Question featured on Covenant Cast

Author: tonywok

_posts/2019-04-22-covenant-cast-question.md

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+---
+layout: post
+author: Tony Schneider
+title : Question featured on The Covenant Cast
+date  : 2019-04-22
+tags  : misc
+---
+
+For the past decade, my day job has almost always involved trying to understand business domains.
+This involves grappling with the concepts, terminology, problems, and motivations of various industries I never thought I'd find myself in.
+
+Ever since I cracked open my first pack of Magic the Gathering in grade school, I've been infatuated with the concept of expandable games.
+That game (and others) scratch a very similar itch that for some reason I can't seem to get enough of.
+
+These games have a niche industry and are filled with complexities like any other -- it also seems to be growing rapidly.
+For instance, in the 2000s, I would never have dreamt of a show like Parks and Recreation would feature a game like Settlers of Catan.
+
+It's one of the few social things that come to mind that are actively bringing people together in real life as opposed to digital environments.
+I think that human interaction is going to become increasingly important in an increasingly digital world.
+
+![Covenent Cast](/images/covenant-cast.png)
+
+As a result, I've been completely hooked by the Covenant Cast by the guys at [Team Covenant](https://teamcovenant.com).
+They, too, share this fascination and are intimately involved with it since it's _their_ business domain.
+It has easily become one of, if not my favorite, podcasts.
+
+In the podcast, they talk about the challenges of running a hobby game store and the state of their industry at large.
+
+Having spent some of my most cherished memories playing games, I'd be lying if I hadn't daydreamed about doing this.
+
+Some of my favorite episodes talk about how to evolve past the traditional retail model of game stores.
+
+To quote one of my favorite episodes of The Office:
+
+> **Business Student #1:** Sir, as a company that primarily distributes paper, how have you adapted your business model to function in an increasingly paperless world?
+>
+> **Michael Scott:** We can’t overestimate the value of computers. Yes, they are great for playing games and forwarding funny emails, but real business is done on paper. Okay?” Write that down. [whole class types it on their laptops]
+
+While Michael's response is amazing, the question is legitimate and very similar to the problems addressed in the podcast.
+
+* Why would someone buy something from a local store when they can get it online for cheaper?
+* Why is the hobby not enjoyed by a more diverse audience?
+* Can fostering a great community _be_ the business model?
+
+You can see the guys [answer my question](https://youtu.be/SSRfiu7j9KM?t=3194) in episode in [Episode 97](https://youtu.be/SSRfiu7j9KM).
+
+Given how much I enjoy the podcast, I was flattered to have my question discussed.
+It's also a great example of the evolving ways in which content creators are engaging with their audiences.
+
+> Until next time, keep playing. :sunglasses:

_site/index.html

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 <img class="emoji" title=":raised_hands:" alt=":raised_hands:" src="https://github.githubassets.com/images/icons/emoji/unicode/1f64c.png" height="20" width="20"> Misc</h2>
     <ul>
 <li>
+<span class="post-meta mono">2019-04-22</span>
+        <a href="/2019/04/22/covenant-cast-question.html">
+          Question featured on The Covenant Cast
+        </a>
+</li>
+<li>
 <span class="post-meta mono">2018-10-05</span>
         <a href="/2018/10/05/vinnys-best-man-speech.html">
           Vinny's Best Man Speech