Episode 418: Shawn Malkou, Capitalize Game

Shawn Malkou is an entrepreneur, content creator, and the creator of Capitalize, a wealth-building board game designed to teach real-world financial strategies in a fun way. With a background spanning over a decade in digital media and online content creation as well as finance and real estate, he has amassed millions of views while sharing insights on business, finance, and credit. Channeling his entrepreneurial drive and obsession with learning and teaching, he spent two years developing Capitalize from a simple office whiteboard concept into a fully realized tabletop experience. Through extensive prototyping, AI-driven playtesting, and global manufacturing, he brought the game to life to make financial education engaging and accessible.You can check out Capitalize on Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/shawnmalkou/capitalize-the-millionaire-maker-board-gameWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites:Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Kamil is a video editor and motion designer byvday, board game designer by night. He has the absolute privilege of transforming his ideas into real-life products that people can enjoy. His love of coming up with ideas, crafting prototypes, and spending an unreasonable amount of time arguing with himself whether a new mechanic fits the game or not has led to a series of micro games with a loyal following.You can check out Micro Empires on Gamefound here: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/thistroygames/micro-empiresWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Catvale started as a passion project on Luke’s bedroom table almost four years ago, fully inspired by his cats: Lama & Furia.Fudice isn't a big studio. It's just Luke - designer, publisher, marketer, logistics department, box packer... and a few more hats he’s gladly worn. Catvale was entirely self-funded, and together with a small group of talented artists Luke took a chance on this fluffy world of cats.Catvale is crushing it on Kickstarter, and you can get in on the action here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/fudice/catvaleWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Kevin Levy is a game designer and the Executive Director of Board Game Days, a Charitable Non-profit organization and board gaming convention. The convention, runs October 16-18 at The Mill & Mine in Knoxville TN. This convention features all kinds of tabletop gaming, ranging from a large variety of board games, dexterity games, RPGs, and social deduction games. There will also be a ton of board game give aways.The convention also facilitates many board game designers testing prototypes and connecting with publishers both during the convention and a pre-convention social event called Design & Dine.You can get your tickets here, and learn more about Board Game Days:https://tabletop.events/conventions/board-game-days-2026WHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites:Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Jeremy, a native of Ohio, spent over 20 years in China managing logistics networks. He now lives in Raleigh, NC, with his wife and three children. In the United States, he can devote more time to discussing projects with publishers. He is looking forward to playing Avalon - The Riven Vale this week with his gaming group.VFI Asia’s solutions: VAT‑free shipping, premium protective packaging, and consolidated shipments from China to Asia and now North America through its sister company Gamerati.VFI & Gameratie offer fulfillment for crowdfunding backers, logistics support for publishers, and a large distribution catalog for Asian retailers covering new titles and reprints.This is VFI's 10th year of creating solutions for Publishers of Games!Learn more about VFI Asia here: https://vfi.asiaLearn more about Gamerati here: https://gamerati.com WHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Sebastian Bleasdale's love of games started as a teenager when he bought copies of Settlers of Catan and Eupharates and Tigris. His third purchase, Simply Cosmic, resulted in his first game design attempt, as he attempted (and failed) to make it match his tastes.He was deterred from further design experiments until he graduated from Cambridge University and moved to Windsor. Here he started playtesting with Reiner Knizia which rekindled his interest in design. Twenty years later, this interest has turned into over a dozen published games, credits in hundreds more, and a fascination with design which burns as brightly as ever.His latest title to be published by Karma Games is currently on pre-order here: https://store.karma-games.com/pages/wildscape-preorderWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites:Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Nigel Matthews is CEO of ShipQuest, the market leader in Kickstarter Fulfillment for Board Games in the EU. With a huge wealth of knowledge and experience, Nigel digs into the changing rules around shipments to the EU and how to best navigate them along with the new testing requirements for the tabletop industry.Learn more about GamesQuest services at https://www.gamesquest.co.ukWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Sam Barmettler is a game designer who runs Around the Stump Games LLC. Sam got his love of board games from his grandfather and named around the stump after the chess board and set he and his grandfather built when he was in his early teen years. He started designing through making house rules as a kid and his first actual game prototype was made out of a desire to play in the Megaman BN universe with his younger siblings. Today Sam focuses his design and publishing efforts on making games where you walk away with memories of the players you were engaging with, taking a people over puzzles approach to all of his designs.Sam’s latest game, Button Kingdoms, recently funded on Kickstarter. Check it out:https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/aroundthestumpgames/button-kingdoms-conquest-through-cuddlesWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Jeffrey CCH is the founder and lead designer of Ice Makes in Hong Kong. He designs games with attention to what players feel and think as play progresses. Rather than focusing only on mechanics, Jeffrey considers how choices create meaning and how shared play leads to conversation beyond the table. For him, a successful game is one that leaves players with memories, insights, and stories they want to pass on to others.Ice Makes is a Hong Kong–based game design and publishing company that sees play as a way to shape meaningful experiences. Their games are created around moments that stay with players, from tension and excitement at the table to ideas, feelings, and stories they carry forward and share with others.Ic Makes focuses on how games unfold, what players take away from them, and how play creates connection.You can learn more about games from ICE MAKES here: https://icemakesgames.comWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites:Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games

Chris Backe (rhymes with hockey) runs the one-man show at Entro Games. Born near Chicago, IL, USA, he's been designing games since 2016. Chris went full-time in the board game industry in 2021, and has a number of design / developer credits on https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgamedesigner/112652/chris-backe. He runs Virtual Playtesting, Tabletop Publishers, and designs print-and-play games for Shiny Pigeon Printables. Chris is based in Birmingham, England.Details about the next projectThe next project is called the PnP Bundle, and it's a partnership with Florian Fiedler. The bundle is three games: Centi: a game from Florian about building poker hands and filling in polyomino shapes. Rooftop Roses: a game from myself about dice rolling, area control, and planting roses. Illustration / art by Parker Simpson. Echoes of Tomorrow: a game from our contest winner, Alec Hoptroff. It's an 18-card game about defeating the demons in your nightmare.Three very different games, all print-and-play. Check it out on Gamefound: https://gamefound.com/en/projects/florianfiedler/pnp-bundle-1?ref=search#/section/project-storyWHERE TO FIND OUR PODCAST:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5RJbdkguebb3MSLAatZr7riHeart Radio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-board-game-binge-72500104/Tune In: https://tunein.com/embed/player/p1344218/Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vYm9hcmRnYW1lYmluZ2U=Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/board-game-binge/id1522623033Visit Our Websites: Board Game Binge: https://boardgamebinge.com/Tin Robot Games: https://tinrobotgames.comElixir Board Games: https://www.elixirboardgames.com/our-games