242 9:04

“Game Night in a Can” Makes $75,000 for TV Producer

A crowdfunded project to transform LA comedy into a Game Night format for households across the country becomes a big success.

9:04

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What It's About

How a man in L.A. is revolutionizing Game Night with his "Game Night in a Can"—move over Apples to Apples!

Business Model
Manufacturing
Skills Required
Creativity & Design
Complexity
Medium
Profit Potential
Medium

Words of Wisdom

The first step Jason took was to get the project funded on Kickstarter. He knew that by putting the product there before he’d invested any money at all he could test how the product would be received by people and tap into an existing market of people who fund games on Kickstarter.

Plus, having the social proof of people opening their wallets to fund a product and being able to say he was funded on the platform, would make working with customers and distributors a lot easier in the long run.

Fun Fact

When Jason isn’t creating and pitching ideas for television shows as Director of Development for Adam Levine’s production company 222 productions, he’s busy creating some of the most creative game nights in the galaxy.

From making up definitions for made-up words to seeing how many times you and your friends can bump rumps in 30 seconds and everything in between, you can find it in this unique "Game Night in a Can."

Notes from Chris

Episode 242
Standing on stage is usually where the best ideas of speakers and comedians and performers reach their final station. They’ve been edited and reworked so they’re ready for the public to experience. It’s rarely the place where new ideas are formed. Unless, that is, you’re Jason Lautenschleger.

Around his day job as a director of development, Jason and his wife spend their time running live comedy game shows for the people of Los Angeles to enjoy.

He wanted to share this feeling with people of America and allow them too the chance to feel what the crowd felt that night.

He thought of creating a can that contained all of the improvised games, and their variations, so that people could play along at home. Giving it a does what it says on the tin name of Game Night in a Can, Jason set about turning this idea into a Side Hustle reality.

By reaching out to people through social media and email, Jason was able to raise $22,000 for Game Night In A Can.

When the first order of games arrived—disaster had nearly struck—and after spending $8,500 to order them—he found the spinners under the lid just didn’t work. So he sat for countless hours using a knife, sandpaper, and oil, making each individual spinner work.

Excluding the $22,000 funding they raised, Game Night In A Can has made over $50,000 in its first year on Amazon, as well $25,000 through retail stores.

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE: SEE ALSO: Inspiration is good; inspiration combined with action is better. Now get back to work!

Yours in the revolution,

cg-sig-newsletter
Quote of the Day
"We proved our idea in multiple stages starting with our friends and family, then live shows, and eventually landing ourselves in Kickstarter. One thing we've learned: get as much early feedback on your product as you can!"
— Jason Lautenschleger #SideHustleSchool

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