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BlogHave a look at the recent entries of our blog:08-23-10 | 05:47 pmToy BrokersWell, I finally submitted my second game, Treasure Hold 'Em, to the same toy broker I hired for Global Quest. I was very pleased and impressed with how much market research they did for me in terms of determining the true potential for my game. Most importantly, I respect people that do not sugar-coat their professional opinions and present a good argument supporting their thoughts. Ultimately, after taking different perspectives into account, I still have to make my own decision and take responsibility for my own actions. I am a firm believer in taking what you like, throwing out the rest, see what happens, adjust, then try again. For example, perhaps you read my interview with Ed Akerman - the Legendary Man Who Launched UNO. I asked him what he would advise other new inventors, based on his experience? He suggested getting a toy agent/broker and contacting major toy companies directly in order to see if might give you 15 minutes to pitch your game. I liked the idea, so that is exactly what I did. One of the companies I contacted was Hasbro. They have indie inventors trying to contact them all the time; which is why that have a list of respected toy brokers for you to use to pitch your idea for you. The following is a list of seasoned professionals in the toy and game industry. The standard fee for them to evaluate you invention is usually around $125-$150 per game. Trust me when I say that this is NOT a big money maker for toy agents. From what I understand, this is simply a fee used to weed out every Jack and Jane Doe who simply wants to send out the 1,000's of half-baked ideas stored in a notebook with no real ambition to bring their inventions into the marketplace. for the past two years, this has been a great learning experience that has come from lots of trial and errors. Everything that I learn, I am happy to share it with you. I hope this has been helpful. Beast of luck with your ambitions and please share your experiences (positive or negative) with us! The following list of Toy Brokers/Agents are featured on the Hasbro website. Disclaimer: I do not necessarily endorse or promote any of these particular agents. I encourage you to do your research on each of these individuals listed and make your own best judgments. I have personally used Mike Design Associates, Inc and was very pleased with the thorough and honest feedback they gave me for Global Quest. I also had the privilege to meet Mary Cousins from Discover Games at last year's New York International Toy Fair. Last year, Ms. Cousins received an entrepreneur award at this highly respected trade show. The extensive experience and backgrounds of these brokers can help you avoid a lot of unnecessary mistakes that I have made in the past. Then again, reading my blog could help you avoid a lot of mistakes as well, lol. Enjoy! Mike and Lynn Marra (USA) MARRA DESIGN ASSOCIATES, INC. 7007 Dakota Avenue Chanhassen, MN 55317 952-937-8141 Fax: 952-934-1180 Email: MDA1Mike@aol.com www.marradesign.com George Delaney (USA) DELANEY PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 6956 Hawthorne Lane Hanover Park, IL 60133 630-289-1583 Fax: 630-837-2952 Email: delaney369@att.net Jonathan Becker (USA) ANJAR COMPANY New Product Submission Department 42 Russet Road Stamford, CT 06903 203-321-1023 Fax: 203-321-1079 Email: jsb@anjar.com www.anjar.com Andrew Berton/Adam Wolff (USA/UK) EXCEL DEVELOPMENT GROUP 1123 Mount Curve Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55403-1128 612-374-3233 Fax: 612-377-0865 Email : info@exceld.com www.exceld.com Mary Couzin (USA) DISCOVER GAMES 6842 N. Kilpatrick Ave. Lincolnwood, IL 60712 Tel: 847-677-8277 Email: discovergames@hotmail.com Peter Carr (USA) CACTUS MARKETING SERVICES 1553 South Military Highway, Suite 101 Chesapeake, VA 23320 888-215-7040 Fax: 757-366-9913 E-mail: cactuspete@cavtel.net www.cactusmarketing.com Howard Fleischer (USA/EUROPE) ROYALTY PROS 20 West 22nd Street, Suite 1503 New York, NY 10010 212-366-6876 Fax: 212-366-6862 Email: info@royaltypros.com www.royaltypros.com Paul Lapidus (USA) NEWFUNTIERS 1936 Balzac Court Redding, CA 96003 800-846-0701 Toll free US & Canada Voice: 530-223-3330 Fax: 530-223-3033 E-mail: Paul_Lapidus@newfuntiers.com www.newfuntiers.com Ronald Hofstaetter (EUROPE) WHITE CASTLE GAMES MuseumsQuartier, Museumsplatz 1/6 A-1070 Vienna Austria (43) 1 522 04 78 Fax: (43) 1 522 04 78 Email: r.hofstaetter@whitecastle.at www.whitecastle.at Mike Moody (UK) SEVEN TOWNS LTD. 7 Lambton Place London W11 2SH United Kingdom (44) 20 7727 5666 Fax: (44) 20 7221 0363 Email: mikem@seventowns.com www.7towns.com BRITISH TOY & HOBBY ASSOCIATION (UK) 80 Camberwell Road London SE5 0EG United Kingdom (44) 20 7701 7271 Fax: (44) 20 7708 2437 Email: admin@btha.co.uk www.btha.co.uk Richard Brown (UK) CACTUS MARKETING SERVICES 109A Hamilton Road Felixstowe, Suffolk IP11 7BL United Kingdom (44) 800-389-8408 Fax: 01394-275275 E-mail: games@cactus marketing.com www.catusmarketing.com Dugald Keith (Australia) Imaginiff Design 17 Viva Street Glen Iris Victoria 3146, Australia 61 3 9509 9551 Fax: 61 3 9509 9551 Email: skeith@bigpond.net.au Malcolm Hall (Australia) Malcolm Hall & Associates P.O. Box 171 Asburton, VIC 3147 Australia 613-9886-9122 Fax: 613-9886-9133 Email: mha@ozonline.com.au Alex Holzer (Australia) Blue Opal Australia Pty Ltd. 135 Bamfield Road Heidelberg West Victoria 3081, Australia 61 3 9450 9800 Fax: 61 3 9450 9850 www.blueopal.com.au
