Can a Board Game teach me to be an entrepreneur?
What things can board games teach me when it comes to being an entrepreneur? How can they do it?
Sam
7/24/20254 min read
Yes…and before you say “monopoly” , hear me out.
Games can be a great way to teach you different entrepreneurial skills from negotiating, to budgeting resources, to managing Time (aka the number of moves), and more.
There are some which do different elements better than others. It's actually the reason why I created the Dream and Do it board game. For when I started my entrepreneurial journey and started my first company years ago I didn't know where to start. I would have killed to have something which made it easier to understand what I needed to do. Plus as a creative, we all find it very difficult to do certain things because we care about it being perfect with no errors, we overthink things when they go wrong, we get paralysis and then achieve nothing.
Games like Catan help teach you the necessity of trading with others, as the player who trades the most is normally the winner.
Games like Cashflow teach you a little practical budgeting and show you some of the options of exiting the rat race.
Games like Viticulture and other worker placement teach you to make the most of opportunities, and to build an engine which helps you towards your goals.
Games like Wealth Hunt are there to give you ideas about the sorts of lifestyle you can have that are financially sustainable.
As with all things. The more you practice at something, the better you get. Be that quicker decision making because you know how it works or playing piano by touch because you know where and how all the keys connect. The biggest problem however, seems to be entrepreneurs like you and me taking that risk. It's very hard to do something well when you've never done it before. It's very scary when you have to risk your reputation at doing something wrong and maybe for a while look like an idiot for the first 50 to 100 times - but it pays off.
Do Games usually take you through the whole process of being an entrepreneur? No, but some do elements really well.
Do business games focus on the most important reasons of being creative? No, they tend to focus on only money.
Self reliance and self purpose are the two key things that any person wants. In other words, I believe every creative and indeed every person I've ever met wants to be able to sustain or improve their lifestyle and to do something which makes them fulfilled. In other words, to have a dream and to actually do it.
So, how can this be solved? Simple, by narrowing down the key elements of each entrepreneurial journey, from Richard Branston to Walt Disney, and showcasing them in a game that creatives like you and me are able to make mistakes and begin to think outside the box in how to achieve things as an entrepreneur, to make our dreams happen.
I've narrowed this down into the Time, Money, Skills, and Passion it takes to make a dream reality.
Time - is the most important, because without it you're never going to be able to get anything done. Being able to acquire and use free time effectively is a skill that every entrepreneur needs to practice. As sometimes it's a case of doing the things you don't want to do, to get the long term reward in the future - aka delayed gratification.
Money - is equivalent to societal merit, in that its how society deems things are worth. Being able to acquire and use money effectively to your benefit is another Skill that needs to be exercised and honed. From when you're starting out with budgeting to finally being an expert in something and selling your skills, using it wisely is a way to benefit your goals is one of the largest challenges.
Skills - if you lost all your money tomorrow, it's your skills that would build you back up. In whole, this includes your ability to Research, Persevere, Connect with others, Innovate, Sell, and Take Risks. By practicing in these 6 key areas you improve your ability to do each of them and in turn make more wonderful things happen.
Passion - if you don't care about what you're doing, why the hell should anyone else? It's the fire in your belly that is so powerful it can move mountains, literally in the case of the Welsh Hill that became one. It helps you persuade others to help you on your mission of bringing creativity to them. It motivates people. It helps you focus on building the skills you need. It gives you the energy to put in extra effort. It let's you discover the methods you need to make your dream happen.
These four aspects are so poignant I've created the first entrepreneurial game incorporating them all with a goal of being fulfilled by dreaming your dream and making it happen. To be fulfilled. To learn and practice your skills to dream and do it.
Below is a link for the Founders edition of this game if you want to help support the mission of DREAM AND DO IT LIMITED to help creatives like you and me, bring our ideas to life.
https://dreamanddoit.co.uk/dream-and-do-it-board-game
As always Dream and do it with me,
Sam
If you're interested in seeing other articles on how games can help you learn entrepreneurship, here's some links:
https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/2374784/recommendations-for-board-game-for-entrepreneurial
https://medium.com/@boardgamenerd/5-ways-board-gaming-enhances-entrepreneurial-skills-a86cf179c5e3