Spirit Magazine - February 2014 - (Page 60)

ect on that crowdfunding site and raised $15,000 in seed money. Swanberg's creation quickly drew favorable press, and his first print run, an uncannily real-looking ice cream truck, sold out this past Christmas through his website, oto-toy.com. He has more trucks planned for 2014. Swanberg's wisdom for aspiring funtrepreneurs? Study your audience. "I don't have kids yet, but I have nieces and lots of friends with kids. There were exhaustive test runs. I was impressed-these things really take a beating. We revised the construction, simplifying mostly, and worked out how to best make it come together and disassemble easily, many times over." TRIVIA MAN Westchester, New York, circa 1999. On TV, Alex Trebek reads the $500 Jeopardy answer aloud. "One of two DiMaggio brothers to play baseball at the same time as Joe." From his living room couch, Ryan West shouts a correct response: "Who is Dom?!" That useless knowledge came in handy a half dozen years later when the bar that West worked at while attending university needed a host for its Tuesday trivia night. Soon he was hosting trivia at four bars in the area. After moving to New York City in 2008, West, now 29, got a call from a bar manager who'd attended one of those trivia nights. He wanted West to host a similar geekfest at his watering hole. There, West met Cullen Shaw, organizer of a citywide sports league. "We saw that every week there were regulars coming, and some grew rivalries, to the point where people made T-shirts with their team names," West says. "We were like, 'This is like a sports league.' Why not create that sort of dynamic?" The business model for their NYC Trivia League was simple: bars looking to goose sales on slow nights pay West and Shaw's company to host the trivia matchups. But the partners aren't looking to just pack out a bar for a single night. "We give people a reason to come back," West says. From that first bar, the NYC Trivia League has grown to fill 13 city bars with 45 registered teams. The league turned a profit quickly and West and Shaw plan to double their bar clients by the end of 2014. West's best advice for fun creators? Don't worry about taking the direct route. "I was a business major my freshman year, but I didn't enjoy the classes," he says. So he switched to a double major in communications and classical theology. "My parents asked, 'Well, how is learning about Greek history going to get you anywhere in life?'" Note to would-be trivia champs everwhere: Whenever Ryan West hosts, study up on Aristotle. Adam Hunter is a New York-based editor and freelance writer. Follow him on Twitter @adamhuntr. SPRING TRAINING RATES FROM 244 $ * NO DAILY RESORT FEE Talking Stick Resort is excited to welcome back the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies for Spring Training. And we're thrilled to welcome back their fans - book now to enjoy spectacular Spring Training room rates from $244 per night, March 1st through 31st. S C O T T S D A L E | 8 6 6 . 8 7 7. 9 8 9 7 TALKINGSTICKRESORT.COM *Based on availability March 1-31, 2014. Not valid for groups or with any other offer. Locally owned and caringly operated by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. http://www.oto-toy.com http://www.TALKINGSTICKRESORT.COM http://www.TALKINGSTICKRESORT.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - February 2014

Spirit Magazine - February 2014
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
Revel in rum
Cozy up to Chicago
Wise Guide
Learn to slow down
The Numbers
Get briefed on Oscars history
Entertain (with) a proposal
Keep your company current
Business
Cut down on insurance confusion
Digitize your doorman
Seek success with fun and games
Go loco for Lego
Building Lego
A Fighting Chance
Your Adventure In Miami
Promotional Series: Focus on Health for All Seasons
Promotional Series: Focus on Education
Promotional Series: Focus on Franchises
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Products & Services
Flight Service
Terminal Maps
Information
Rapid Rewards and A+ Rewards Partners
Route Map
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - February 2014