Micro Business Lessons From Strategy Games

In case you missed it, yesterday’s weekly newsletter can be found here.

But today I'll be discussing what strategy games taught me about the power of culture and building micro empires.

My all-time favorite games include Starcraft, Empire Earth, Civilization, and Age of Empires. These games are great at capturing history and can teach us a lot.

Now, let's connect it to micro businesses (or what I like to call, “micro empires”).

Applying micro-strategy to micro-business

I came across a forum comment on StackExchange discussing whether a micro empire is a viable game strategy for all victory conditions.

One user mentioned winning a “cultural victory” with just two cities and no real military against an opponent with 40 cities. (Personally, I enjoy choosing civilizations with strong cultural traits in games like Civilization.)

However, to thrive, these micro empires need good partnerships in areas like military, science, and economics.

Each of these categories influences how you can win the game, much like in the real-world.

In business, however, winning is not as clear-cut as in sports. And that’s usually because business is an “infinite game” vs “finite game.”

Business is about making money, keeping investors and customers happy, and surviving or thriving.

Where to focus

Micro empires tend to benefit more from a cultural focus because they can manage aspects that larger empires neglect due to their size.

The forum comment mentioned being like Switzerland or Singapore – neutral countries with good partnerships and strong economics.

Countries like this avoid harm by forming alliances with others who have strong military or science backgrounds.

In today's world, treaties and rules of engagement protect smaller nations with unique specializations.

For example, Taiwan has a scientific focus on innovation and microchips. Due to their alliance with the US, China cannot easily invade them.

Strategy games teach us valuable lessons about culture, partnerships, and the benefits of smaller empires focusing on unique strengths.

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