Luis
08-10-10 | 09:56 pmAn Inspiring StoryI just returned home from my very first clinical trial and I am relieved to say that I am perfectly healthy with no side-effects to report. LOL. That is a sentence I never imagined I would ever be writing, much less sharing with the world. I've only been home for about an hour and I am already at the library researching more information about the toy and game industry, as well as researching more literary agents to contact. I found an inspiring story about a fellow toy inventor who had followed his dream to the point that he was down to $5.62 in his bank account. After a lot of endurance, faith, and help from family and friends, he was able to share this incredible success story. Check out this article to read the whole story: The Toy Story: An Inventor’s Dream Come True
Luis
08-06-10 | 06:56 pmClinical TrialsYou know how I casually joked/commented how I understood how some people might consider trying alternative means to generate income while actively searching for a job in this crazy economy (such as medical experimentation)? Well, I actually took a risk and decided to participate in one of those clinical trials you sometimes read about in newspapers or job search publications. This particular study needed healthy people to test the potential side effects an experimental drug. I will not reveal too much detail because I honestly do not know if it is permitted. I know you may (or may not) think I am absolutely crazy for even considering this as an option. However, being the studious person that I am, I did a lot of research on the pharmaceutical company, the drug itself, and the organization before deciding to participate in the study. Fortunately, I could not find a single negative review about the company. I also learned that over 90 people participated in the trial before me. Out of those 90+ people, only two had any reported side-effects. One person had a slightly elevated heart rate, while the other had some small spot(s) that appeared on the eye itself without affecting their vision at all. In the documents I signed, the company said they would pay to treat me for any potential side-effects that may result from the clinical trial. This seemed like pretty good odds so far. Plus, the study was only for two weeks and would wash out of my system once I stopped taking the pill. I know that I was taking a major risk by not having employment secured before moving to out here to Los Angeles. However, it was a risk I was willing to take for the sake of pursuing my goals and dreams, verses remaining unemployed in a location that dried up for the film industry. What is great about this program is that it has given me a lot of time to catch up on my studying and reading on various topics, reflect on my goals for the year, meet some interesting people from Los Angeles, rest (for a change), and converse with some beautiful Japanese and Filipino nurses I would have never been able to meet otherwise. ;) Too bad they're all married. Even though we are not allowed to leave the hospital or eat any outside food (I miss my local Chinese restaurants), we do have a recreational room that has movies, internet access, video games, and board games. In fact, I am thrilled to say that I played Risk for the first time ever. All this time, I thought it would be an incredibly boring game and even picked on a former president because it was rumored that it was his favorite game in college. However, I retract my uninformed preconception and wholeheartedly recommend this classic board game. In the mean time, the moment I receive a check for participating in the clinical trial, (after paying my bills) I plan to send my second board game invention to the same toy broker for review and to see if he might be able to license it to a major toy company for me. Hopefully, when I return home, I will have heard from one of the literary agents for my nonfiction book as well. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed for me. Have a wonderful weekend! Mahalo! (Thank you!) ~Luis
Luis
