by AyChristine. I started streaming for 10 to 12 hours a day, determined not to waste any time reaching my goal. To make ends meet, I was also doing Instacart and barely eating, which led to a serious burnout that made me sick.
When I finally landed a new job, I immediately fell back into the same go-mode, burning myself out again. It was a hard lesson: I had to unlearn leading with a survival mindset and learn to be strategic. The first year was a rocky road, filled with job loss, a breakup, a car accident, a big move, a new job, and my first gaming convention. Through it all, I realized my biggest obstacle was myself. I had everything I needed to make the best of my circumstances, but by not taking care of myself, I kept myself from giving my 100%.
The biggest lesson I learned was that putting just as much energy into nurturing yourself as you do your journey is the most rewarding path to growth. It’s a lesson I carry with me every day.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
About My Work
I am a content creator, and I also work as a Strategic Business Development Representative at Canva. As a creator, I specialize in live-streaming video games on my YouTube channel, Ms. Duchess Games, which has 32,000 subscribers. My content is primarily cozy and variety games, but I’ve recently expanded into more horror and action genres with my “Freaky Friday” streams. In addition to my gaming content, I have a personal brand channel, Duchess on Demand, where I share vlogs, behind-the-scenes content, and creator interviews. I’m known for my personality and for building a safe, inclusive community around gaming.
What Sets Me Apart
My unique perspective and my mission for representation are what truly set me apart. I’m a Black woman in a space where we are still underrepresented, and I am committed to being an agent of change. My “why” is to create a community where people who look like me can see themselves reflected. I don’t just stream games; I stream to build a legacy and to inspire others. I also set myself apart by being intentional with my content strategy across platforms—from my long-form gaming videos on YouTube to my polished vlogs and short-form content on my social media accounts. On my “Duchess on Demand” channel, I feature interviews with other creators, especially women and creators of color, to amplify their voices and share their journeys. The interviews serve as a resource for aspiring creators, offering insights from those who are already navigating the industry and building their own legacies.
What I’m Most Proud Of
I’m most proud of the community I’ve built. It’s a space where people feel comfortable and welcome, and I’ve worked hard to foster that environment. I’m also incredibly proud of my resilience. A month into my creator journey, I lost my job, which led to a period of burnout and personal challenges. But instead of giving up, I doubled down on my passion, learned to be strategic about my time and energy, and created a solid foundation for my brand. Despite the circumstances, I was able to grow my community to hit my 1st 1,000 subscribers in year 1 beating the odds of only 8% of creators hitting that milestone in year 1. I was also able to hit 30,000 subscribers within the next few months. I learned that my biggest obstacle was myself, and overcoming that has made me a stronger, more intentional creator. This journey has been a testament to my love for a challenge, and I am proud to say I am still here, thriving, and growing.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was a band nerd who loved connecting with people from every walk of life. Being in band was one of the most lasting influences on me; it taught me the meaning of community and leadership. It helped me come out of my shell and find my tribe through marching band trips, competitions, and practices under the hot Georgia sun. We learned, grew, won, and lost together, and each of those experiences left me with a deep sense of community that I’ve always gravitated toward.
Aside from that, I’ve always been a reader and a big dreamer. I loved getting lost in the worlds created by each book I read. It didn’t matter how big a book was—I would finish it in a matter of hours, staying up until early in the morning, locked into the characters’ stories. Reading opened up my imagination, allowing me to visualize my dreams and all of their possible outcomes, and taught me to look at things from an outside-of-the-box perspective.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/ms.duchessgames
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msduchessgames/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@msduchessgames
Image Credits
Desiree Gentry @alldezdigitalmedia, Ben Porter @benporterphotography
