How Respiratory Therapist Flo Tran Became a Viral Streaming Sensation

Flo Tran started off her content creation journey on a whim. With a decade of schooling and a career path laid out, she discovered something missing: herself. Now a TikTok sensation and Twitch startup with over 250,000 followers (across social platforms) to back her up, this kooky comedy streamer, appropriately named Floskeee, is dedicated to spreading a little light-hearted fun one troll at a time. 

"I don't think I've ever been so happy until recently. Seeing people accept me for who I am without me having to pretend or be something else because I saw it work for other people," she said in a phone interview with Lifewire. 

Floskeee is, before anything, comedic relief in the most literal sense of the phrase. Her community of "roasting trolls" puts the joke before everything else. A little irreverence goes a long way here, but like most comedy, this lively streaming star's infectious personality comes from rocky beginnings. 

Artful Ambitions

They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. For Tran, that was more of a mantra than a quippy tagline. Raised in the desert hills of sunny Las Vegas, her upbringing was a silo of traditional expectations and bad influences. Homeschooled for much of her life, she recalls rarely leaving her home; studying was the top priority her parents instilled in her and her older sister. 

In many ways, she admits, it stifled her growth as she still struggles with making real-world connections. Her one reprieve? Video games. Video games were relegated to the off-school hours of the summer, but the tech-savvy Tran would find ways to sneak in little moments of rebellion. 

"I would always run to video games as my virtual reality: a place where I could just step away from my real life," she said. "[They] were my only social escape since I was always at home. I mainly got into games… for the friendships."

When not playing games, she had her nose in books hoping to succeed in the medical field. And she did. Tran worked as a full-time respiratory therapist during last year's health crisis. That experience made her rethink her life, passions, and what she wanted her future to look like. 

Her whole life, she said, the medical field was seen as the only option. To an extent, she even tricked herself into believing her path was of her own making. Until things got dire.  

"I was on the frontlines as a respiratory therapist for [the global health crisis]...it was especially hard because no matter what I was doing, it felt like [it] was too strong," she said. "It took a huge mental and emotional toll on me. Some people can handle that kind of stress, but I couldn't. I felt physical pain watching people pass away."

When Body Became the Canvas

In August 2021, she decided to quit her lucrative career path, then took the money she earned and dedicated the next six months to pursuing her passion for content creation. A passion born a decade ago as she helped her sister's YouTube aspirations flourish, she once shelved the love she discovered. Now, through rediscovery, she's happier than ever.

"It was risky, but it was a calculated decision. I knew the potential I had and that when I put my mind to something, I work hard [to achieve] it. I used that same work ethic and energy for content creation and streaming, and now I can continue. Everything just went upwards."

As is often the case nowadays, TikTok was the catalyst for her growth. A series of viral videos made the budding streamer explode from 30,000 followers on the short video sharing platform to nearly 250,000 in less than two months. 

Relatability is the key to unlocking TikTok virality. With her culture and humor in tow, she was able to tap into that market with explosive success. In this new streaming era, audiences are attracted to personalities and connections compared to the past, where skill reigned supreme. 

Still, after all of this success, her new career path is all but a secret to her parents. It's hard to break old traditions, but Tran is committed to trying. Carving out her own path forward and excelling in the digital world through her ingenuity and authenticity is its own reward.

"I hope someday my parents can be supportive, too. I think that will mean the most to me, but it's nice to have a community that always has your back and wants to see you grow and succeed," she said. "I wouldn't trade any of it for the world."