This is a talk I gave on invitation by NTI Gymnasiet, which allowed me to share some of the learnings over the last decade of managing games studios and teams.

1. Making Magic Possible
Things I learned while running game companies

2. ● It all started with
DOOM editor in 1994
● Ops and Exec
management for the
last decade +
● Advisor and Mentor for
people and teams
● Giving back as (very)
early stage investor
Hi there! My name is Kay
& I am an enabler

3. Disclaimer
Paladin is not an Indie studio.
We consider ourselves independent, meaning our production structures and
capabilities are best applied in larger projects, that require top quality and speed
at the same time.
Some of the following learnings can and should be applied to startups and indies
as well, but some might be overkill.

4. Tip 1 - It’s ALLabout the people

5. Tip 1 - It’s ALLabout the people
Culture - WHO are we, and how do we interact?
(Core values & derived behaviours)
Mission - WHY are we doing this?
Vision - WHERE are we taking this?
Plan
HOW do we get there?
Structure
WHO is doing what?
Tactical layer
Operational
layer
“Before you
think about
anything else”
layer

6. Tip 2 - Interns are awesome
Pay them!

7. Tip 3 - Trust is the base for
everything

8. - Start from there, it will make everything else easier
- Give and you will receive (honesty, openness, BE REAL-ness
- It’s hard, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s the only way
- It will allow you to have disagreements, conflict, and be able to solve it
(without trust that your peers have your best interest and the studios best
interest at heart, none of these will work)
Tip 3 - Trust is the base for everything
Culture - WHO are we, and how do we
interact?
(Core values & derived behaviours)
Mission - WHY are we doing this?
Vision - WHERE are we taking this?
Plan
HOW do we get
there?
Structure
WHO is doing what?
This layer is about people
For all of this to work,
people need to trust each
other

9. Tip 4 - Build an external
supportteam

10. You don’t have to hire everything specialist into the team. Find experts that can
support you exactly at the time when you need them. It’s more cost effective.
- Legal
- Tax
- Cleaning
- Tricky stuff like Culture, OKR’s etc.
Find people that understand what you do (games) and that you jibe with (there’s
that trust thing again!).
Tip 4 - Build an external support team

11. Tip 5 - Choose your path, then get
ready to changedirection

12. - Be clear on what you want, remind
yourself of it
- Focus!
BUT ALSO:
- Encourage everyone to challenge
the status quo
- Learn the power of NO and give it
to everyone to wield
- Evolve, always
Tip 5 - Choose your path, then get ready
to change direction
Culture - WHO are we, and how do we
interact?
(Core values & derived behaviours)
Mission - WHY are we doing this?
Vision - WHERE are we taking this?
Plan
HOW do we get
there?
Structure
WHO is doing what? more
often
less
often,
but still

13. Tip 6 - Anticipate for weird stuff to
mess up your plans

14. - Always bunker hand sanitizer
- Take the time to think on tangents
- Look around, the world impacts your studio and yourself
- Stay current on the legal frameworks in your surroundings
regarding your business
- Not just your own country
- EU
- US
- PRC (it’s a big market, and lot’s is changing at the moment)
- Set up Google alerts for important topics
Tip 6 - Anticipate for weird stuff to
mess up your plans

15. Tip 7 - Don’t just grow,
prepare for it

16. - You need some (not all!) things in place to grow successfully
- Hiring is not trivial
- And it is just the start
- Danger of losing your culture
- How to onboard and integrate
- How to train and level up
- You need overhead
- ~1 production overhead per 20-ish people
- ~ similar goes for discipline overhead when you grow beyond 30-ish
Tip 7 - Don’t just grow, preparefor it

17. Tip 8 - Cash Flow is King

18. Cashflow =
Money in the bank at any given time
- Measure this!
- Track your income and expenditure very
frequently
- Per month is not enough. We track it daily!
- You don’t need fancy tools, a slightly
advanced xls/Google sheet does the trick
- Leave the bookkeeping and tax financials to
your accountant
- Have a Plan B,C,... (line of credit with your
bank, etc.)
Tip 8 - Cash Flow is King
Avoid
going
below this
line
Thats the TREND
you want to see

