
The hidden pattern behind successful products | Mark Pincus (founder of Zynga)
Descripción del Episodio
Mark Pincus founded Zynga—the company behind Words With Friends, FarmVille, and Zynga Poker—and has arguably created more hit consumer products than anyone in history. At Zynga, eight of 10 major game launches became massive hits, reaching over a billion players. Over the past five years, Mark has been synthesizing everything he’s learned about building successful consumer products and turning it into a book, Life at the Speed of Play, which comes out on June 23. This is the first interview he’s done about the book.
In our in-depth conversation, we discuss:
1. His “Proven, Better, New” framework: copy what’s proven, make it better so that 10 out of 10 people say “f*ck yes, I’ll use this”—then add something new
2. Why being less ambitious is the path to the most ambitious ideas
3. His rule of thumb that your instincts are right 95% of the time, but your ideas are wrong 75% of the time
4. “Kill hope before hope kills you”
5. How to raise kids in the age of AI
—
Brought to you by:
WorkOS—Make your app enterprise-ready, with SSO, SCIM, RBAC, and more
Vanta—Automate compliance, manage risk, and accelerate trust with AI
—
Episode transcript: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/the-common-pattern-behind-successful
—
Archive of all Lenny's Podcast transcripts: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/yxi4s2w998p1gvtpu4193/AMdNPR8AOw0lMklwtnC0TrQ?rlkey=j06x0nipoti519e0xgm23zsn9&st=ahz0fj11&dl=0
—
Where to find Mark Pincus:
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markpincus
• Website: https://www.lifeatthespeedofplay.com
—
Where to find Lenny:
• Newsletter: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com
• X: https://twitter.com/lennysan
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lennyrachitsky/
—
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introduction to Mark Pincus
(02:46) The Proven Better New framework overview
(07:29) Earning the right to innovate
(08:30) What “better” really means
(12:03) Quick summary of the framework
(12:40) Examples of the framework in action
(13:30) How to use proven correctly on your platform
(15:13) The moral arbitrage of copying
(23:55) Be less ambitious
(28:25) The Bolt.new story and staying humble
(33:15) Kill hope before hope kills you
(37:00) Using AI as a failure machine
(40:08) Why Zynga’s games succeeded (it wasn’t virality)
(48:36) The future of consumer social apps
(57:05) How to know if your product is a B+
(1:01:25) Distribution in the age of AI
(1:15:39) Make everyone a CEO
(1:18:18) Stay close to the metal
(1:21:35) Why Mark says micromanagement is beautiful
(1:23:35) The expert witness
(1:25:05) The number one job of a CEO is to be right
(1:26:35) What Mark is teaching his five kids
(1:35:14) Mark’s “why”
(1:37:08) Mark’s new book: Life at The Speed of Play
—
Referenced:
• Tribe.net: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribe.net
• Zynga: https://www.zynga.com
• Sid Meier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sid_Meier
• Electronic Arts: https://www.ea.com
• CityVille: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CityVille
• Words With Friends: https://wordswithfriends.com/
• Scrabble: https://playscrabble.com
• Reddit: https://www.reddit.com
• TED Radio Hour, MIT Media Lab founder, 1984 TED talk.: https://www.ted.com/talks/nicholas_negroponte_5_predictions_from_1984
• Peter Thiel on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterthiel
• FarmVille: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FarmVille
• Craig Newmark: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Newmark
• How to consistently go viral: Nikita Bier’s playbook for winning at consumer apps (co-founder of TBH, Gas, advisor, investor): https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/how-to-consistently-go-viral-nikita-bier
• Angry Birds: https://www.angrybirds.com/
• OMGPop: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OMGPop
• Draw Something: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draw_Something
• Slack founder: Mental models for building products people love ft. Stewart Butterfield: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/slack-founder-stewart-butterfield
• Brian Chesky’s new playbook: https://www.lennysnewsletter.com/p/brian-cheskys-contrarian-approach
• Garry Tan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garrytan
• Brian Armstrong on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barmstrong
• Jason Citron on X: https://x.com/jasoncitron
• Stanislav Vishnevskiy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svishnevskiy
• Jeff Bezos on X: https://x.com/JeffBezos
• Andy Jassy on X: https://x.com/ajassy
• Niantic: https://nianticlabs.com
• Pokémon Go: https://pokemongo.com
• Bing Gordon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/binggordon
—
Recommended book:
• Life at the Speed of Play: Launch Products People Love!: https://www.amazon.com/Life-Speed-Play-Launch-Products/dp/0063352575/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0
—
Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].
—
Lenny may be an investor in the companies discussed.
To hear more, visit www.lennysnewsletter.com
Episodios Recientes

Más podcasts de Sociedad y Cultura
Ver toda la categoría →
PSICOCAFÉ
By shows
<p>Psicocafé es un espacio de conversación donde la psicología se vuelve cercana, clara y necesaria.</p><p>Aquí hablamos de ansiedad, relaciones, familia, emociones y todo eso que vivimos… pero no siempre sabemos cómo entender.</p><p>Un podcast para cuestionarte, reflexionar y ver tu vida desde otra perspectiva.</p><p>Prepara tu café y acompáñanos.</p>

Sucedió una noche
By shows
Un podcast de película sobre cine clásico: las estrellas míticas, las películas que todos recordamos y las miles de anécdotas y curiosidades que hicieron del cine la gran pasión de nuestro tiempo. Con Antonio Martínez y Elio Castro. Suscríbete y escucha cine cuando y donde quieras.

