Your friends might be screaming at you everyday to drop the phone but whenever you are bored, you itch to start playing that game. It started off as simply passing the time, but before you knew it, you were hook, line and sinker into the world of lozenges and jellybeans. Love it or hate it, you just can’t ignore Candy Crush.

 

And this is the man who made it.

 

 

Canali recently presented the new protagonist of the 200 Steps series. 200 Steps is an ongoing film series featuring creative men and their methods, inspired by the 200 Steps it takes for Canali to produce one of their bespoke suits. These films offer the chance to discover the ‘200 steps’ that go into making these men global leaders in their field.

 

Riccardo Zacconi, the Italian born co-founder and CEO of King, one of the world’s leading game developers, is the man behind Candy Crush Saga and Candy Crush Soda Saga. In this quirky film, Zacconi talks about the importance of inspiration and becoming an independent entrepreneur. The son of a dentist, his journey has been exciting (and his love for candies is understandable).

 

The 40-year-old native of Rome, who was included in The Guardian’s most powerful people in media list in 2013, has succeeded over the last 12 years in building a veritable digital empire. “Failure and success are two sides of the same coin. If you want to succeed, you need to consider failure as an integral part of the process,” Zacconi says in an interview. “Don’t get discouraged, just move forward with great humility. If you don’t make mistakes, it means you’re not running fast enough.”

 

And what does he have to say about inspiration, Candy Crush and his personal sense of style? Read for yourself:

 

What inspires you?

 

I get my inspiration from the team I work with. They’re very talented and dynamic people. Of course, we also get a lot of inspiration from the millions of people who play our games every day.

 

If you had to change career and start something new, what would you do?

 

That’s a tough question, because I love what I do. But, if I had to start over, I would make sure I’d do something that is equally interesting and allowed me to maintain the core values which guide what I do now.

 

Canali and Candy Crush – two worlds that seem pretty far apart – what in your view unites them?

 

King and Canali are similar in that we are both companies which are focused on quality. At King, we have a passion for excellence, and the desire to create something which lasts – something I know the team at Canali also shares.

 

How would you describe your sense of style?

 

I like to be casual and comfortable, but I definitely like clothes that are well made. Working in the gaming industry and travelling a lot means you’ll rarely see me in a suit – I’m more likely to wear jeans or casual trousers and a shirt.

 

What makes a successful businessman?

 

The tenacity to never give up, a strong belief in what you’re doing and trying to achieve and trust and respect for the people you work with.