When I first set out on my entrepreneurial path, I thought I had it all figured out. I was a hustler, running various side ventures that made money but never seemed to grow beyond my direct involvement. These weren’t businesses—they were extensions of myself, reliant on my constant presence and effort. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was trapped in a cycle of hustle without the structure or vision needed to build something that could stand on its own.
It wasn’t until I became involved in my family’s business that I began to see the bigger picture. The company was successful on the surface, but beneath that success lay deep-rooted problems—disgruntled employees, a toxic culture of fear and intimidation, and a false sense of security that blinded us to the industry changes looming on the horizon. When the storm hit, it nearly sank the company, taking us from a position of profitability to the brink of collapse in a matter of months.
Learning the Hard Way: My Journey into Business
When I joined the family business, I was thrown into the deep end. I had no idea how the industry worked, and I quickly realized that I needed to take massive action if I was going to stop the bleeding and turn the company around. I immersed myself in the industry, attending trade shows, continuing education conferences, and studying how successful companies operated. I wasn’t just trying to keep the business afloat—I was trying to learn everything I could about how to build a sustainable, scalable enterprise.
During my near-decade tenure with the company, I strategically recruited successful employees from other companies, recognizing that the existing team, while well-meaning, lacked the expertise we needed. I also made the difficult decision to phase out older marketers for younger staff who could bring fresh perspectives and adaptability to our operations. My efforts paid off—we quadrupled our revenues, secured exclusive contracts, and routed out the bad actors who had been exploiting the company’s weaknesses.
But when it came time to take over as CEO, my family resisted. Despite the progress I had made, I was ultimately pushed out of the business. It was a bitter pill to swallow, seeing the company unravel almost overnight after all the hard work I had put in. But looking back, I wouldn’t be the businessman—or the man—I am today without that experience. I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity my family gave me, even if it ended in disappointment. It was through this trial by fire that I honed my skills and prepared myself for the next chapter of my journey.
The Birth of High Noon Game, Inc.: A Foundation of Core Values
In the aftermath of my departure from the family business, I was filled with bitterness and hurt. But instead of letting it consume me, I channeled those feelings into a new venture—my board game company, High Noon Game, Inc. I realized that if I was going to build something meaningful, I needed to take everything I had learned, from the good to the bad, and create a foundation that would allow my business to thrive independently of me.
I attended a transformative business bootcamp that provided me with the final pieces of the puzzle—a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to build a scalable, ethical, and sustainable business. Armed with this knowledge, I set out to rebuild my board game business from the ground up, starting with one critical element: Core Values.
Rules for Choosing Core Values
Let me share a quick story that illustrates the importance of getting core values right. I was once consulting with a small business that proudly told me they had core values. They were excited to share them, and even mentioned they were published on their website! So, while we were on the call, I pulled up their site and read the values aloud: “Providing Solutions, Not Services,” “Fostering Lasting Relationships,” “Upholding Honesty and Integrity.”
On the surface, these sounded solid—principles that seemed to reflect a strong company identity. But as I started asking questions, it became clear that these weren’t true core values. First, they were too vague, open to interpretation in a way that could easily be twisted to fit any situation. Second, when I asked the owners to recite them, they struggled to recall them verbatim, despite having created them. If the leadership can’t remember the company’s values, how can they expect the rest of the team to live by them? Finally, these values weren’t enforceable. They were nice phrases, but they lacked the clarity and definition needed to hold someone accountable, whether in hiring, firing, or day-to-day decision-making.
This experience drove home the lesson that core values need to be more than just nice-sounding statements—they need to be actionable, memorable, and central to everything the company does. Without meeting these criteria, a business might think it has core values, but in reality, it’s just going through the motions without a real compass to guide it.
Finally, when choosing Core Values, it’s crucial to recognize that these values are not just abstract ideals; they are the building blocks of behavior that shape the way your company operates. Core Values must be chosen specifically in accordance with your company's Purpose. They should drive the behaviors necessary to achieve your VFP, ensuring that every action taken by your team is aligned with the ultimate goals of your business. This alignment creates a cohesive strategy where every decision and every action contributes to the fulfillment of your Purpose and the achievement of your VFP (you can read more about that in my other blog entry here).
So, what makes a true Core Value? Here are four key criteria:
Clarity and Memorability: Each value should be clear, concise, and easy for everyone in the company to remember and recite. If your team can’t recall your values on demand, they’re not going to live by them.
Definition: Clearly define what each value means to your company. Avoid vague language that can be easily manipulated.
Enforceability: Your values must be enforceable. You should be able to use them as the sole criteria for hiring and firing staff while avoiding legal issues.
