Business in America is Like Playing a Video Game

My Version of The Small Business Owner in America as Frogger

Frogger is our classic 80’s videogame hero, who somehow always gets himself in the middle of a great adventure, is both courageous and adventurous (while being a bit eccentric).

The object of the game is to direct frogs to their homes one by one by crossing a busy road and navigating a river full of hazards. 

The frog starts at the bottom of the screen (entrepreneurial spark!), which contains a horizontal road occupied by cars (competitors), trucks (market conditions), and bulldozers (bureaucracy) speeding along it. The player-entrepreneur must guide the frog-business between opposing lanes of traffic to avoid becoming roadkill (early startup failures), which results in a loss of a life (bankruptcy). After the road, there is a median strip separating the two major parts of the screen. This is that false sense of security when an entrepreneur thinks the business has hit its stride.  The upper portion of the screen consists of a river with logs (market uncertainties), alligators (taxes), and turtles (client tastes evolving), all moving horizontally across the screen. By jumping on swiftly moving logs (inflation) and the backs of turtles and alligators, the player can guide their frog to safety (profitability). The player must avoid snakes (disgruntled employees), otters (family obligations), and the open mouths of alligators (new entrants to the market). A brightly colored female frog is sometimes on a log and may be carried for bonus points (the supportive spouse). The top of the screen contains five "frog homes", which are the destinations for each frog. These sometimes contain insects (succession plans) or lurking alligators (estate planning). Even when you think you’ve made, the small business owner must remain vigilant. 

If you know a small business owner in America, take some time out today to give him or her a hug. That Frog is really a Prince!

Written by Luigi Rosabianca of Shield Advisory Group.