Young and Profiting (YAP) with Hala Taha: Entrepreneurship and Self-Improvement Podcast
By shows
YAP is the must-listen podcast for driven entrepreneurs and high achievers who are hardcore about business, personal growth, and achieving their potential. Hosted by Hala Taha, self-made entrepreneur and CEO of YAP Media, this #1 entrepreneurship podcast features mini-masterclasses with business icons and industry legends like GaryVee, Alex Hormozi, Mel Robbins, Reid Hoffman, Kevin O’Leary, and Codie Sanchez who help you profit in all aspects of life—from boosting sales and beating algorithms to biohacking and productivity. Whether you’re launching a startup, scaling your business, running a side hustle, or upgrading your mindset, every YAP episode delivers actionable advice that WILL help you profit. Listen, Learn, and Profit with the Young and Profiting (YAP) podcast! For ad inquiries, please reach out to: [email protected]

Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville
By shows
<p>Nashville based veteran music producer Tony Mantor’s Almost Live… Nashville podcast takes its listener on a journey through the business of music and entertainment. Following the success and popularity of his top-rated podcast on Autism & Mental Health awareness - Why Not Me? - Mantor hosts thought-provoking conversations and behind-the-scenes stories from various celebrity guests from the world of music, television and entertainment. With more than 30 years as an accomplished music producer based in Nashville, Mantor welcomes a worldly guest list of musicians, actors and entertainers who share their unique stories about the roles they’ve played in creating and sustaining what we know as popular American culture. Conversations and stories that also give a deeper understanding on what it takes to achieve success in the entertainment industry for aspiring entertainers who are currently pursuing their own dreams of being a star someday. Whether listening for the entertainment or storytelling factor alone, or for tips on how his guests faced their life’s challenges, Almost Live… Nashville will have a story for anyone who has been a fan of popular culture in music, movies and television over the last few decades.</p>

Power On with Mark Gurman
By shows
<p>Power On delivers Apple and consumer technology scoops, analysis and insider access you won’t find anywhere else. Every Thursday, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman brings you exclusive reporting, behind-the-scenes insight, product reviews and expert analysis, with special guests from inside Bloomberg, including tech editor Vlad Savov, and across the technology industry. The podcast takes you through this wild moment in tech — one where AI is shaking up development, Apple’s Ternus era has begun and consumer technology is set to change more in the next five years than it has in the last 20. Get the news first on the products, people and decisions shaping the world’s most influential technology companies. From the next iPhone and the future of AI to the industry’s biggest shake-ups, Power On tells you what’s happening, why it matters and what’s coming next.</p>

Tony Mantor's : Almost Live..... Nashville
By shows
<p>Nashville based veteran music producer Tony Mantor’s Almost Live… Nashville podcast takes its listener on a journey through the business of music and entertainment. Following the success and popularity of his top-rated podcast on Autism & Mental Health awareness - Why Not Me? - Mantor hosts thought-provoking conversations and behind-the-scenes stories from various celebrity guests from the world of music, television and entertainment. With more than 30 years as an accomplished music producer based in Nashville, Mantor welcomes a worldly guest list of musicians, actors and entertainers who share their unique stories about the roles they’ve played in creating and sustaining what we know as popular American culture. Conversations and stories that also give a deeper understanding on what it takes to achieve success in the entertainment industry for aspiring entertainers who are currently pursuing their own dreams of being a star someday. Whether listening for the entertainment or storytelling factor alone, or for tips on how his guests faced their life’s challenges, Almost Live… Nashville will have a story for anyone who has been a fan of popular culture in music, movies and television over the last few decades.</p>

The Woman in the Woods
By shows
Nick and Mindi Kassotis believed they were being hunted. According to friends and family, Nick's classified military work had put them both in danger, so much so that Mindi rarely left the house. But the couple also shared they were expecting a child. Then, just after Thanksgiving, Mindi died suddenly in the hospital. Soon after, Nick died too. That's what everyone who loved them believed, that is until a woman's dismembered remains turned up in a wooded area. Stories started to unravel and a mysterious new figure emerged. "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty separates fact from fiction in a case built upon unimaginable layers of deception.

Inteligencia Artificial, tu resumen semanal
By shows
El resumen semanal de Inteligencia Artificial más útil para tu negocio, con tutoriales y estrategias que puedes aplicar desde hoy + entrevistas con las mentes más grandes de los negocios en México y Latinoamérica para que escuches directamente de ellos cómo funciona su negocio.