Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Larson.
Hi Nick, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I am a founding member and owner of Adventures on Tap. We are an organization that fundraises for local charities in some of Central Florida’s best breweries and bars by playing Dungeons and Dragons and other RPGs at our live events. Our brilliant staff create engaging games for the players to experience for a few hours on a Saturday while drinking craft beer and rolling dice. Myself and a few others created Adventures on Tap (AoT) during COVID, I worked at a struggling brewery that was hit hard by the distribution and taproom restrictions and we wanted to do what we could to help the industry recover once the restrictions lifted. We began only running events at that brewery then expanded as we took on more volunteers and had a swell of support from the gaming and brewing communities. Out of that came our event concept and core business principles of charity first and uplifting local businesses. Our motto is that “we are here to do good, not do well” and we do that by keeping ticket prices low in an effort to increase accessibility and donations raised. In 3 years we are approaching $40,000 raised for local charities at events that range across Central Florida. It has not been easy as there are a lot of moving parts for our multiple events every month and I have had a daughter since the inception of AoT; but it is a labor of love that seems to resonate with our players that have been coming back for years.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There are so many issues you never think of when starting a small business from how your corporate structure may effect your taxes to how to deal with rising costs. We do our best to keep ticket prices low and have been able to do so thanks to a thriving Patreon that helps subsidize the cost of doing business. This let’s us provide a ton of value for a smaller price.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am an engineer by trade but I am also a father and bar tender outside of my work with Adventures on Tap. I have too many hobbies from beer brewing to 3D printing. I try to be a compass for others wherever I am working and I believe that ethical way finding has lead to a lot of our success. I am most proud of my wife and daughter but second would be the community I have helped build at Adventures on Tap. People that enjoy roleplaying games come from all walks of life and seeing them come together as a safe and welcoming space for all has been truly gratifying.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I am not much of a risk-taker though I will say starting this company was not well thought out. We were a group of friends that saw a need and a way to fill it. Looking back it was a risk but it never felt that way. There are so many things you have to get smart on when you start a business that we were not remotely prepared for that had real-world consequences. I manage risk daily at my job as an engineer so I tend to consider it as part of every decision and try not to get weighed down by it.
Pricing:
- $20 for a ticket to our live events and includes 4-6 hours of gameplay with everything provided
Contact Info:
- Website: https://AoTOrlando.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventuresontaporlando
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adventuresontap
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@adventuresontaporlando
- Other: https://Twitch.tv/adventuresontap