07-24-10 | 05:30 pmSo Many Great Ideas!Today, I was flipping through a notebook that I write a variety of ideas and tips I receive from books, magazines, website articles, seminars, meetings at my local Small Business Administration and interactions with friends. I was surprised to find so many ideas I wrote down and completely forgot. This is a perfect reason why someone like myself needs to write down ideas AS SOON AS INSPIRATION HITS! (Hence the reason I always have a pen or three in my pocket.) Some of the methods I use to figure out which ideas are worth pursuing include: 1. Write down your idea in a journal or notebook! I personally like to make sure I include the date I wrote the idea and where the inspiration came from. It gives me a personal insight on what fuels my creativity and how important the idea is to me, based on how long I have been procrastinating to take action. 2. Compare the idea to your goals in life. I like to review each idea I have and compare them with the goals that are most important to me in my personal life. There is only so much time, money, and resources that you can dedicate to so many goals, desires, and obligations. Everything needs its own time and commitment to be accomplished, i.e. exercising, family, education, work, investing, hobbies, etc. Therefore, I recommend waiting at least a few days after you have written down your goal and then going back to determine if it still makes sense and coincides with your personal aspirations in life. 3. Get feedback! Sometimes, if I spend enough time focusing on a creative project (i.e. designing a new board game or writing a book), I might lose perspective on what may or may not be well received by the public. It is absolutely critical (if you are trying to sell a product) to have a group of people that can give you honest and brutal feedback about your ideas and projects. This is something I ALWAYS emphasize to those I trust and value for their opinions. If you recall from my previous blogs, I have also received feedback from professional toy brokers/agents, board game groups on Meetup.com, and from touring my games in local libraries. (See below for the list of questions I asked people to rate from 1 to 10.) Don't forget to say "thank you" in your own way to those that took the time to evaluate your work. 4. Re-evaluate, if necessary. Once I receive honest and brutal feedback, I will take it all into consideration, then keep what I want and throw away the rest. 5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 until you are thrilled with your results! This has been a major help to myself over the past couple of years and I hope this is helpful for you and your goals. Mahalo (thank you) for reading my blog. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Luis
07-07-10 | 08:10 pmWelcome to L.A.!Aloha, My Dear Readers, (Whomever and wherever you may be!) To my American friends, I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! I heard that fireworks shows were cancelled back home in Florida due to the rain. If it makes you feel better, fireworks are against the law where I live because the climate is so dry, the mountain in our back yard might catch on fire. You laugh, but that is exactly what happened about eight months ago! My roommates described it as something straight out of Lord of the Rings. (Movie geeks. You gotta love them!) It has been about three weeks since I moved to Los Angeles (already?!?!) and I have been hitting the pavement virtually nonstop since I have arrived, searching for employment. On one hand, I feel that I was born to be here because there is so much emphasis in the arts and just about anything else you like to do here. On the other hand, I have never seen so many out-of-work or under-employed artists in my life! LOL! I contacted an old neighbor of mine from Boca Raton, Florida who is producing his own film in L.A. right now. I told him that I just applied to be a crew member for about 22 featured films shooting within the next few months. He says, "Great! Now you only have about 400 more to go!" Wow, what am I getting myself into? Since I have arrived here, my only gigs have included being a paid audience member for the T.V. shows "Minute to Win It" and "Don't Forget That Lyric." Tia Carrere was a celebrity guest star, playing for charity on "Don't Forget the Lyric." I thought it was hilarious that a Grammy winner and former rocker on "Wayne's World" got every song wrong! They actually had to stop taping to help her with the first couple of songs. I admit, I probably would have failed horribly on that show as well. If I was in her place, the executives of the show would probably receive text messages from the audience in all CAPS reading, "KICK HIM OFF THE STAGE!!!" I also got to be a part of the (un-paid) audience for the Jay Leno show, where Queen Latifa was a guest star. In my opinion, she is such a classy, fun, and wonderful woman and role-model (unlike the incredible vane reality show star from "Jersey Shore" who also appeared that night and will remain nameless). I absolutely love it here in Los Angeles. However, being without a source of income is becoming nerve-wrecking. I'm am beginning to rapidly understand all the stories I've read about people volunteering themselves for medical experimentation, plasma blood donations, and other means of supplemental income. The military is starting to look very tempting right about now. Welcome to L.A.! On a productive note, I bought a great book for writers, called, "Write the Perfect Proposal: 10 That Sold and Why" by Jeff Herman and Deborah Levine Herman. After reading some very useful tips, I changed my book title (3 times) and finally completed a pretty darn good first draft book proposal. I feel confident to start sending query letters to literary agents for my first nonfiction book. Today, I think I may also have found the perfect agent for me. Wish me luck! Mahalo! (Thanks!)
