
Editor's note: Ansel Alfonso is a student at Wayne State University's School of Business in Detroit.
Even five years ago, the thought of making a living out of streaming a video of yourself doing things you love would have been ludicrous. It was a different time, when social media was still somewhat on the rise and live streaming was usually limited to big sporting or political events.
Times have changed. Websites like Twitch, Ustream and YouTube Live give individuals the power to share their interests and even monetize their interests through donations from other users, (TwitchAlerts, Patreon, Kickstarter, Gambitious,) ad revenue, sponsorship, affiliate offers, and website partnerships (Twitch Partner Application).