19. Tip 9- Forecast conservatively
ALWAYS

20. Tip 9- Forecast conservatively
ALWAYS
- The year might end, the cash flow is not!
- Any revenue not realized yet is unsure
- You should plan for future revenue though, but distinct between what
might be happening and what will happen
- Make sure you know what your horizon is financially, and how this fits
in with your development, release and BD cycle
- Create buffer (cash in the bank that carries the studio if no more
money comes in)

21. Tip 10 -
Measure>Analyze>Improve>repeat

22. - Theories/Approaches to look up:
- Kaizen
- Learning Organization
- Know your numbers
- It’s not just about money
- Examples:
- Retention rate of employees
- Your internal cost rate
- Most importantly: Be Honest! Because numbers do not have feelings
Tip 10 -
Measure>Analyze>Improve>repeat

23. Tip 11 - Manage your RISKS

24. - Risk management and abatement lets you look ahead, and AVOID
problems potentially BEFORE the appear
- It also helps to focus and prioritize
- This is not a management exercise only, it should be a team effort
- Regularity and persistence are the key here
Tip 11 - Manage your RISKS
RISK Probability Impact Rating Next step abatement
Our cash buffer is running low 2 5 10 Track cash flow more frequently
We are missing a planned HC 5 3 15 Offer incentive for referrals

25. Tip 12 - Choose your tools wisely

26. - Dev platform (Unity <> Epic and others)
- Keep options open, if possible
- Think beyond production (Jira/Confluence) into all other areas of the company
(HR (Bamboo), sales (pipedrive), communication (Slack), etc.)
- Connect as many tools as possible
- Invest, it will pay back
Tip 12 - Choose your tools wisely

27. Tip 13 - Crunch is for breakfast,
Not production

28. - Plan wisely, and plan in holidays, buffer for sickness, etc.
- Plan smart (don't deliver on fridays!)
- Break it down in chewable chunks, it’s better for everyone (also your clients)
- Remember Tip 10 and 11 (Measure, Manage risk)
Tip 13 - Crunch is for breakfast,
Not production

29. Tip 14 - Security is important

30. - In the next league, this is essential
- Think about it early
- Take it serious
- Approach it as a mindset across your
whole studio
- Get expert help, because it’s too
expensive not to
Tip 14 - Security is important

31. Tip 15 - Sales is not a bad word

32. - Approach it seriously
- Tool up for it! (pipedrive)
- Know your product
- Be real, be you
- Be persistent (~4% of the time it will work)
Tip 15 - Sales is not a bad word
4%

33. Tip 16 - Your studio is a product too

34. - Find the things that make you stand out (Culture is an important aspect)
- Nurture them
- Stay humble
- Communicate
- Celebrate success (and share learnings if you fail!)
Tip 16 - Your studio is a product too

35. Tip 17 - Be out there

36. - This is a powerful tool not just for BD people, but every discipline
- It saves you money for conference tickets ;)
- It pays forward > good Karma
- Start with the basics (LinkedIn for you and your studio)
- Find people in similar situations/positions that have similar challenges and
talk to them!
Tip 17 - Be out there

37. Tip 18 - Don’t follow opportunities,
Create them

38. - Look for the next thing, not just what’s hot now
- Connect the dots, someone will
- Find the right people to talk to early - don’t be shy to ask
- Look beyond content towards tech, platforms, business models
Tip 18 - Don’t follow opportunities,
Create them

39. Tip 19 - Failure has to be an option
ALWAYS

40. - For everyone in the team
- And you!
- It is a great way to learn and improve
- Like success, celebrate fails and do not hide them
Tip 19 - Failure has to be an option
ALWAYS

41. Tip 20 - don’t forget to have fun

42. - There’s life outside that (home)office
- We humans are complex beings with so many facets
- Getting to know your peers builds trust (hence we close the circle to Tip 1)
- This takes effort and investment, but it will pay back
Tip 20 - don’t forget to have fun

43. Final TIP
Write your own story, and share it!

44. Let’s talk!
kay@walkingsquid.com @paladinstudios
ca.linkedin.com/in/kaygruenwoldt
Stormbound & Momonga are ©/™ by Paladin Studios. All other games, game logos and screenshots are ™ and .or © by their respective owners.
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