I've always been fascinated by the "Internet Café Generation" and how it produced so many successful founders.

From Tobias Lütke (Shopify) to local SEA success stories like Leo Chen (Jumei) and the teams behind Secretlab/Aftershock, there seems to be a common thread: high-level RTS experience.

I put together a video deep-dive on 4 specific RTS mental models that translate perfectly to business:

The Build Order: How copying and optimizing pro strategies (like TSL/Buzzfeed) beats reinventing the wheel.
Macro vs. Micro: Choosing between "Teching Up" vs. "Expanding" as a metaphor for R&D vs. Market Growth.
the Ladder Mindset: Normalizing the "punch in the face" that comes with failure.
Adapting to the Meta: Navigating business changes like a Blizzard balance patch.

Watch the full video on Youtube

I’d love to hear if anyone else here feels like their time on the ladder helped their professional career. Did the "macro" mindset help you manage teams or resources in real life?