5 Small Business Lessons To Be Learned From Game of Thrones
If You Have a Dragon – You are In Control
Daenerys Targarye, also known as Khaleesi, is the biggest threat to the seven kingdoms and those fighting for control because she has something that no one else has – dragons. We know that you aren’t going to have a dragon, but having something unique – something that sets you apart from your competitors and makes you stand out will certainly boost your power and strength as a small business.
Size Matters, Just Not The Way You May Think
Tyrion Lannister may be a small in stature, but his brilliant mind makes him a force to be reckoned with and gives him the ability to do what no one expects. The same goes for every small business. If you are smart and make intelligent decisions when running your business, your size will not matter. You’ll be able to do more, be more and achieve just as much as any big business around you. In fact, being small and agile you are able to pivot and respond to market opportunities more quickly than larger competitors.
Don’t Be Afraid To Go North of the Wall
Jon Snow and the other members of the ‘Night Watch’ protect the last bastion of safety and civilization from the unknown that lives beyond the wall. While there are fearsome and scary things north of the wall, Jon Snow also discovers people not so different in their desires and motivations, unlikely allies and even love. In business, we often stay away from the unknown and would rather stay safe in the world we know and understand. However, prudent exploration – pushing beyond ones boundaries – not only makes growth possible, but often turns up unexpected opportunites.
A Lannister Always Pays His Debts
While it’s not their official family motto, it might as well be. And across the ages, the Lannisters have not only carefully propagated the saying but have ensured that it remains true. This have given them incredible power, even in dire circumstances. Even the most unlikely allies have supported them, because they know the Lannisters remain true to their word and always pay their debts. Ones reputation and reliability as a small business can be both the best advertising and customer generating tool. Or, if taken lightly, can spell disaster.
Live in The New World or Die In The Old
As Daenerys Targarye forges on changing the new world from years of oppression and slavery, she encounters two types of people: those who embrace the change and those who refuse to change. For the relics who remain stubborn and unwilling to change, she has a message: Live in her new world, or die in their old. The same is true in business. Many examples exist of former market leaders – Blockbuster, Eastman Kodak and Motorola are just a few – who saw the writing on the wall but stubbornly held onto their old ways of doing business with disastrous consequences. Successful businesses know how to adapt and how to embrace new ways of thinking and doing in order to not only survive, but thrive.