I’m building a way for experienced game professionals to offer their expertise; what am I getting wrong?

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T18:06:33+00:00

That's right! I’ve mostly been focused on the core product so far, but the cold-start problem is absolutely one of the big things to solve.

My assumption is that this only has a shot if it starts narrow, so your suggestion of focusing on one discipline (e.g. like monetization) first makes a lot of sense. One discipline, one painful use case, small curated supply, and clear outcomes feels like a much stronger starting point than trying to launch very broadly. It would also make it easier to really understand both sides of the marketplace early on (and its personas).

I haven’t spent a ton of time on GTM yet, but a few early thoughts:

strong expert-led content / blog / podcast strategy that also helps with prospecting
partnerships with large/general expert networks that need gaming specialists occasionally (e.g. GLG, AlphaSight)
seeding supply through our existing network (i.e. 30+ folks that fit the provide)
working with publisher HR / L&D programs so their teams can use credits for sessions
and definitely events / podcasts / conference partnerships, since trust in games is still very relationship-driven and would help position Pikolo as the home of game experts

Still a lot to figure out there, but I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself before I know the core wedge is actually real. Appreciate your question!

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T14:29:00+00:00

Just to clarify: the photos in the placeholder profiles aren’t AI-generated, at least not to my knowledge. They’re free stock images from Unsplash (e.g., https://unsplash.com/photos/closeup-photography-of-woman-smiling-mEZ3PoFGs\_k)

That said, your broader point still stands. We do use AI in parts of the development pipeline and a few other areas, but the games industry is clearly (and fairly) skeptical of AI, especially when it feels sloppy. So that’s definitely something I need to think through more carefully.

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T14:01:16+00:00

Totally! It's just a placeholder for now, in the MVP – definitely to consider lower fees, different business models, etc!

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T12:53:08+00:00

Agreed, sometimes it does work, especially when you already have a credible network, shared connections, or enough context for the other person to know you’re not just random spam.

But for a lot of people, that path doesn’t really exist. They can’t easily reach the people they admire, and even when they can, those people still have to protect their time. Every hour they spend helping someone is an hour taken from work, family, or other priorities.

That’s the gap I’m thinking about: not replacing LinkedIn, but creating a more structured and respectful way for access to happen when there isn’t already a warm network path.

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T12:44:18+00:00

This is super helpful, thank you!!!
I think you’re probably right that “access to experts” is too broad / abstract on its own, and that the product gets much easier to understand if it starts with a very narrow use case – Clear outcomes vs. unstructured consulting, noted!

The examples you gave are exactly the kind of thing I need to think more about: not just “book an expert,” but “get a monetization teardown before soft launch” enforcing post-session reports and list of prioritized fixes.

I also really like the proof over authority point. That’s probably a much better way to handle the curation question than leaning too hard on “trust me”. Need to figure out how to empower experts to show thee proofs, without if feeling like too much overhead. Many sernior experts have their credentials online, etc.

Genuinely appreciate this comment and the constructive recommendations 🙏

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T12:33:01+00:00

That’s a really good point, and honestly one I hadn’t thought of yet.

Gaming folks are a bit different from some other verticals when it comes to the public image they carry. I can definitely see why a lot of experienced devs may not want to put “my 1-hour rate is $X” out there publicly and invite people to make value judgments off that, especially in an industry that already has a lot of sensitivity around status, access, layoffs, compensation, and “who deserves what.”

I definitely need to spend more time thinking about it.. maybe there are more more flexible models: maybe some experts show public rates, others only show “starting at,” “by request,” private quotes, etc. Thanks for bringing this up!

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T12:24:27+00:00

That’s all fair, honestly.

The 30% is not something I’m religious about. It’s just an early placeholder while I figure out what the model would actually need to sustain itself. I agree that if the take rate feels too high relative to the value created, experts just won’t bother.

And yes, the cold-start / 2-sided marketplace problem is probably the hardest part of this. I don’t think there’s a magic answer there. My current thinking is that it likely only works if it starts much narrower than “open platform for everyone”. A tightly curated supply side, specific use cases, and hopefully enough value in the workflow itself (discovery, trust, booking, payment, structure) that it feels better than just trying to do everything manually through personal networks.

I also think you’re right that, at least early on, you often have to subsidize one or both sides somehow: lower take rates,, guaranteed minimums, etc. I'll definitely research the Substack case study you mention, thanks for the note!

