Playing Call of Duty, like many other games, is much like running a startup. Gamers are challenged to think outside the box, experiment tactics, push boundaries, pivot strategies, and collect rewards (revenue, anyone?) to level up. It is no wonder why the most popular video games of the 90’s have sprouted a generation of entrepreneurs, eager to tackle similar challenges in a not-so-virtual world. There is, of course, always a downside to video games, as they can become a large distraction.
As an entrepreneur, it sometimes may be more appealing to grab a controller when the going gets tough than to stay focused and committed. Taking a break is fine. However, next time, try to identify all the unique, obscure connections the world has on your life and startup. Hopefully, you will revive your motivations and learn a thing or two. To get you thinking, here are three actionable lessons from playing Call of Duty that apply to your startup.
Get Moving
While playing Call of Duty II on Multiplayer, you might hear your character say in an encouraging voice: "Wanna get paid? Move it!” This is usually when you are not very active – no surprise. For non-hardcore gamers, so much emphasis is put on trying not to die that they forget the whole purpose of the game is to go out and take names. These gamers sometimes end up becoming campers. “Camping” is a tactic where a gamer is hiding in “safe” part of the map and waiting for opponents to stumble into their firing position. While this method is sometimes acceptable, it is generally frowned upon. Campers may get fewer deaths - but will almost always score fewer kills.
The exact opposite of this is “Rushing,” an aggressive tactic where the gamer is almost always on the move. Does this mean a Rusher will have more exposure to getting shot? Yes. But take a look at a post-game summary the next time around. In addition to having the most kills, first place winners most likely also have more deaths than others. This gives much reason to Seth Godin’s quote: “If I fail more than you do, I win.”
So how does this relate to startups?
Besides the fact that entrepreneurs have that same voice in their head, the key takeaway is not that they should have no fear losing, but more so to embrace it. If fear of failure is an obstacle, a quick change in mindset can fix that. For example, instead of setting a goal of making one sale, have a goal of getting rejected 10 times; the results are often surprising. Apply this tip to your marketing experiments, sales calls, investor pitches, networking events, everything. Don’t wait for the ‘right’ opportunity. Be aggressive and create opportunities. Failure is just a stepping-stone to success.
Know Your Map
One of the easiest ways to become a better gamer is to learn the map. This includes: Figuring out where and how to navigate around. Finding high traffic areas. Discovering shortcuts. Understanding what locations are favorable for holding a position. Locating spawning regions. And more. Knowing the map allows a gamer to implement the best strategies and tactics for gameplay. Once high traffic areas are identified, gamers are more likely to be able to cut an opponent off, rather than run around aimlessly. Knowing shortcuts helps gamers get to supply packages more quickly. Lastly, when playing with a team, it is often advantageous to find and hold a position where gamers are able to defend each other, but also dish out some offensive power.
In the startup world, this is equivalent to knowing your market.
To run a successful startup, entrepreneurs need to research their industry landscape to understand their market. Some important questions that need to be answered are, of course: Who are the customers? How big is the market and/or how fast is it growing? What competition exists? What pain are the customers experiencing?
This knowledge isn’t new, so what? What many entrepreneurs may not know is that they are doing things backwards. With the example of Call of Duty, most gamers don’t just pop in a the latest release and think “Alright, time to study these maps!” No, no. Like many others, they are excited to jump right in and go through the motions of gameplay. It is only when they realize the need for improvement that they decide to learn their way around.
One of the biggest reasons a startup fails is that it has a solution searching for a problem. Be it the fastest, sleekest, coolest product or service, chances of success are slim if you start with a solution. Study your map first, understand the problem, and then build a solution. The best starting point to understand the problem: the customer. Find out who your potential customers are and listen to their problems – no pitching. If you are looking for a resource on conducting customer interviews, watch this video on CustomerDevLabs.
Build a great team
Of all lessons to be learned from video games, what comes up most is the importance of building a strong team and working collectively towards a common goal. This is especially true for shooter gamers. Though some focus solely on their individual kill-to-death ratio, it is important for gamers to stay focused on victory for the team, and leave any personal agendas behind.
However, there are advantages of playing as a team to progress in the game, for example: to become a better shooter, learn from other players, and gain experience points (XP) to level up. In Team Deathmatch, gamers are given the opportunity to kill more opponents. This is a difficult task alone, but with a team, there is the flexibility to be more aggressive and get the job done. If gamers need to take a risk snagging a supply drop, or are taking hits in a kill zone, they are covered. On the flip side, XP is rewarded for assists. In Call of Duty II, gamers are also given Savior and Avenger medals for keeping their team alive (or some good, old-fashioned revenge). And needless to say, it’s more fun with a team.
Startups are no different. Having at least one other solid co-founder can be the difference between success and failure. Yet, many entrepreneurs convince themselves that they can move faster without a team, or when faced with the difficulty of finding a co-founder, they give up. Yes, finding co-founders is tough, but being a “solopreneur” is even tougher. Sometimes it is not about moving fast, it is about how far you can go. Build a diverse team with smart people and you will get there.
Justin Kan, Co-Founder of Twitch, and an avid gamer himself, has credited his success to surrounding himself with a smart team. But where do you go to find these people? With everything online these days, there are great platforms to build your team: Upwork, CoFoundersLab, and FounderDating, to name a few. Conversely, there is no better way of meeting people than attending startup events and meeting people in person. Remember: your network is your net worth. Be patient and take the time to nurture your relationships. For even better advice on building your team, check out Guy Kawasaki’s post on How to Find a Co-Founder.
To sum it up, entrepreneurs need to understand their market and must be willing to move, take the hits, and learn from their failures, if they truly want to solve a customer pain. Ultimately, with the right team, success will be right around the corner. One last lesson that we can take away from video games is to always feed our curiosity. All those countless nights staying up until 2 a.m. playing Mario Brothers weren’t for nothing – success in the game meant exploring what was up in the clouds and down in the pipes.
Even the smartest man to have lived, Albert Einstein, once said: “I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” To entrepreneurs, this makes perfect sense, as the motivation behind any worthy startup endeavor begins with asking “What if?” If you have read this far, I challenge you to ask yourself one “What if?” today and take action.