I know it sounds terribly cliche, but I just fell into making emotes, never hunting down clients. I just went about my business streaming art/Game Boy speed runs, and before I knew it I was neck-deep in commissions.
It all started around March 2017. Twitch Affiliate did not exist then, so any commissions were only from partnered streamers. Some of my first clients were Arcus, OldSchoolRichard, Grannen_Hiro, EndySWE, Sinister1, and TheMexicanRunner. I was flattered that these people knew my name and wanted to work with me. They were all highly skilled streamers in the retro speed-running community.
Soon after Twitch released the Affiliate Program, I had hundreds of commissions coming in, spilling out of the retro community in more massive modern streamers and Esports players working with Smoke, JW from Team. Fnatic, and Jason Mewes (Jay from Jay and Silent Bob)!
Who knows where it will go, but I’m enjoying the ride.