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Showing posts from 2013

New Cashunt location for 2014?

So as we come off of one of  most busiest seasons in our history we are heading to a new season that will probably continue that trend. The one thing we wanted to acomplish in 2013 is to add new cities to our Cashunt family which we did (charleston, philadelphia, and chicago) and they all have been working pretty well.  So that leads to the question where else in 2014?       We want to make the new location make sense (area, playability, walkable, attractiveness and the right facilitator ) before we commit into developing the game for that location.  Those cities that we are looking at is NYC, Savannah, Seattle, and Washington DC. The one thing I would like is to keep all the games for the time being in the east and slowly move towards the west in the coming years.  ( this would rule out Seattle for now).        The other thing iwe look at reliegously is our website's analytical stats ( which every business should do as well...highly recommended)  That way we know what people are l

Pandora's Box opens for the Hustle in '14

We are very excited about our new game  geared to our corporate clients which we are calling Cashunt's Boston Hustle. This game is going to be unlike any of our other games for the simple fact that it's going to include additional game pieces. These physical game pieces will unlock additional challenges, some will include the Cashunt website as a BIG part during their game...that's all we can say for now ;)     One challenge that we can talk about is called Cashunt's Pandora Box which will unlock a series of challenges that is designed in tiers. These tiers were inspired by the "choose your adventure" books that I read and loved as a kid and now we are implemneting them into the "Hustle".  The great thing about this challenge is that it will unlock prizes as well as dead ends but you need to choose wisely to be rewarded. The cool aspect for Pandora's box is at times we will be adding surprise gift certificates to establishments and maybe a pair o

Is that MY NAME in the Game Booklet?!

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Every year this time of month we always go into a reimagining phase.  We try take elements of the game that need to get refreshed and redesigned so it's always relative to returning and new players for the upcoming new season. The essential part of this reimagining phase are the game materials and especially the game booklets.  The game booklets get redesigned on the look and the theme for the new season by introducing new challenges and enhancing old ones. But when it comes to the introductions of those new challenges, we go back to you..our past Cashunters.    People that have played this game know that the game booklets are loaded with secrets, and those secrets are also loaded with characters...   The names of the characters that are printed in the game booklets are former clients that are an essential part of our games history.  Clients such as our first ever client 14 years ago, our first reviewer,  or to our repeat clients that have visited the game several times before.

Additional games for other Cashunt sister cities?

Good morning Cashunters! One of the big questions that we are being asked for our other Cashunt cities is if we will be introducing additional "themed" games in Philadelphia,Charleston,and Chicago.  Games such as Holiday Hijinks, Gold Rush, and others have been played in Boston for many seasons and we think they would make great additions to our sister cities but we don't see that happening until Season 15 (2015)  The simple answer is because we want our sister cities to establish the current games they currently host and slowly introduce a new game each season.  We want the growth pattern to be similar to Boston..that way it's not overwhelming to the client.  So as of now each city has great anchor games that are working very well and that is very exciting and we will add more when the time is right.  Have a great Thanksgiving everybody!

Inspirations of S.

So here I am at the tail end of finishing a book called S. Written by JJ Abrams and all I can say is...WOW! The book has only been out for a month and has been the most talked about book lately...  S. is an experience other than just simply reading a book, which is great because it's rare nowadays .The design and the construction of the book with actual "physical props" imbedded within the pages makes the book a bit more personal and fun to read. I can't say too much about about S. because I don't want to spoil anything..but if you appreciate a great design in storytelling this is it! NOTE: do not buy the tablet version of this book...it does not work..you need to buy the physical version.   Cheers!

Becoming MORE Interactive in Season 14

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Season 14 Update    The best thing that makes our work exciting is giving the players something new.. and it always becomes a reinvention of the product at some scale every year.  So as we enter our upcoming 14th Season we are placing together something that I believe will be our best version yet!    Some of you that have played our games already know that we always have something "tucked" away in the pages of our game booklets that will lead to new challenges.  This gives the players the surprise element of these new secret challenges ..that could range from a singing competition to retrieving additional hidden items around the city.  So the game books NEVER become predictable even to those "veterans" that have played our games several times before.  So as the saying goes expect the unexpected!    With that said we are making the games even more interactive where technology will play an essential part of the Cashunt game experience during their competition.

