Ah, Wish That Business Were So Easy!


Andertoons: cheat codes in business

I’m part of the generation that has grown up on video games, and I’m still a casual gamer. However, running a business and taking care of the kids rarely leaves me with excess time to spend on particularly hard game levels, so sometimes I look for a little help.

This cartoon came out of me searching a gamer website for tips. In addition to the traditional level walk-through, there were, of course, cheat codes to give you all sorts of help ranging from different clothes for your character, to complete invulnerability.

It all came together a few days later when I heard the phrase “taking it to the next level” on the radio, and I thought how great it would be if we could just enter a cheat code somewhere to get a new car, get that raise, and, hey, invulnerability couldn’t hurt.

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Mark Anderson, professional cartoonist

About the Author: Mark Anderson’s cartoons appear in publications including The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. Anderson is the creator of the popular cartoon website, Andertoons.com, where he licenses his cartoons for presentations, newsletters and other projects. He blogs at Andertoons cartoon blog.

11 Comments ▼

Mark Anderson Mark Anderson's cartoons appear in publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. His business cartoons are available for licensing at his website, Andertoons.com.

11 Reactions
  1. Mark,

    Do you have this strip on your site? I want to post it on my homepage (powered by Posterous).

    I remember when I played Pharaoh’s Curse on the home computer called Commodore 64 and it was hard to reach the next level.

  2. That cartoon needs to be seen everywhere. Schools, workplaces…

    *Instant classic IMO

    Where can I order it on a shirt?

  3. That is on my site, but no-shirts, sadly.

    Glad you like it!

  4. Mark,

    I have now posted a cartoon on my site at Martin.Lindeskog.name

    You could sell t-shirt through CaféPress and SpreadShirt. I am in the process help a entrepreneur to set up new blogs that are linked to online stores based on a brand new two-way communication concept.

    Talking about t-shirt and other stuff, did you know that my Twitter follower #1000 will get a free gift from one of my online stores? For the “rules”, please click on “Martin Lindeskog” Says: link.

  5. I love this. Everytime I hear about someone’s success at a video game, they always follow it up with, “then I got the cheat code. . .” and beat the game.

    That’s no fun 🙂

  6. Hey Mark
    I’m often amazed at how right-on your cartoons are to my life as a business owner and as a Dad. My son has started to recognize those “cheat codes” on various products. Despite his Dad being a “marketing guy”, my wife has educated him on — “it is just marketing, son….”

    And he’s told me — “just get on the internet, Dad….” when I’m discussing some challenge with friends or family that he overhears.

    I like your idea of cheat codes for taking it to the next level. I agree with the others here — you should be making or licensing out to do t-shirts!!

  7. So true – I agree! Maybe I’ll start making my list now for everything I want to get – starting with a vacation!! Anything is possible!

  8. No cheat codes when it comes to business. You have to work for everything but that is whats great. No one can come and just put that code in!

  9. Mark, cool cartoon again! You know what, if cheat codes are available for small businesses to use then there’s no need to face challenges or any recession stage such as this. We’ll just input the code and viola, we’re out of recession.

  10. That’s why we love the taste of success. Because to get the real success you wont use the short cut or any codes.

    When you done everything by yourself and get reward that one is really satisfactory.

  11. Too bad there are no cheat codes right now!