Luis
06-12-10 | 01:08 amToy Agent ResultsMy Dear Readers, I must apologize that I have not been keeping you up to date with the latest results of Global Quest and Treasure Hold 'Em. I have been eager to share this with you sooner. However, I am moving from Greenacres, Florida to Los Angeles, California in 3 days and have been preparing like a madman to get ready for my transition. (Not to mention that I have been also trying to find a literary agent for my first book I wrote about amazing technologies that can help us reduce our dependence on foreign oil). First, let me begin by saying, the $125 I spent on having this toy agent review Global Quest was very well spent! I was impressed with amount of research that went into finding similar games on the market and seeing how they performed in terms of sales and marketing. Most of them, I have never even heard of - which can not be a good thing. To sum up the review, the Toy Broker explained that while my unique concepts for Global Quest "would add flair and interest to the category, it would be viewed (by major toy companies that are looking for new games) as too subtle a contribution in a category featuring many styling effects and executions that bring more life to the contest." He basically said, unless my game is tied to a popular movie (i.e. "Transformers" and "Iron Man") or television show (i.e. "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" and "Dora the Explorer"), or has so much instant appeal that kids would literally force their parents to take out their plastic money (i.e. "Playstation 3" or "Tickle Me Elmo"), then they will most likely see my new game as too much of a risk. Since I also write screenplays and I am moving to Los Angeles to learn to become a better writer, perhaps I should write a creative film or television show based on the game and enter it into screenwriting contests, lol! Maybe then, I will earn enough to make a small run of both games and place them in specialty stores around the country. Another possibility would be to take an example from the makers of Cranium and try to market my games in a market that no one else has ever thought of. If I recall correctly, the makers of Cranium were friends with the head of Starbucks and sold their game through the coffee shop. They were able to sell over one million copies without spending any money on advertising! How incredible is that?! Despite the feedback I received from the toy agent, I still believe in my games because of the great feedback I have received from teachers, parents, college students, and teenagers from my library tours. I believe it is just a matter of raising the money to get started and finding my own unique niche and marketing strategy. Until then, keep pushing to find a way and STAY POSITIVE!!! Best of luck in your endeavors! Mahalo!
Luis
06-12-10 | 12:38 amReader's QuestionToday, one of my readers asked me if I knew what will happen to the oil that is collected from all the oil booms that have been created. I just wanted to share with you my response. "That is a very good question. I think the people at Matter of Trust would be the best ones to answer that one. I would imagine that it could still be used for some of the hundreds of products that we currently rely on petroleum for -- i.e. In the book I just finished writing a few months ago, I included a (small) list: (LOL, you're gonna love this!)" "Ammonia, anesthetics, anti-freeze, antihistamines, antiseptics, artificial limbs, artificial turf, asphalt, aspirin, awnings, balloons, ballpoint pens, bandages, beach umbrellas, boats, bubble gum, cameras, candles, car battery cases, car sound insulation, carpeting, cassettes, caulking, clothesline, cold cream, combs, conditioner, cortisone, crayons, credit cards, curtains, deodorant, detergents, dice, dishwashing liquids, disposable diapers, dolls, dresses, drinking cups, dyes, electric blankets, electricians’ tape, eyeglasses, false teeth, fan belts, faucet washers, fertilizers, fishing boots, fishing lures, fishing rods, floor wax, folding doors, food preservatives, garden hoses, glue, golf bags, golf balls, guitar strings, hair coloring, hair curlers, hand lotion, hearing aids, heart valves, house paint, ice buckets, ice chests, ice cube trays, ink, insect repellent, insecticides, isopropyl alcohol, kerosene, laundry detergent, life jackets, linoleum, lipstick, loudspeakers, LP records, lubricating oils, luggage, milk jugs, model cars, mops, motorcycle helmets, movie film, nail polish, oil filters, paint, paint brushes, paint rollers, pajamas, panty hose, parachutes, paraffin wax, pavement, perfume, permanent press clothes, petroleum jelly, pillows, plastic wood, plastics, plywood adhesives, purses, putty, refrigerator linings, roller-skate wheels, roofing, roofing shingles, rubber cement, rubbing alcohol, safety glass, salad bowls, shampoo, shaving cream, shoe polish, shoes, shopping bags, shower curtains, shower doors, skis, slacks, soap dishes, soft contact lenses, sports car bodies, sun glasses, sweaters, synthetic rubber, tar, telephones, tennis rackets, tents, tires, toilet seats, tool racks, toothbrushes, toothpaste, toys, transparent tape, trash bags, TV cabinets, umbrellas, upholstery, vaporizers, VCR tapes, vitamin capsules, wading pools, water pipes, wire insulation, and yarn. (Whew! Try saying that all in one breath!)"
