Meet Derrick Skipper

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Derrick Skipper. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Derrick below.

Derrick, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I inherited my work ethic from my mother, who, in turn, inherited it from my grandmother. Our family’s roots are in Alabama, and this heritage brings with it a particular kind of work ethic – one where there are no days off and no sick days until the job is done. I recall my childhood when a doctor had to declare me near death before I could take a day off from school. It brings to mind a vivid memory from fourth grade when I complained about being sick. My parents insisted I go to school anyway, and I ended up vomiting everywhere. When my mom finally picked me up from the nurse’s office, we rushed to the doctor, only to discover I had a stomach virus. I ended up missing two weeks of school. Looking back, I probably could have returned sooner, but even at that young age, I knew I might never get another opportunity like that in my life, so I milked it for all it was worth.

That being said, these values instilled in me from a young age—always showing up, staying consistent, and being present—have shaped me into a successful entrepreneur. Entrepreneurship is a realm where no two days are the same, and challenges constantly vary. Nevertheless, one must always show up; perfect attendance is required. This commitment pays off because, someday, you’ll reap the rewards of your hard work. I owe my mother, and by extension, my grandmother, for passing down an unwavering spirit that assures me of my success in Capital Punishment Games, my board game business.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My name is Derrick, and I create card games that bring people closer together. I embarked on this journey with some friends right in the midst of the pandemic. We were among the many small businesses that joined the fray during that time. Every day, I reflect on how fortunate I am to be able to engage in something that I find enjoyable, challenging, and exhilarating. This venture holds even greater significance because it emerged as a means for my friends and me to cope with the grief of losing one of our closest companions. Remarkably, we managed to channel that grief into creating something that would bring joy to others. Thus, our mission crystallized: to craft games that foster stronger bonds among friends and generate unforgettable moments with our loved ones.

In my capacity as the CEO of Capital Punishment Games, I consider myself exceptionally fortunate to design the kinds of games that I do. I’ve always held the belief that people from American cities have a unique way of interacting. Many of us share a similar sense of humor, one that compels us to find humor even in less-than-ideal situations. This inclination might serve as a coping mechanism, but it’s also how we entertain ourselves and maintain high spirits. Luckily, laughter is contagious, spreading like wildfire. Hence, I’m profoundly grateful to share that sense of humor in a format accessible to all in our debut game, “Capital Punishment: The Party Argument Game.”

Furthermore, at Capital Punishment Games, we have another game in the pipeline, which we’ll be announcing soon and delivering just in time for the holidays. More significantly, we are thrilled to unveil our upcoming TV show/YouTube series—a fusion of gameplay and talk shows. It promises to be one of the funniest shows in recent memory. Having had a sneak peek at the raw footage, I can confidently say that you are in for a treat. Be sure to stay updated by following us on our social media channels so you don’t miss out on the laughter and fun.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back on my journey, the three most pivotal skills or areas of knowledge that profoundly influenced my progress were:

-My Technical Background
-My Research Skills
-Marketing Experience

My advice is this: Regardless of the venture, whether it’s a business or any other pursuit, prioritize research—research, research, research. Delve into every facet of your enterprise, leaving no stone unturned. Approach your product, your costs, and your marketing with meticulous inquiry, employing the “5 Whys” technique. When I initiated my business, I immersed myself in the manufacturing process for my products. This proved invaluable when negotiating costs with various manufacturers and devising efficient logistics strategies to ensure timely delivery of my games from China to meet different deadlines. The deeper your understanding of your business, the fewer financial surprises you’ll encounter.

My technical background afforded me a notable advantage in note-taking. I meticulously documented all my research and business processes. This practice offers more benefits than you might realize—it enables you to continually refine and enhance your business operations. It allows you to optimize your formula, saving both time and money. Our memories are fallible; the antidote to memory lapses is to record and memorialize key information for your business.

Lastly, and most significantly, my marketing skills have been instrumental. I was fortunate enough to experience early failure in another business venture due to a fundamental misunderstanding of marketing. I mistakenly believed it solely entailed spending money. While this is often the case, it’s not universally true, especially for your case. Marketing involves taking creative risks to achieve the greatest impact with minimal expenditure. One common challenge, particularly for new entrepreneurs, is assuming that solutions to these problems are complex and convoluted. In today’s world of Instagram Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts, answers are readily accessible. Hard work is simply the easy work, multiplied.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
The problem I’m presently grappling with is that it appears to be more feasible to scale your business by a factor of 5 or 10 than it is to double it (2x). As your business grows, your problems tend to increase in magnitude, but your costs tend to decrease. Therefore, the more you can do to expand your business at a rate greater than two or more, the more advantageous your position will be. For instance, I am aware that if I were to increase my business by a factor of 5 right now, I would be able to make it my full-time occupation.

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Image Credits
Durrell Hospedale

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