This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Hey friends, hey listeners. Chris Guillebeau, your host of Side Hustle School. Welcome to a new episode. Welcome in fact to the first Throwback Thursday episode of 2024, episode 2,560 to be precise. And for all of our new listeners, here's how Throwback Thursday works.
It's pretty simple. We take a look at someone whose story we featured at one point or we heard a question from them at some point. In other words, we're bringing some sort of update and we're hearing how are they doing now? What kind of challenges have they overcome or faced? Sometimes they've had some struggles.
We like to look at everything like what's going well, what hasn't gone well and so on. And just delving into those details in a short action-packed update. Of course, there's a new episode every single day, seven days a week of Side Hustle School. So I always wanna get you something helpful and interesting, perhaps entertaining in this brief period of time. Now today is really great.
We're gonna kick off strong here. We're gonna hear from an indie video game developer from Ukraine. Now, Ukraine, I don't need to explain what's been going on in Ukraine for the past, well, I don't know, far too long, let's say that. But as it relates to our story here, what is it like to run a small business in the midst of a global conflict and invasion of war? In fact, well, let's hear about that.
Despite the challenges brought by the ongoing conflict, this listener's small gaming studio has not only released a successful second game, but is also nurturing a community of developers amidst adversity, all right? He's gonna do a much better job than I would talking about what's going on in Ukraine as it relates to his business specifically. So let's hear directly from him. I'll be back at the end with a quick wrap-up. [Music]
Hello, I'm Maxim, an indie game developer based in Ukraine.
My journey since we last spoke has been a testament to resilience, creativity, and the spirit of my team in the face of conflict. When I started the studio in a peaceful Ukraine, I was driven by a passion for storytelling through games. But as tensions escalated into war, the landscape of our operations drastically changed. The conflict brought not just physical changes, but emotional and logistical ones as well. Despite the incredible difficulty, my team and I remained committed.
We had to adapt quickly, relocating some team members, and duplicating tasks for two who were called to defend the country. This period tested our resourcefulness. We relied on cloud-based tools for collaboration, and often worked in time zones scattered across Europe. Our second game project and RPG exploring themes of resilience and hope ended up looking like our daily reality. We decided to integrate subtle nods to Ukrainian folklore and history, adding layers of depth and cultural context.
Marketing the game amidst the conflict was delicate. We focused on building a narrative around not just the game, but our journey as a team, persevering through the war. Engaging with the gaming community on platforms like Discord and Reddit, we shared our story, which attracted a lot of attention and interest. The launch of our game was more than a release, it was a statement of defiance and hope. The reception exceeded our expectations, both in sales and in critical acclaim.
Players were drawn not only to the gameplay, but also to the story of its creation. Reflecting on the business lessons from these challenging times, the key has been adaptability. Shifting to remote work and being sensitive in our marketing were crucial, but more than that, it was about the power of community and storytelling. Our game became a medium to share a piece of our world with players globally. For anyone navigating their business in times of conflict, my advice is to focus on your team's safety and well-being first.
Stay flexible in your operations and sensitive in your communication. And remember, sometimes your work can offer hope and escape, not just to your customers, but to your team as well. Today, our studio is pausing to regroup before we begin to make the next game. I had to admit that I'm tired from the war, and so is everyone else. I want everyone to come back rested before we attempt the next adventure.
- All right, I want to say a big thanks to Maxime for sharing these updates with us. I just can't imagine, you know, what it's like to try to grow a business in the midst of a war zone. And of course, we wanted to focus out his update mostly on the business aspect, but I would be remiss to not acknowledge just how difficult and challenging that is. And of course, how disruptive the situation has been. And there's other places around the world that are also experiencing so much conflict and disruption, and they're always entrepreneurs, small business owners, side hustlers who are trying to make their way through all of that.
So just wanted to acknowledge that. It's not the main purpose of our show, but as we're starting a new year, I think it's good to just be mindful of those out there who are struggling in situations much more difficult than most of us experience most of the time. All right, that said, let me know what you think, who you'd like to see featured from our archives. We've got more than a thousand stories in the archives, more than 2,500 total episodes at this point. And we're planning a whole year, a complete year of new episodes, seven days a week.
I am so excited to work on this for you. Everything we make is about serving our community. I want to thank our producer, Chuck Reed, who's been mixing these episodes for a long time as well. Thanks, Chuck. Thanks everybody out there.
It's going to be a great year, sidehustleschool.com. Some resources there, you can send in a question and you can just subscribe or follow wherever you get your podcasts. 'Cause more is coming up. Thanks again. My name is Chris Guillebeau.
This is Side Hustle School. [Music]
from the Onward Project.