Cashunt & Television Reality Competition Show

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These are some exciting times for our product and our games as of late.. With the exciting news of expansion this season and keeping a new phase of growth for 2014..we are now eyeing television.  This past Spring we were approached by Fremantlemedia North America responsible for shows like American Idol, America's Got Talent, XFactor, and the list goes on and on...To develop the Bridal Dash for a competetive reality show to be shown in the 2014/2015 season.        After a few months of working on this the project ....it fell through. With that said when one of the biggest production companies in the world  comes to you...you take notice. At the end of the day you don't leave the ball on the field..you take it and run!  So as we speak we are in development for a "format reality competition" to pitch it for LA.  I believe what we have in store will be a fun, and funny competetive series that will have flavors of our product and some new flavors that we will keep mum on.

The Hustle vs The Dash!

As we are slowly closing the book to our 13th chapter of our game we are already preparing for our 14th Season of our games. One of the biggest changes is with our "Mad Dash" series in Boston, Back Bay, and Salem. As of next season all general games in Boston, Back Bay and Salem will be still called with the Mad Dash label following them.  But all corporate related games will now be part of the new "Hustle" series..ie: (The Boston Hustle, The Backbay Hustle, and The Salem Hustle) The difference between the Dashes and the Hustles will be huge! The Mad Dash series game will give players the more general foundation of the game with a surprise here and there during their 2hr experience. The Hustle series for corporate events/games will add many more secrets / cryptic challenges that will give players and more diverse and competitive experience of the game. Them Hustle series will be available starting Jan 10th just in time for Season 14!

"Phase 2" update..

So as we are at the half way point of our 13th season a lot has happened in the last 2 months! We went ahead with our "Phase 2" project of adding 3 new Cashunt cities that will offer regular everyday games (charleston sc, chicago, and philadelphia) The response has been great and multiple games have been conducted in the new branch cities already!  Also we now offer 2 new Boston related games The Boston Park Dash ( for field trips/families) and the Havahad Sq Hustle a game that takes place all around the Harvard Sq area. The funny thing with those two new Boston locations is that we never noticed the potential of both those areas and they are making for exciting fun new Boston "game boards " So with that said a lot of cool things so far and as we place the pieces of our "Phase 3" project this fall.. all I can say is....a part of it is going to come from way out of left field, but we have to remain hush on that until that happens ;) This year's version

A funny story when a bunch Cashunt student players met the Mayor and Mr Kennedy.

I had to share this story that was sent to us today.. it recalls when a Cashunt team needed to take a picture with the Mayor to obtain some points and who they had to push away in order to get it.  Thank you Sharon! Chris, I can't thank you enough for all the tremendous outings for my students and colleagues. Your organization and professionalism have made our scavenger hunt in Boston the most requested activity of our students and families. In the midst of all the exploration for clues and fun-filled engagement with the public my kids have learned so much about the history of Boston. My most memorable hunt was the one were the kids were in search of Mayor Menino to score big time photos. They wanted to maximize their points so they could take a detour to Mike's Pastries. On their route to the North End they stumbled across the dedication of the green space dedicated to Rose Kennedy. As they recognized Menino, the large group of nearly ten students and their chaperone

CASHUNT Charleston: My Visit

It has been a craaazzzzyy few months with our expansion of the Cashunt brand..but well worth the ride.  As you might already know we have expanded to 3 new cities (Philadelphia, Chicago, and Charleston, SC). After returning from Charleston I was really impressed with a city that I was really all not to familiar with.  There is history on every block that is really under the radar in the American history that we were taught in school. The weather, the beauty of the architecture,and  the southern hospitality of the people of Charleston we amazing...not to mention the food as well.  Last week was our first game in Charleston and the results and the reviews were fantastic! Our Charleston facilitator Brian Simms of Charleston Sole coordinated our Cashunt Charleston Mad Dash and inputed his knowledge of the Charleston area into the game  and made you view this great city in a whole different way.  So on that note if you have not visited the city of Charleston, SC make it a point to do so...i