Alignment: Ensure that these values align with your company’s Purpose and Final Value Product. They should serve as the guiding principles that every decision is based upon. Core Values should be chosen specifically in accordance with Purpose to drive the necessary behaviors to achieve the VFP.
The Core Values of High Noon Game, Inc.
When I set out to build High Noon Game, Inc., my goal was clear: to create a company that not only developed great games but also set a new standard for ethics and customer experience in the industry. Our Valuable Final Product (VFP) was to be a game developer and publisher that is more profitable, ethical, and customer experience-driven. To achieve this, I needed Core Values that would align with our Purpose of transforming the entertainment industry into a customer-driven mission. I chose values that would guide our actions and ensure that we remained true to this Purpose, driving the behaviors necessary to achieve our VFP.
Inspiration: The Antidote to Intimidation
In any business, we all face down-days and moments of self-doubt, especially when hard targets or deadlines loom over us. It's in these challenging moments that Inspiration becomes the most crucial. At High Noon Game, Inc., we understand that when people are inspired, they can achieve what they once thought impossible.
In my family’s business, the unspoken core value was Intimidation—a tool used to generate results, but at a great cost. At High Noon Game, Inc., I wanted to create a different culture, one driven by Inspiration. Our team is tasked with motivating each other to achieve greatness, especially during tough times. We also aim to inspire our customers to reach their goals and ambitions, and as our Final Value Product, we are committed to setting a standard that inspires others in the industry to see what’s possible when you lead with vision and integrity.
Where Intimidation might use threats to drive performance, Inspiration seeks to uplift and encourage. Intimidation can create fear and anxiety, leading to short-term compliance but long-term disengagement. In contrast, Inspiration fosters a positive environment where team members feel valued and believed in. It reminds them of their worth, their capabilities, and the reasons they were chosen for their roles in the first place.
When targets and deadlines are firm, I always begin or end with words of strong encouragement and gratitude. This approach motivates and fuels my team to push through the walls of self-doubt and discouragement. By focusing on what they can achieve and how much I appreciate their efforts, I help them see beyond the immediate challenge. This strategy has never failed—when people are inspired to believe in themselves and their abilities, they often surpass even the highest expectations. At High Noon, Inspiration is not just about achieving business goals; it’s about empowering individuals to realize their full potential.
Discipline: The Backbone of Success
Inspiration provides the spark, but Discipline is what turns that spark into a lasting flame. It’s the daily commitment to follow through on your goals, even when the going gets tough. While many companies use Intimidation to enforce Discipline, we believe that true Discipline comes from within. It’s not about being afraid of getting in trouble; it’s about being driven to succeed because you are committed to your goals.
Think of it like getting fit—you can’t achieve your fitness goals without a consistent exercise routine, a healthy diet, and a proper sleep schedule. If you don’t stick to these rules, you won’t see the results you want. The same principle applies in business. To be successful, you need to have Discipline in following the rules and standards that lead to success.
At High Noon, we emphasize Discipline by ensuring that our team adheres to our established rules, standards, and best practices. This keeps us aligned with our Purpose and helps us stay focused on our objectives, even when challenges arise. For example, we require our sales and marketing staff to participate in continuing education courses. This isn’t optional—it’s a requirement. If someone doesn’t follow through, there are consequences. But these aren’t about punishment; they’re about maintaining the high standards we’ve set for ourselves. Discipline is non-negotiable, not because we fear failure, but because we are committed to our vision. It’s this dedication that allows us to transform inspiration into tangible results, driving us toward our Purpose and our VFP.
Accountability: Owning Our Actions
Life is unpredictable, and mistakes happen. What matters is how we respond. At High Noon, we take full responsibility for our actions and their outcomes. During the fulfillment of our first Kickstarter, we encountered numerous issues—delays in delivery, missing items, and even some defective products. Rather than shy away from these problems or simply ship out what was missing or broken, I decided to go the extra mile. We sent full replacements of games and included extra items to make up for the trouble.
The response from our customers was both shock and gratitude. They couldn’t believe a company would take such measures to make things right. This act of accountability not only resolved the immediate issues but also built a strong foundation of trust with our customers. Many became repeat buyers, leading to increased sales and higher profits in the long run. The lesson is clear: Accountability in the short run leads to significant gains in the long run.
Transparency: Building Trust Through Openness
In a company built on ethics and integrity, Transparency is essential. You can’t claim to be ethical and maintain integrity if you’re not open about your actions, decisions, and processes. Transparency is the key to earning and maintaining trust, both within our team and with our customers. It’s about being honest and upfront, making sure that everyone involved understands not just what we’re doing, but why we’re doing it.
