Today we’d like to introduce you to Jacob Joseph.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My career started in healthcare, I was a radiologic technologist and I transitioned to healthcare IT role. I liked my jobs and met great people, but I always knew I wanted to work for myself. I just didn’t know what I wanted to do. I decided to brainstorm every possible route that aligned with my talents.
After months of brainstorming, in the summer of 2020, I launched an app that would help virtual businesses… it failed. The potential investors no longer saw the vision and withdrew. It was a very frustrating time. Out of that frustration, I began to look up outlets to release that frustration. I fell upon a rage room video on YouTube.
As I was looking for one locally, I realized that there may be a demand for rage rooms in my market. I did some research and a few months later the idea for Smash ‘N Dash rage room was born and I decided to pursue it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The challenges are ever-present. I remember after putting my deposit on my location I called the electrical company to start on the power. After a week or two, they told me they can’t start the power because I have no electrical meter.
They continued to explain the process of getting a meter and the different governing bodies that had to approve. It is both expensive and time-consuming. It felt impossible. I recall thinking, “Maybe this is a sign not to do this.”. I quickly picked myself back up and went looking for a solution. I found one, we ended up moving to my current location and that worked out better than the first one.
This obstacle taught me two valuable lessons; 1) You must believe in your ability to find solutions and 2) There are NO wrong answers, however, look for the best one.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Smash ‘N Dash Rage room?
A rage room/smash room is a place where you hit and break various objects with an assortment of “weapons” such as baseball bats, crowbars, mallets, etc. We’ve created a safe and judgement-free environment for our customers. Whether you’d like to release some frustration or are looking for a good time, Smash ‘N Dash is the place for you. We offer a variety of packages from one person to a group of people.
A few things set us apart. Primarily, our mission statements.
Vision – To be universally recognized as the symbol of therapeutic fun
Mission – to create fun and unique experiences for many
Purpose – To give people a fun outlet to express themselves
Our slogan is Express Yourself.
Being coined as “Orlando Entertainment District’s first Rage room” by our local news station also sets us apart.
We manage high-volume walk-ins however appointments are highly recommended.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking?
I’ve adopted the notion that most of us are risk takers already. from trying a new meal and hoping it tastes good, to choosing a career path in hopes that it’ll work out. Why not take a risk on something you really want?
My issue was being afraid of failure and the embarrassment it would cause me. As I mentioned before I had to realize that there are NO wrong answers, I just had to find the best one. This relieved the stress of being “right” and boosted my confidence.
My major risk was leaving my job to pursue operating my business full-time. The thought is still scary however, I’ve chosen to believe in myself and so far we’ve been alright and will continue to be good.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@smashndashorl.com
- Website: https://smashndashscheduling.as.me/
- Instagram: @smashndash.orl
- Facebook: @smashndash.orl
Image Credits
Brandon Cox