Cashunt Chicago and Cashunt Charleston are Born

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We have been pretty busy as of late with what we would like to call Phase 3 of Cashunt!  We have been talking to several cities about becoming new locations of the Cashunt brand that will have regularly played games 7 days a week just like our anchor city (Boston) for the past 13 seasons.  We decided to select only 3 cities this year to make that happen, and the two of the three we would like to announce are Cashunt Charlestion in the beautiful area of Charleston SC and Cashunt Chicago in the amazing city of Chicago Il! Both these cities bring a unique flavor that we believe would be a fantastic fit for the Cashunt brand and bring a new exciting and fresh alternative to the public! With that said we still have on more city to announce but we are going to keep that under wraps until next month ;) Cheers! Chris

Two New Cities Will Soon Be Announced!

These past few weeks we have been sooooo busy going into what we are calling "Phase 2".  Phase 2 is basically the expansion of the Cashunt brand to other major cities around the country.  After long interviews with a few desired areas we will soon announce two new cities that will be new branches of Cashunt.  Each city will offer 3 of the top Cashunt games in their city through out the season..those games will be that cities version of the Cashunt's Mad Dash, Bridal Dash, and the Birthday Dash!      We have been so excited about this process for some time now and knowing we are couple of months away from this being reality is fantastic!  With that said we will be announcing these 2 new cities in the coming weeks, maybe even earlier..stay tuned!

Our Facilitator Program Begins..

     Through the past few years we have receive various interest for people from other markets to facilitate our cashunt games. We had thought about it and really did not want to jump on to something without being completely ready for the next step.  As you might have already seen in a previous blog post that we will be offering franchises we will also be offering a facilitator program for those that are not looking to franchise but are willing to have the fun and exciting job of facilitating our Cashunt games.  What we are looking for people that are outgoing and are a people person to coordinate our games in their desired area.     The key thing to keep in mind is that we are not just going to agree to any place just for the sake of bringing the brand and product to another city.  The location is obviously key in the factor of a "walkable" city that has great surrounding areas and attractions around it.  That way it enhances the areas and makes the game ever so challenging

St Patty's Dashunt Returns for Season 13!

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  Our specialty seasonal games are always popular but our annual St Patty's Dashunt is always up there when it comes to this unique game in and around the St Patrick's holiday in Boston!  The St. Patty's Dashunt is a game that has the foundation of a cashunt game and is built upon a Boston St Patrick Theme!      Now in our 13th Season this game is only offered during the dates of March 1st right to March 17th ( March 17th is already SOLD OUT)..we have talked about this being a regular season game..but I personally think it's best played in and around the  March holiday.  The game is great for people that want to have some..fun, laughs, and love a little competition.  This game is not at all a "pub crawl" but just a fun alternative city game..which is what all the cashunt games are all about!  You can save the alcohol for after the game ;) If you want more information about this game feel free and speak to a game coordinator and he/she can fill you in wi

New Game For Field Trips, Kids and Families!

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In Season 13 Of Cashunt we are introducing a NEW! game to our Boston Game Library.. which is Cashunt’s Boston Park Hunters!   The Boston Park Hunt is a 2 hr game that all takes place in the 3 major park areas in Boston (Boston Common, Public Garden, and The Esplanade!)  We will take your group and split them into teams as they search and solve the fun challenges we have in store for them in these amazing and historic parks!  This is a fun alternative that we are sure everyone will enjoy and that will be talked about for sometime after their game expereince. This game is fantastic for kids, families and field trips for schools and camps)  Games Start off in April and go till September!

NEW Public Game: Boston Mad Dash Deluxe!