Luis
06-11-10 | 12:34 amNo More Donations! Volunteers Needed! Thank you!Just wanted to pass along an update from Matter of Trust - the nonprofit organization making oil booms out of hair and fur. They thank everyone for their generous donations and now have enough hair and fur to make 25 MILES OF BOOM! Over 10 miles has already been made by hundreds of volunteers! At this time, they CANNOT take any more hair donations. However, they really use volunteers. If you can, please check out www.MatterofTrust.org
Luis
06-10-10 | 12:22 am15 Lbs of Hair!!!A few days ago, I drove around my city visiting barber shops and salons to see if they would donate hair (that would otherwise go into the trash) to help out with the oil spill clean-up. A non-profit company called, "Matter of Trust" has a few locations in Florida where they stuff the hair in women's stockings to create "booms". The booms are then dragged along the ocean's surface and effectively collects the oil that is spilling throughout the gulf. Today, I just mailed 15 lbs of hair for the oil spill cleanup to: Hair Boom Program, Ikaros Aviation, Inc., 8301 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050. They said they are having a beach clean-up this weekend to search for traces of oil near the Florida Keys. If you have the means and a few hours of time, I encourage you to go around your local area to collect freshly cut, clean, and dry hair to donate as well. If you do, make sure to save your receipt because you may be able to write the postage off for taxes, since they are a non-profit company. P.S. Let me know how it goes! Mahalo! (Thanks!) ~Luis
Luis
04-20-10 | 01:28 amRude AwakeningSo, I am currently reading "The Toy and Game Inventor's Handbook" which is very well written by two toy industry legends: Richard C. Levy and Ronald O. Weingarther. There is a section that I am reading that was a rude awakening for me and I felt was an important piece of information to share with you. (Paraphrased) The authors comment on how the toy and game industry has changed so much for inventors that, in the future, inventors may no longer exist. This is because major toy companies have been primarily making their sales through attaching toys and games to popular TV shows and Hollywood films. This is known as entertainment licensing. New games are no longer made from scratch from the bottom up because they are too much of a risk. Instead, the major toy companies simply buy out smaller companies who have established sales on their own (i.e. "Cranium"). This seems to be true because all you ever see in retail chains such as Target, Walmart, and Toy-R-Us are re-hashed versions of "Monopoly", "Risk", "Clue", "UNO", "Trivia Pursuit," and "Scene It?" based on every major Hollywood film, Sci-Fi TV show, or popular cartoon. I understand that these companies have an obligation to please investors. However, the quality of most of the games in mainstream retail stores are the equivalent of he styrofoam "health" chips you find in grocery stores with zero calories or no flavor. The industry has become a watered-down, empty version of itself, just like most reality TV shows and a significant portion of films pumped out by major Hollywood studios. I wish those of you that are into board games could experience some of the incredible inventions from independent companies and inventors you can only find in small hobby stores, boutique stores, and online communities, such as www.BoardGameGeek.com. It's like comparing the bland fruit you often find in U.S. grocery stores and then experiencing the explosion of rich and luscious flavor you would find in organic fruits from Brazil. There's just no comparison. I implore you to expand your mind and entertainment experiences beyond what the mainstream has to offer. As I find more fascinating games that I really enjoy, I will continue to try to post them here on this site. In the meantime, there's an entire new and more fulfilling world waiting for you to experience. Go find it!
