So… I’ve just finished watching all three series of Squid Game.
And while I wasn’t expecting it to be a masterclass in business psychology...turns out, it kind of is.
Now, in case you’ve never watched it (no spoilers, don’t worry), Squid Game is a brutal, high-stakes Korean drama that sees financially desperate contestants play deadly versions of childhood games in the hope of winning a life-changing cash prize.
It’s intense. It’s emotional. It’s disturbing at times.
But it’s also strangely… familiar.
Because underneath the neon lights, violence and twisted plotlines, Squid Game is really about human behaviour under pressure - and if you’re a business owner, that should sound very familiar.
Here are a few lessons that stood out to me - and why they matter in business:
1. Most People Only Move When Desperation Hits
In Squid Game, the contestants join the games because they’re desperate. Drowning in debt, out of options. They’re not playing because they want to… they’re playing because they have to.
Business owners often do the same.
We wait.
We coast.
We tell ourselves we’ll “look at that later” until suddenly....
Cashflow dries up.
Sales slump.
Or burnout kicks in.
Lesson: Don’t wait for desperation to take action. The best moves are made when you’re calm, not cornered.
2. The Game is Rigged if You Don’t Know the Rules
In the show, the players often fail...
...not because they’re not smart or capable - but because they didn’t understand the rules until it was too late.
Sound familiar?
So many business owners are winging it - guessing at marketing, pricing, hiring - because no one ever showed them how the game really works.
Lesson: Learn the rules of business: cash flow, margin, positioning, leverage before you play hard. Otherwise, you’re gambling, not building.
3. Alliances Matter More Than Ability
Some of the most ‘capable’ characters in Squid Game meet an early end. Why? Because they isolate themselves.
Meanwhile, others survive, not because they’re the best, but because they build the right relationships.
In business, it’s the same.
Going solo might feel noble - but it’s rarely smart.
Find partners. Coaches. Allies. Clients who believe in you.
They’ll open doors, keep you going, and help you win.
Lesson: In business, who you work with often matters more than how good you are.
4. Most People Want the Prize… But Can’t Handle the Pain
Everyone in Squid Game wants the money.
But very few are willing - or able - to handle what it takes to get it.
And that’s true in business too.
Everyone wants:
✅ More freedom
✅ More profit
✅ A business that runs without them
But when it comes to the uncomfortable work e.g. raising prices, firing the wrong staff, investing in systems...most people bow out.
Lesson: Winning in business requires pain tolerance. Those who grow are those who persist through discomfort, not those who avoid it.
Watching Squid Game reminded me that business isn’t just about strategy and spreadsheets.
It’s about mindset.
Pressure.
Decisions made in uncertain moments.
And understanding that most of the game is played between your ears.
So the question is:
➡️ Are you playing the game of business with your eyes open?
➡️ Do you know the rules, or are you hoping to figure it out as you go?
➡️ Are you building alliances or standing alone and struggling in silence?
Because you’re already in the game.
You just get to decide how you play.
To surviving, and thriving....just without the body count,
James