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   First of all I hope everybody is back on track after the Blizzard we had this past weekend.  When it comes to our library of games mostly all of our games are private and only one is public, which is the Boston Mad Dash.  With that said we are going to offer another one of our games that can be played either as a private and a public game and  that will be the popular Boston Mad Dash Deluxe.  The BMDD has been a popular staple in private events now for the past 3 years..so we thought it would be a perfect fit for a public game.     The BMDD is a 3 1/2 hour event that starts off from Harvard Square and ends off in the Faneuil Hall area.  The public version of the game will be offered on the first Sunday of each month starting on May 5th thru September 8.  You will be able to purchase tickets online through eventbrite.com, active.com, and boston.com.  As always public games will always be public vs public event..we only allow 10 teams of 4 to each game..the only thing you need to

Storm Update for Boston Weekend

Due to the "Blizzard Conditions" in Boston Friday and Saturday. We will be rescheduling all of games. You gotta love New England :(

Our Game-Booklets Are Coming "ALIVE!" Again This Season!

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  Last year we tried to make the game have more of a "post game appeal" after one has competed in one of our Cashunt games.  So what we decided to do with the game design of the book is to put some hidden codes within, which could be activated at any given moment  (days, weeks, or even months) after one has played an actual Cashunt.  Initally people that play a Cashunt game will be handed their game materials back at the end of their experience, so they can keep the booklets as a souvenir.   So as we noticed more so with repeat players, that they tend to keep all the game booklets from different seasons , we thought..let's have the game booklet take on a life of itself.   With that said we placed hidden clues within the game booklets that would be hidden to the naked eye and be more visible once we "activate them".  Once activated it will give our players a chance to find the clue in the game booklet, that will eventually lead them to a voucher hidden somew

The Power of Play is Important!

  I think as people grow older they forget that they were kids at one point and they say that playing is "kid stuff".…  Really…Really…well as it turns out those our the same people that are all grown up and play indoor soccer, dodgeball, hockey, and I can go on and on.  Let me ask those individuals "don't those games fall under the umbrella of kid stuff?  Come on!  The power of play is so important when comes to mental stimulation be it a board or video game because it enhances strategy and problem solving.  Also the physical stimulation..it doesn't matter if it is a race or a rec league.. it's excersize  and it puts you in an escapism mode, which I believe is extremely important these days.    The power of play is important in all aspects of life, it takes you away from your normal life and makes you focus on something that is fun, challenging and at times rewarding..there is nothing wrong with it.  I think the people out there that are "too serious&qu

Put A Ring On It With a "DASH" ;)

   During our 11th season of our game our office  started getting calls from certain individuals that wanted to use one of our game platforms as a disguise for a wedding proposal.  When I spoke to the very first gentleman that was thinking about this idea..the first thing I said to myself was "how the heck am I going to pull this off!"  So I turned it down…then after I took his information and got to thinking about it after we both got off the phone..  I took out my sketch book out and suddenly found myself designing a game that would be solely customized to a wedding proposal.  After a day I called that particular gentleman up..and I simply said that we are on!    So after several weeks of customizing, scouting, designing, and planning the ultimate ending to this particular game …which was a wedding proposal..it was game day. Our client had brought some friends and family to play as well as his unsuspecting girlfriend..and they played what appeared to be a "typical&quo

New Cashunt Bridal Dash Trailer Season 13

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We have a lot of fun games and surprises in store in Season 13!

Teambuilding game to get "JUMBO SIZED"

When it comes to our games we always like to keep adding more to them year after year to give our new players and returning players the ultimate experience.  This year we have really retooled our Teambuilding game that we offer to our new and returning corporate clients.  The biggest challenge when it comes to a returning corporate client is making it different on the fly and make it look ever so different from their last competition with us.   It can be nerve racking but also a lot of fun at the same time delivering it.    So as we do every year we reinvent ourselves and this year our team building game will be "jumbo sized" to give our players an overwhelming experience where they will not know what to do first..which will make the game ever so challenging and exciting.  We are also going to make it a little longer from the past so instead of a 2hr game it will be 2 1/2 to 3hrs of playing time and also it will cover much more ground, giving our players a HUGE playing field