Luis
04-12-10 | 05:34 pmFinding the Best Toy & Game BrokerBack in January (wow, has three months passed by already since then?), you may recall that I had the unique fortune to interview Ed Akerman, the man who launched the best-selling and legendary card game, "UNO." Well, I decided to finally take his advice to heart by researching and contacting a number of top toy and game brokers online. Personally, I prefer to have a broker in the United States for the convenience of having someone closer to home and considering the time and costs of shipping my prototype. Plus, I do not know how to investigate the legitimacy of businesses in other countries, whereas here in the U.S., you at least have the option to look them up on the Better Business Bureau website. You may decide to establish your own approach to evaluating the best broker for your own needs, but I took the extra time to read everything each broker presented on their website: i.e... - How long have they been in business and/or what kind of experience in the industry do they have? - What kind of products/clients have they represented? - What services do they provide? - How much do they charge? - What percentage of your royalties do they receive? - Do they have a standard non-disclosure agreement? (In order to protect you from anyone that might try to take your concept without permission.) - Does the overall website look professional? Afterward, I jotted down questions that may not have been answered: i.e... - Where do you represent your client's games? (Only in the United States, Europe, or around the world?) - Do you require an exclusive contract? (This means you are not able to have any other brokers shopping around the same invention at the same time.) - If so, how long is the contract? (Some require as little as six months to one year, while others may require 1-2 years. It may depend on how many toy companies a broker may solicit or other factors. Generally, it is common to wait at least a year or more to see if any company is interested in licensing your game or toy. Otherwise, you may need to go back to the drawing board and make some revisions, start all over again, or try to self-produce it on your own.) - Do you present games at Toy Fairs or do you go directly to the toy and game companies? (Some brokers may make the claim that Toy Fairs are for amateurs because the major toy companies are usually only interested in doing business with buyers, not acquiring new products. Your experience may be different.) - What percentage of games/toys submitted to you for consideration do you represent? (A good broker will only represent a small percentage because they are only looking for those toys/games with a high potential for success.) You might also want to ask about licensing a different version of your game: i.e. on cell phones, D.V.D., internet, and video games. However, bear in mind that, unless you are a talented computer programmer and animator, or a major toy company wants to do it for you, hiring someone (or a team of people) to make an electronic version of your game can cost several thousand dollars (sometimes over $100,000). Not to mention, there is no guarantee that a game company will want to license your game. However, if you are still motivated to give electronic gaming a shot after considering these factors, then by all means, go for it! You may have some talent that will blow everyone's mind away. When you become successful, hopefully you will remember that I was one of the few that encouraged you all the way! ;) Bearing all of this in mind, I found a broker that I was comfortable with, who was professional, experienced, patient and willing to explain the aspects of the industry that I did not understand. (Trust me, not everyone was so pleasant.) This particular broker has 26 years of experience, has an impressive client list, and currently has an "A+" rating on the Better Business Bureau website. You might be asking, how much money can an inventor make? Well, this may not always be the case, but it would appear that if a toy company is interested in licensing your toy or game, you may receive around 5%-8% of the WHOLESALE price, not the mark-up prices you see in stores. On top of that, if you used a talented broker to negotiate your contract with that toy company, your broker may receive around 20%-40% of your royalties. Some brokers ask for more, depending on where you go. So, lets do a little math. If your game costs $5.00 to make per piece and you receive 5%-8% for every game sold, then you might receive $0.25 - $0.40 per game. If you used a broker and they receive 40% of your royalties, then you might only receive $0.15 - $0.24 per game sold. This means, if your game sells 100,000 copies, then you might only receive $15,000 - $24,000. (Not terribly impressive, I know.) However, if in the unique event your game is a huge hit and sells 1,000,000 copies, then add another zero and that comes out to $150,000 - $240,000 in royalties. It may not seem very much considering that you invented the product and may have put your heart, soul, money, and time into this project. However, if you do not have an understanding of business, marketing, distribution, or the financial capital to launch your product yourself, then this may be an ideal option. I hope this information was helpful. Mahalo for reading my blog.
Luis
04-09-10 | 01:09 pmGlobal Quest Scholarship Fund UpdateJust wanted to give you a follow up with the Global Quest Scholarship Fund. As you know, I was able to help last year's winner have 100% of her tuition paid for through grants and scholarships. However, as many of you dedicated college students already know, book and school supplies are incredibly expensive, especially for a fine arts major. I remember when some of my own required literature would cost over $100 for only one book! Therefore, I have continued my dedication to assist last year's winner by helping her apply for at least 22 new scholarships within the last month, including the video featured below. The video below was for the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation: 2010 Swackhamer Video Contest posted on YouTube.com. The topic of the video had to answer questions related to a quote by Albert Einstein during the early stages of the Nuclear Age: "The unleashed power of the atom has changes everything save our modes of thinking and we thus drift toward unparalleled catastrophe." I would like to thank the generous photographers from Flickr.com that gave me permission to use their photos in order to enhance the content of this entry. Hope you enjoy the video and mahalo (thank you) for watching!
