Happy Mitten Podcast: Board games, business, and...

In this episode of the Happy Mitten Podcast... Lately we've found ourselves discussing the ideas of being successful versus selling out. On one hand, it’s the goal of any business to be profitable and successful. Also, many of us enjoy watching the board game industry grow as many independent games are finding their way onto mass market shelves. On the other hand, some critics have accused different publishers of selling out and turning their backs on the independent community. So where is that line between being successful and selling out? Is there a line? These questions, along with other tidbits, tips, and updates, are all covered in this episode. Introduction We welcome you to our second show and discuss some of the games we’ve been playing like King of Tokyo, Survive + Giant Squid Expansion, and Pluckin’ Pairs. Feature: Making it Big Most of the conversation was spent discussing the pros and cons of publishers becoming very successful in the board game space. We took an in-depth look at the Geekdad article, “Good Board Games Are Hitting Target, But Are They Missing the Point?” Also, we discussed questions like: The board game community does have an intimate, niche feel. When publishers “make it big,” does it taint that feeling? Can businesses maintain the integrity and quality of their games when they reach a mass market level? The board game industry is growing. Does this have more positive or negative effects? What are your thoughts on the topic? Please leave a comment below. Helpful Tips Starting a business and need an easy way to research possible company or product names? Check out Knowem.com to quickly see social media, domain name, and trademark information. We also discovered Leandra dislikes cats in this section. Company Updates Thank you for the submissions so far. We are still eager to get moving with a product and are accepting possible games. Check the site for new blogs and podcast episodes. We are posting new content weekly.

In this episode of the Happy Mitten Podcast... With the newness of our publishing company, episode 001 focuses on getting to know us. We briefly cover how we got into board gaming and what makes us tick. We also reflect on some of our quirky habits as gamers and offer helpful tips on how to edit photos and graphics on a budget. We close out the show by talking about our launch and announcing we are accepting designer submissions. Introduction Welcome to the first Happy Mitten Podcast! Here we take a few minutes to explain who we are, how we decided on publishing, and discussing what we've been up to. Feature: Quirky Habits Kyle- A burning desire to win and must play by the rules (unless they're dumb) Leandra- Can't understand rules being explained verbally (has to learn by playing the game) and enjoys organizing her components and pieces Jeff- Must cut the deck when shuffling and lives by "fate of the game" (when things happen during a game that go against or conflict with the "fate" of that game. For example, forgetting to pick up a card or resource or dealing cards in the wrong order). What about you? What are your quirky habits? Leave us a comment below. Helpful Tips Need to do photo editing on a budget? Check out Paint.NET or GIMP. Both are similar to Photoshop except they are completely free. Company Updates The company has officially launched! After over a year of research, hard work, and preparation, we are official. We are currently accepting game submissions.