CASHUNT CHAMPIONSHIP XIII in "Havahd Squah"

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    This year's Championship will be held on October 27th and usually for the past 3 years we have held it in Salem Ma during Haunted Happenings which is always so much fun.  But this year we are changing it up a little bit, we will be hosting the game in Harvard Square and the Back Bay area.  What changed our mind was after researching the Harvard Square area for our new game "The Havad Yahd Dash" we thought it would be the ideal place to host our championship there because there is soooo much detail in that area alone.  Also by including the Back Bay area it just expands the game so much more…the bigger the area the better.     As we did last year our finals will only include our 2 top teams of the year..we think it becomes so much more competitive when you have it that way..when we had it as the "final four" for the past 11 seasons something lacked and it just didn't seem right..but by doing it this way ..it just works like a well oiled machine.   At t

Turn your imagination into reality..with 3D Printing.

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If you told me 15 years ago we will be talking to each other on our computers or cell phones and looking at each other at the same time through those devices I would say …that's "Jetson's Stuff"  But now we have Skype and FaceTime and we do just that through our computers, phones and now in with our TV's.  Now if I told you that you can create a 3 Dimensional item from a computer using a 3D printer…what would you say to that?  After researching 3D printing my jaw dropped as to what it does and what creative things you can do with it.  Granted it might be a little costly today but it is bound that the prices will drop and we will all have one of these printers in our households very soon! Check out You Tube Video above and get inspired and welcome to the "Jetson Age" :)

Update on Team Photos and Videos:

 Starting Feb 1 all team photos and videos will stay on our servers for only 30 days.  So after your game make sure you download them before they expire.  If you have any questions please call the office at 866-276-4733 and speak with your game coordinator

Don't reinvent the wheel…tweak it

I can't tell you how many times in the past 15 years when I am at some sort of gathering that I'm new to my surroundings,  I feel funny but also different.   You know how it goes you get to know the people around you no matter if it's a birthday, wedding, christening etc.  and somewhere in the conversasion the ultimate question comes up…."what do you do for a living?"    When that question comes up in most circles you will  hear….I'm in sales, construction, a nurse, a manager, secretary, attorney, etc..but when it comes to me and I say.."The scavenger hunt business"  the music stops… "you are in what?! and you make money doing that that?"  To my answers "scavenger hunt business and yes it is my career " Once I break that barrier to that question…there is this whole interest to further explore my profession which might lead into a contact.    With all do respect all the other professions listed above..they are all fantastic occu

If it isn't broke…sticking with what works for us.

   So here we are 2 weeks into our 13th season and the new design has been played by  (handful of games / 10 different teams) and the result was positive…WHEW!  As I had mentioned in the previous post about reinvention…it's always good to be fresh..but in the same instance (the "reinvention") has to work or it will backfire and then we will have a downslide.  Fortunately other than a couple of suggestions about "additions" to the game..straight A's across the board!  Thank you!      Some people in the past have suggested to take the game more into the virtual world and have the game done all by smartphone.  Look I know that exists and the companies that are using that platform are doing very well and more power to them…Cashunt is not that.  The only tech aspect we are using on our game is only 10% and that is through QR codes..other than that it's all physical materials.        Call us old school but I believe our clients still want their "host&q

Time For Reinvention…Again ;)

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 First of all HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!  We hope you all enjoyed your holiday season, it's always a great time but it just goes by too fast..   So new year  and for us new season, which we are excited about as you can imagine.  With that said it's that time again for "reinvention", which has become an annual tradition here at  Cashunt for the past several years.  The goal is pretty simple…change some of the game  and make it fresh which includes the game's foundation and design.  So with that said I just looked at the new design and I am pleased and excited for this years version.      You maybe be asking what is the difference from the past few years, (that question is usually brought up by repeat players that have played the game before).  With out letting the "cat out of the bag" and sounding a tad vague,  what we can tell you is that the game is no longer "6 challenges rolled into on zany game" it's much more than that!      Last