Luis
03-17-10 | 04:26 amLocal ScholarshipsLast year, as you may recall, I held the very first Global Quest Scholarship Fund, where I would personally assist the winner find grants and scholarships that would pay for their entire first two years of Community College...FOR FREE. I was amazed at how many people inquired about the scholarship contest, but how no one actually applied. As promised, I have helped last year's winner find free grant and scholarship money that has more than paid for two years of college and she is doing exceptionally well in her classes so far. As a matter of fact, she is majoring in Fine Art and her very first wooden sculpture was featured at the entrance of a dance performance production at Florida Atlantic University. (I will post the picture on this blog very soon.) Anyways, I have been continuing to assist last year's winner and I found a list of great resources that you may or may not have considered in your personal search for free money for college. I thought you might appreciate a list of reputable sites that have helped me recently and in the past. Ed.gov FAFSA.ed.gov College.gov Fastweb.com Scholarships.com Brickfish.com (Very time-consuming, but legitimate. I did win $400 from this site by being very diligent with voting for other's entries in different categories than my own and by leaving unique compliments and tasteful comments.) - Your local library also has books filled with thousands of privately offered scholarships. - Another creative option is to look up books on grants that feature writing competitions for poetry and short stories. Some of them offer a few thousand dollars per contest and may definitely be worth your time. - Also, please make sure to check out the financial aid office or website of the college or university you are attending. There are often tons of local and private donors and alumni that offer free scholarships for based on specific majors, GPA, community service involvement, financial need, minority preference, essay competitions, study abroad opportunities, etc. One scholarship I applied for two days ago only asked for a "three sentence essay". It does not get any easier than that! Yesterday alone, I just applied to at least 15 scholarships from the local university's financial aid website. (Each award was for $500 - $1,500 each.) - If you are still in high school, talk to your high school academic counselor/adviser to see what awards you might qualify for. You might be AMAZED on how many resources are very eager to hand out free money to ambitious students. Make sure to get letters of recommendation from teachers, professors, (past or present) employers, pastors, volunteer coordinators, and any other professionals that know you personally and may have glowing things to say about you. - I also just found out that my local City Hall offers a $1,500 scholarship just for living in our city, maintaining a decent GPA, and for demonstrating financial need. (I will be heading there first thing tomorrow to apply!) Look at the incredible list of local scholarships for my county I just found out about tonight. (Click on the PDF files.) I wish I knew about and had the maturity and focus to apply for these when I was in high school! Some of these scholarships may be a lot easier than you might think simply because no one else knows about them and/or too many people are too lazy to fill out an application and write a few sentences about themselves. Honestly, I never understood why ANYONE would choose to pay $10,000 - $120,000 in school loans PLUS INTEREST for the next 10-20 YEARS instead of taking a few weeks to fill out as many applications as humanly possible in order to have everything paid in advanced for FREE! I offered to help my younger 21 year old brother and 22 year old sister with their scholarship applications and they simply "didn't feel like writing any essays." That is just insanity to me! Anyways, I hope this is incredibly helpful for those of you attending or thinking of attending college. Best of luck to you! Enjoy and make the most of your time while you are there! It may be one of the best times of your life!
Luis
03-09-10 | 11:31 amNever Give Up!Today, I received an email about never giving up that struck a chord with me. The person who wrote the email told me a story about a volleyball coach whose team was losing 0-2 and decided to quit coaching the rest of the game. For anyone who plays volleyball, trailing by two points is not a big deal, however this coach took the easy way out and quit on her players. Then, the person telling the story included a quote from Winston Churchill: "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never--in nothing great or small, large or petty---never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force: never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." I found this quote inspirational because sometimes, I intimately know how that feeling of wanting to quit creeps up on you when you're exhausted, frustrated, and on the verge of pulling every last hair follicle from your skull. But I implore you to keep searching, reaching, and adjusting until you find some way to realize your goal in a way that you are thoroughly satisfied and/or fulfilled. Mahalo! Hope you are inspired today.
Luis
02-27-10 | 06:52 pmBoard Game AwardsAs I am looking for ways to introduce my board game inventions to the industry, I am reminded about those "award" stickers you may often see featured on the packaging of your favorite game. This often gives the game a sense of prestige, clout, and public approval. There are a variety of awards you can apply for, such as Games 100, International Gamers Awards, Mensa Mind Games, Spiel des Jahres, Board Game Geek: Golden Geek, and Major FUN awards. One of the sites I came across today that allows you submit your request for their seal of approval online is The National Parenting Center: Seal of Approval. Every company has different guidelines, but if you have invented a game of your own, it may be worth your time to boost your appeal by trying out for one of these. If you do win, please let me know so I can congratulate you on this site! Best of luck!
Luis
02-27-10 | 04:09 pmToy & Game Broker ListToday, I sought out major board game companies to submit my board games for licensing consideration. On the Hasbro FAQ page, I found that they do not accept direct submissions and recommended going through a company that has a different submission policy than they do, perhaps contact the game industry's trade association, The Toy Industry Association, or a toy and game broker. They explain that a toy broker introduces and helps sell the concepts/prototypes or other inventions to the broker's personal contacts at various toy and game manufacturers. Here is the web page in case anyone is interested in learning more information for your own toy or game concept. They have a link of brokers that have agreed to have their names published. Make sure to click that this information is "very" helpful, so that they will keep this content up on their site. If they ever take it off, please contact me and I will post the broker's names and contact info on my blog. Mahalo (thanks) and enjoy!
