My obsession (investment?) with The Settlers of Catan
is paying out triple fold. There is an easier way to learn the basics of building a successful start up without actually starting one – although starting is the best way. Master the strategy game of Catan and look for underlying mechanics of how winning works. Just a few games in and you will see for yourself. But here is a sample of 3 key lessons, relevant for life and much more so for a start up:
is paying out triple fold. There is an easier way to learn the basics of building a successful start up without actually starting one – although starting is the best way. Master the strategy game of Catan and look for underlying mechanics of how winning works. Just a few games in and you will see for yourself. But here is a sample of 3 key lessons, relevant for life and much more so for a start up:1. Rich get richer: The message is plain and simple. Wealth compounds. The more high-roller acreage you own, the richer you will be and the more high-rolling acreage you will own. A second message here is the quicker you get to even a decent amount of ‘riches’ – the more you can do what you want to do: explore new worlds, build bigger cities, and raise a bloody good army. Its no wonder most self made billionaires first make enough to provide for a modest lifestyle by first building a product that people need before doing things they think are plain cool and awesome (case in point: Richard Branson, Elon Musk, Sardar Biglari, and more). Lesson: fund your weird new ideas by first building things people need.
2. First Mover Disadvantage: You have often heard about the first mover advantage – I’ve even naively used it in my early VC pitch slides. But it is total bullshit. What is more common is the first mover disadvantage. Facebook was not the first social networking site (remember Myspace and Orkut?), and Apple was not the first to have a fancy portable thin tablet. Every entrepreneur who is trying to revolutionize a field or do something truly new will tell you: the first mover has a disadvantage because amidst the usual startup hurdles, you need to scope very new territory and educate the customers. The second, third, and fourth movers simply need to copy whatever worked for you, look at the things that didn’t, and make it better. Oh, and you see this within a few games of Catan. Its easier to win if you are the second or third player to pick your territory.
3. Life is interesting when you play with smarter players: In the app version, you can computerize the players and pick your opponents from a stock pile of varying skills. Winning is no fun when you dominate. In fact, its even boring. But add in the best of the best players and the whole game becomes interesting – regardless of who wins. And its even better when you lose, because you come back with a vengeance, try different strategies, learn from your past mistakes, and don’t stop until you win. Ahh, the sweetness of this kind of victory – my mind craves one just from thinking about it. Hidden here in plain sight is a life message: surround yourself with people smarter than you. You will thrive from the accidental interactions, the not-so-accidental challenges, and the sheer voltage of high brainpower. It’s crucial for a startup environment, but it’s also an extreme booster for your well being.
That’s all. I’m off to play some more. You should too.