The Game Thinking Edge

Where Builders
Become Leaders.

Small-group masterminds for tech founders & product leaders

6–10 Members
per group — intimate enough for real trust, diverse enough to matter
Weekly Sessions
where you connect with talented peers for honest feedback, accountability, & shared momentum
Led by Amy Jo Kim
Game designer on The Sims, Rock Band, Netflix, Covet Fashion – reached 100M+ players

Why This Matters

The higher you rise, the harder it is to find people who'll tell you the truth.

Most leadership programs give you frameworks and send you home. We put you in a room with talented peers who understand your terrain, challenge your thinking, and have skin in your success.

A game designer's lens on your product

Game designers have spent careers solving the hardest product problem: how do you build something people choose to return to? Habit loops, progression systems, intrinsic motivation — these principles apply directly to your product, your team, and your leadership.

Small, curated & high-trust

Every group is 6–10 people — carefully selected for stage, domain, and fit. Small enough that everyone knows your situation. Diverse enough for genuine perspective. No one here is selling to anyone else.

Weekly rhythm that compounds

Showing up every week keeps your challenges fresh and your thinking sharp. You bring a real decision, get real feedback, and return the following week having acted on it. That cadence builds accountability that no quarterly program can replicate.

A coach who tells you the truth

Amy Jo doesn't just facilitate — she challenges. She brings pattern recognition from working with founders across dozens of industries and product categories, and she's not afraid to name the blind spot everyone else has been tiptoeing around.

Kacie Hsu

"This approach changed how we design; it delivers powerful insights fast."

Kacie Hsu · Senior Research Lead, EA

Blair Ethington

"Amy Jo has a refined, effective process for bringing new ideas to life."

Blair Ethington · VP @ eBay

Robin Allenson

"I was amazed at how quickly we found our ideal target customers. This stuff works."

Robin Allenson · CEO, Similar.ai

Who This Is For

Tech Founders & Senior Product Leaders.

We support ambitious leaders with organizational responsibility who are building with AI — tech founders, business owners, and senior product leaders.

You're probably a fit if

  • You're a founder or product leader at a growing company who's facing product leadership challenges
  • You have a technical or product background and it's central to how you think
  • You're spending more time on people, strategy, and stakeholders — and want to lead with product depth, not just manage from a distance
  • You've outgrown the advice of generalist coaches and generic leadership programs
  • You want trusted peers who give honest feedback, not just encouragement

This probably isn't for you if

  • You're pre-product or in the very early idea stage
  • You're looking for a course with curriculum and homework
  • You're looking for contacts, not accountability
  • You're not open to having your assumptions challenged

How This Works

Two masterminds. One standard.

Each group is curated for a specific domain and leadership context. Same weekly format, same high-trust culture, same Game Thinking methodology.

Now Accepting Applications · Q2 2026
Builder's Edge

For AI & consumer tech founders and product leaders

Your technical background is your superpower — and your greatest leadership challenge. Builder's Edge is for founders and product leaders who want to bring the same rigor and craft they apply to their products to the practice of leading a team.

  • Shift from hands-on builder to strategic leader
  • Keep your product instincts sharp as your team scales
  • Focus on the decisions only you can make
  • Use game design to drive retention and engagement
Currently Running · Limited Spots
Health Tech Edge

For digital health founders and product leaders

Digital health is a complex, high-potential tech sector that's underserved when it comes to peer support. Regulatory constraints, clinical workflows, patient outcomes, commercial pressures — we get it.

  • Building products that drive behavior change
  • Navigating clinical, regulatory, & commercial complexity
  • Finding & learning from the right early customers
  • Strategic positioning in a fast-moving sector
Apply Now →
Amy Jo Kim
Amy Jo Kim, Ph.D.
Game Designer & Startup Coach
Ultima Online The Sims Rock Band Covet Fashion Netflix Disney Google New York Times Tesla Replika Apollo Neuro

Your Coach

A co-thinker & trusted advisor.