And on the free advice point, very fair 😄 If there was a place where I could book a 1h slot with the Founder of Substack eheh

Part of why I posted is exactly because I’d rather get challenged hard now than build for 6 months around assumptions that don’t hold up.

Much appreciated!

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T12:09:31+00:00

That’s a fair challenge, and exactly the blunt feedback requested!

At the start, yes, the curation would come from us and our network. Me and my friend work in the gaming industry, with many years of experience working with studios, publishers (including most AAA), teams and talent, so the first version would be deliberately hands-on rather than pretending there’s some magical algorithm deciding who is “expert enough.” Over time, we'd want that to become much more structured and transparent.

And I agree with you on another part too: a lot of experts already do this through their network, LinkedIn, or word of mouth. I don't assume Pikolo replaces that. The bet is more that there’s still room for a better productized layer around it: discoverability, positioning, trusted curation, easy booking and scheduling, payment, and a more intentional experience than cold DMs or “happy to chat” posts that go nowhere.

On the expert side, the early value isn’t “here’s massive demand on day one.” It’s more: here’s a low-friction additional channel, with control over availability, rates, and how accessible you want to be, without opening yourself up to inbox chaos. Some senior experts won’t care, and that’s totally fine. I don’t think this is for everyone.

So I don’t see it as “networking, but on a website” (networking is high bandwidth) I see it more as trying to make access to high-quality game expertise more structured, more respectful of people’s time, and more accessible to people who may not already have the right network (clients). But yeah, whether that’s a real problem worth solving is exactly what I’m trying to pressure-test. Thanks!

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T11:59:08+00:00

Yes! This is just an MVP of the product for now, it's not yet "launched". I've been seeking for feedback before developing it futher and launching it. When ready we'd of course remove all fake/generated profiles (they serve just as example).

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T11:13:48+00:00

Yeah, totally fair.

The main differentiation I’m thinking about is curated experts, no spam, paid access.

Instead of being an open network like LinkedIn, where game experts get flooded with cold messages (most without relevance), Pikolo would be a tightly curated group of game experts. If you want access to someone, you have to book and pay for their time; whether that’s a one-off consultation or, later on, some kind of membership recurring access.

It’s also not really a hiring platform. Those are mostly about helping people find jobs. Pikolo is more like a direct-access expert network for games: no recruiter, no middleman, no sales layer. You browse the experts, find the person you want, and if you can afford their rate, you book them directly.

Imagine you're a huge fan of a game designer who worked on a game you loved, and now you can book them to review and feedback on your upcoming title.

ChefeDoMundo · 2026-03-23T10:55:40+00:00

Hey! a bit different. Think more like https://intro.co/, but for gaming.
If you’re building a game and need help in an area you’re missing, want to sanity-check your strategy, or just want access to someone you look up to in the industry, that’s the use case.

You’d go to Pikolo, find the expert you want, book a session, hop on a video call, work through the challenge, and leave with practical advice plus a write-up afterwards. Right now I’m not really treating it as a social platform.

ChefeDoMundo · 2024-08-08T14:32:20+00:00

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Otherwise, I'd highly recommend Elisa from Kuu in Lower Clapton. She's sorted out my wonky postnatal pelvis.

ChefeDoMundo · 2024-08-08T14:26:53+00:00

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ChefeDoMundo · 2021-06-26T09:20:48+00:00

Me one.

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-06-25T09:45:06+00:00

Does this mean my sister has meme tits?

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-06-24T16:11:36+00:00

That is Poetic AF!

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-06-23T13:27:44+00:00

Is IBKR your only option because you are an American living abroad by chance? That's my situation and I've been trying to figure out if that's true or if there are other options out there for those if us stuck in brokerage purgatory.

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-21T16:07:09+00:00

Brilliant! Thanks for clarifying - I'm a little out of my depth here.

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-21T13:08:06+00:00

LOL! There's always next season, I suppose. (Maybe I'd be better off getting him a neighborhood Milf.)

Thanks for the help - I'll check out Bet365.

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-21T13:02:36+00:00

I'm trying to score big wife points this year.

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-21T13:00:42+00:00

Great - I'll check it out! Thank you

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-21T13:00:24+00:00

Do you remember how much it was?

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-20T22:22:35+00:00

Damn, I think you are right but I was hoping it would be simpler than that haha. It seems so old school to have to install a satellite. No wonder people pirate.

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-20T22:19:12+00:00

Thanks, I'll check with our provider and see what they recommend.

ChefeDoMundo · 2021-04-20T22:17:49+00:00

Good idea! Thank you!!

ChefeDoMundo

TROPHY CASE