At High Noon, we believe that for any plan to succeed, there must be a clear understanding of the steps involved. How can we collaborate effectively with our team if they don’t know the full scope of our plans? How can our customers see the value in what we’re creating if we don’t explain it clearly? Transparency ensures that every member of our team and every customer understands the purpose behind our actions and sees the value in our efforts.
This open approach allows us to work more effectively as a team, aligning our efforts toward common goals. It also builds stronger relationships with our customers, who can see our commitment to honesty and quality. By being transparent, we create a culture of openness and trust, where everyone feels valued and informed. It’s this commitment to Transparency that sets us apart, enabling us to lead with integrity and maintain the trust that is so vital to our Purpose and success.
Results: The Measure of Our Success
Everything we do at High Noon is driven by the need to achieve tangible Results. Without clear objectives and measurable outcomes, we’re just spinning our wheels. By focusing on Results, we ensure that every action we take is purposeful and contributes to the success of our business and the satisfaction of our customers. This value keeps us grounded and focused on what truly matters.
Alignment: The Glue That Holds Us Together
Alignment is crucial for ensuring that every decision we make is in line with our Purpose and helps us achieve our Valuable Final Product (VFP). At High Noon, we have walked away from more potential clients and business partners than we have accepted because we understood that the short-term gain wasn’t worth the long-term consequences of misalignment. We’ve encountered fantastic people, vendors, events, and organizations that offered us opportunities. These might have brought us some success or earned us a bit of profit, but we knew that if they didn’t align with our values and goals, they would ultimately be detrimental to our company.
This commitment to Alignment isn’t easy, especially in the early stages of business when every opportunity feels like a lifeline. Turning down a potential partnership or deal can be incredibly difficult, especially when the people involved are great, and the prospects seem promising. However, without true alignment, there’s almost always a critical breakdown waiting down the road—one that can lead to situations you can’t recover from or outcomes that are far from what you intended or desired.
For High Noon, Alignment is essential. It’s what keeps us true to our Purpose of creating a more ethical and customer-driven industry. Before taking on any new partnership or venture, we always ask ourselves, “Does this align with our Purpose and VFP?” If the answer isn’t a clear “yes,” we make the difficult decision to pass. This discipline ensures that we stay on the right path, one that leads us toward long-term success and fulfillment of our mission.
Conversely, when we find something or someone that aligns with our Purpose and VFP, we don’t hesitate to engage. We know that these are the opportunities that will help us grow and achieve our goals, and we are eager to embrace them. Alignment is not just about avoiding the wrong paths; it’s about wholeheartedly pursuing the right ones.
You might notice that our Core Values overlap or even apply to each other, and that’s by design. Our Core Value of Discipline keeps us adhering to the rules set by all our other Core Values. It ensures that we remain consistent and true to our principles, even when challenges arise. Alignment, when applied to the rest of our Core Values, guarantees that the partners we engage with are aligned not just with our Purpose and VFP, but also with the integrity and principles we uphold.
Each of our Core Values was chosen with our Core Value of Results in mind. They are not just ideals we strive for; they are practical, actionable principles that, when adhered to through the discipline of our team, should naturally lead to the results we are aiming for. Our Core Values work together, each one strengthening the others, creating a cohesive and powerful framework for achieving our goals.
Just as it’s important that Core Values should be chosen to drive the behavior needed for your Purpose, each Core Value should also be selected to complement and enhance the others. This synergy ensures that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, leading to a stronger, more resilient, and ultimately successful organization.
Parting Thoughts: A Challenge to Aspiring Board Game Creators
To aspiring board game entrepreneurs, I want to challenge you to think critically about your journey. Whether you want to or not, you will eventually face a pivotal decision: to either take your board game idea into a sustainable business or stay in the hustle phase. Either path is valid and entirely your choice. But if you decide to build a business for the long game, you will absolutely need to establish Core Values. Without them, you will never be able to sustain what you have, and you may risk losing everything, including your reputation.
When choosing your Core Values, I implore you to use the following rules:
Clarity and Memorability: Each value should be clear, concise, and easy for everyone in the company to remember and recite.
Definition: Clearly define what each value means to your company.
Enforceability: Your values must be enforceable, so you can use them as the sole criteria for hiring and firing staff while avoiding legal issues.
Alignment: Ensure that these values align with your company’s Purpose and Final Value Product, serving as the guiding principles for every decision.
Finally, if you’re serious about walking this path and need some guidance, I’m here to help. Feel free to reach out—I’m more than happy to support fellow creators in building something meaningful and lasting.
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