Amy Jo Kim is a game designer and product strategist whose work has reached 100M+ people — including The Sims, Ultima Online, Rock Band, and Covet Fashion. She's worked alongside founders and product teams at Netflix, Disney, Google, Tesla, Replika, and Apollo Neuro, and created the Game Thinking methodology — a framework that distills the best practices of game design into a step-by-step system for building high-retention products.

In the mastermind, Amy Jo isn't a teacher. She's a co-thinker and pattern-matcher who has seen what works — and what fails — across hundreds of products and dozens of categories. She'll challenge your assumptions and sharpen your thinking.

Garry Tan

"Game Thinking is your instruction manual. You've got to find your own window of opportunity."

Garry Tan · CEO, Y Combinator

Bob Moesta

"Want to use Jobs-To-Be-Done to build the right product? You're in good hands with Amy Jo."

Bob Moesta · Founder, ReWired Group

Eugenia Kuyda

"Working with Amy Jo is like having a world-class product designer in your pocket."

Eugenia Kuyda · CEO, WABI

Monthly VIP Guests

Connect with world-class leaders.

Every month, a hand-picked industry leader joins the mastermind for an intimate conversation — sharing insights, answering your questions, and expanding your network in ways no conference can replicate.

Amy Bucher
Amy Bucher, Ph.D.
CBO · Lirio
Gina Bianchini
Gina Bianchini
CEO · Mighty Networks
Doug Hofstadter
Doug Hofstadter
Author · Gödel, Escher, Bach
Chelsea Howe
Chelsea Howe
CPO · Sunblink
Kevin Kelly
Kevin Kelly
Co-founder · WIRED Magazine
Hansohl Kim
Hansohl Kim
Anthropic
Eugenia Kuyda
Eugenia Kuyda
CEO · WABI
Bob Moesta
Bob Moesta
Founder · ReWired Group
Laura Burkhauser
Laura Burkhauser
CEO · Descript
Jesse Schell
Jesse Schell
CEO · Schell Games
Garry Tan
Garry Tan
CEO · Y Combinator
Kevin Werbach
Kevin Werbach
Director · Wharton Accountable AI Lab

Past guests shown. Future guests vary by cohort.

Investment: $10K/year for leaders at established companies · $6K/year for self-funded founders & solopreneurs. Spots are limited — we select for fit, not just credentials. Apply to get started.

Apply Now →

FAQ

Common questions.

Small-group Mastermind program for tech founders and product leaders who want to hone their product sense, make sharper decisions, and build a trusted peer network — all through a game designer's lens on leadership and retention.

We are currently accepting applications for Q2 2026. Spots are limited and filled by application. Submit your application to get the process started.

We meet weekly most weeks, with breaks for vacations and holidays. This ensures you never wait long for problem-solving support when you need it most.

Some members meet most weeks; others drop in 1–2 times per month. Both work — the program is designed to be flexible so it fits into a busy leadership schedule.

Everything runs online, so you can participate from anywhere. Our groups are intentionally international — past and current members join from the US, Switzerland, Dubai, India, Poland, Germany, Sweden, and beyond.

If you want to sharpen your product leadership skills, build a network of talented peers, and make smarter decisions with the support of a trusted group — this is for you. Our members are startup founders, design leaders, and product executives who are all navigating the challenges of leading AI-driven product teams.

Startup founders, design leaders, product executives & business owners who are leading AI-driven product teams. We select carefully so the people in the room are genuinely your peers.

It's a mastermind — you bring real work & decisions to each session. Learning happens through peer feedback & expert facilitation. You ALSO get full access to our Journey Design course library & live workshops while you're a member.

The Mastermind is $10,000/year for leaders at established companies, and $6,000/year for self-funded founders and solopreneurs. Many participants expense this through their company's professional development or leadership budget.

Yes — we offer monthly and quarterly payment plans for approved Mastermind members. Payment options can be discussed after your application is reviewed.

Ready?

Ambitious leaders. Curious minds.
Hot products.

If you value game design expertise, want honest feedback from talented peers, and care deeply about building products people love — this room was made for you. Spots are limited. Let's find out if it's a fit.