Entrepreneurial Advice in Game of Thrones
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With the season finale upon us and some inspiration from Ryan Hoover’s Entrepreneurial Advice in Rap Music, I thought it would be an interesting experiment to see what, if any, advice can be given to our startup community from one of the most violent shows ever to grace our televisions.
“Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them.”
- Littlefinger
Building a business is not for the faint of heart. Most startups fail, and most founders don’t get back up to climb again. Your idea will never work out as planned. It’s imperative you get back on the ladder and keep climbing.
“Power resides where men believe it resides; it’s a trick, a shadow on the wall, and a very small man can cast a very large shadow.”
- Lord Varys
If you aren’t careful, you can end up losing control of your business and your investors will be the ones making the big decisions, even if you’re still the founder and CEO.
“We march to victory or we march to defeat, but we go forward. Only forward.”
- Stannis Baratheon
We all have burn rates. The clock is ticking. It’s essential to make every day and dollar count. Stay lean, get up early, drink lots of coffee and build like you’ve never built before. If you fail, at least you know you gave it your all.
“People work together when it suits them, they’re loyal when it suits them, they love each other when it suits them, and they kill each other when it suits them.”
- Orell
Be careful who you partner with. People are known to turn on each other when there’s millions of dollars involved. Choose your partners (and investors) wisely.
“Anyone can be killed.”
- Arya Stark
Whether you have millions of users, just raised a series A, or you own a billion dollar business on paper, it’s all the same to the startup Gods. In the end, there’s only one thing that will save you: sales.
“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.”
- Cersei Lannister
When you take on venture capital, you must be in it for the home run. Your investors need you to be a billion dollar business to make up for the countless of other bad deals that come with the territory. Most startups fail. It’s a fact. You swing for the fences or you strike out, but you make that money count so everyone can reap the rewards. Not just you and your family.
“A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone.”
- Tyrion Lannister
If you don’t stay on top of industry trends, engineering breakthroughs, advertising strategies, etc. you are sure to be left in the dust by your competitors. Always be learning.
“Sometimes a man has to make hard choices, choices that might look wrong to others but you know are right in the long run.”
- Samwell Tarly
As the leader of a company, you’re forced to make tough choices. Sometimes your team will disagree with you. Listen to your team, but do what’s best for your business.
“There is a beast in every man and it stirs when you put a sword in his hand.”
- Jorah Mormont
Equity trumps salary. Give people an ownership stake in your business and they work harder.
“I’m not going to stop the wheel, I’m going to break the wheel.”
- Daenerys Targaryen
While the competition battles it out in whatever industry you’re targeting, you should be focusing on building products that change the industry entirely.
