#821: My Two-Year Secret Project, COYOTE — The Strategies and Tactics for Building a Bestseller from Nothing with Elan Lee of Exploding Kittens
How Coyote Was Built: From Sharpie Prototypes To National Bestseller
This episode follows a two-year creative sprint that turned Tim Ferriss’s idea into Coyote, a fast-paced card game now sold in thousands of retail locations. Hosts Tim Ferriss and Alon Lee walk through the end-to-end process: ideation, rapid prototyping with blank cards, player-driven iteration, retail line reviews, and social media-first marketing approaches.
Rapid prototyping with blank cards and playtesting at home
Start cheap, iterate fast: the first workable prototypes were blank cards and Sharpies. Play repeatedly, mark what excites players, and preserve the iterations that provoke an instant "let’s go again" response. Build a small circle of consistent testers — families, friends, or a curated community — to gather natural, recorded sessions rather than artificial lab feedback.
Design tenets that guide decision-making for casual party games
Adopt practical design constraints: two minutes to learn, fifteen minutes to play; strip components that don't add value; make the game robust for first-time readers. Favor public, table-facing mechanics so players “play each other” and keep the underdog competitive with sabotages and modifiers.
How to pitch to mass retailers during line reviews and trade meetings
Retailers have limited time and shelf space. Use a one-two punch: demonstrate the emotional experience with a live demo, then show high-impact media such as a short founder video or social clips. Bring finished packaging mockups, sequence pitches strategically, and work with experienced retail agents to secure prime meeting slots and positioning.
Marketing, social video, and distribution realities
Short-form video that conveys "I see this experience and I want it" outperforms traditional product reels. Use social clips to prove discoverability when you walk into buyer meetings. Crowdfunding can validate demand, but newer curated launch partners or fulfillment partners mitigate trust issues and delivery risk.
For creators, the episode also recommends essential reads, practical workflows for writing clear rules, and ways to avoid common pitfalls like overcomplicated packaging, poor naming, or premature self-publishing. The conversation is part design primer, part distribution playbook—useful whether you’re building a kitchen-table prototype or planning a retailer rollout.
Key points
- Prototype quickly with blank cards and rapid iterations during real family and friend playtesting sessions.
- Capture 4x-speed video of playtests to identify confusion points and instruction breakdowns.
- Design for public, table-facing moves to encourage player interaction and social gameplay.
- Pitch retailers with a demo-first approach, then follow with packaging mockups and social media clips.
- Use curated crowdfunding or launch partners to validate demand and demonstrate fulfillment capability.
- Write instructions anticipating beginner questions and provide an instructional video via QR code.
FAQ
How did Tim Ferriss and Alon Lee prototype Coyote?
They started with blank cards and Sharpies, played repeatedly with small groups, and iterated modifiers until sessions triggered immediate replays.
What is the best way to gather real playtesting feedback?
Send prototypes to committed families who record sessions, then review video at higher speed and flag moments of confusion or delight.
How do you get a meeting with big retailers like Walmart or Target?
Work with experienced retail agents, bring polished packaging mockups, and open meetings with a live demo that creates emotional buy-in.
Should first-time creators self-publish or seek publishers?
A hybrid path works well: validate demand with crowdfunding or small launches, ship a fulfilled product, then present traction to publishers for better deals.
What marketing content convinces buyers and shoppers?
Short-form videos that show the experience and inspire the audience to think, 'I want that moment,' outperform technical gameplay clips.