Luis
02-24-10 | 11:55 amHard Core Gamers ReviewLast weekend, I finally was able to get some of the people from my board game Meet-up group to test play both of my board games. To tell you the truth, I always get incredibly nervous when I show my creative work to anyone, whether it is my board games, writing, or film/video projects. It is just one of those quirks that I have, no matter how good or bad I might think my work is. Having this group test play my games meant a lot to me because they are what I would call "hard-core gamers." This means that the average games you often see in retail chains such as Target and Walmart may not be exciting or challenging enough for this incredibly diverse group. The reason why I brought my games to them is because I believe getting unbiased and honest feedback from those that are very selective (and not close friends or family) is absolutely crucial if I ever expect my games to be successful. Every single time I go to one of their Saturday evening events, I end up playing at least one or two games that I have never played and often never heard of before. The owner had to sell two tables piled with board games because he's moving and has two closets full of incredible and unusual games from all over the world. There are always plenty of home-cooked dinner prepared, junk food, and drinks for everyone (which is always a great thing) and they are such a fun spirited group of people. Since my (local) family and friends rarely play board games, this is a great outlet for me - as you might imagine. The group of people that played my board games were between 18 and mid-20's of different backgrounds and professional walks of life (Sample size = 3). Here is their average response for the following questions: Global Quest and Treasure Hold 'Em Review For each question, circle your honest opinion about the game you played. (1 = Horrible, 10 = Fantastic) 1. Overall look of the game? Global Quest:8 Treasure Hold 'Em: 9.7 2. Function - How well did the game play? Global Quest: 8.3 Treasure Hold 'Em: 8.6 3. How easy was the game to understand? Global Quest: 8.3 Treasure Hold 'Em: 10 4. How unique is the game? Global Quest: 9 Treasure Hold 'Em: 6.3 5. Is this game a good match for your age group? Global Quest: 9 Treasure Hold 'Em: 9 6. How interesting is the game to make you want to play again? Global Quest: 8 Treasure Hold 'Em: 8.3 7. How exciting is the game? (Did it make you laugh; did you have a great time playing?) Global Quest: 8.3 Treasure Hold 'Em: 8.6 8. Would you buy this game if you saw it in a store or online? Global Quest: 7 Treasure Hold 'Em:6.3 9. How would you compare this game to other board games in stores? Global Quest: 7.3 Treasure Hold 'Em:6.3 10. If you saw this game on the shelf, would it catch your attention and make you stop and take a closer look? Global Quest: 8 Treasure Hold 'Em: 7 NOTE: If you only knew how difficult it was for me to decide to post this blog. In some areas, this is an interesting comparison and contrast to the feedback I received from teenagers during my library tours, my test play with college students, and with five different families. In other ways, I admit I was a little crushed that some of the scores were not a little higher. However, I wanted to give you an unfiltered look at how "hard-core gamers" reviewed my games and thought you might appreciate the honesty. I feel that this may be helpful for those of you that may have inventions of your own that you want to have the public evaluate. Hope this was helpful. Enjoy and "mahalo" (thank you) for reading my blog! :)
Luis
02-19-10 | 09:16 amEnhancing My Blog Through AptureSo, today I was looking how to add live RSS feeds to my blog on GlobalQuestGame.com in order provide you various news feeds related to the board game and toy industry. Although I am still searching how to do this, I found an amazing new site that I am going to experiment with today called Apture.com. (I don't mean to be so easily distracted, ha!) The best way I can explain Apture.com (as interpret it) is that it takes any type of content you want (i.e. YouTube videos, Twitter feeds, Wikipedia Articles, News Articles, etc.) and beautifully places it compactly on your web page. When you click on the different media icons, it keeps you on the same page instead of redirecting your readers somewhere else...which is awesome! If any of this sounds confusing or incomplete, I apologize. I'm going to demonstrate what that looks like by experiment with it for the first time using information about the legendary USA Olympic Snowboarder, Shawn White. However, the widgit only seems to work on blogging sites, such as Blogger.com. (I wish it would work on my site. Grrr!) As a result, here is the direct link to my Blogger account featuring the Apture widget. Hope you like it. Enjoy! Mahalo! (Thanks!)
Luis
02-13-10 | 09:05 pmTaxesJust completed my taxes yesterday and I am so glad I hired a CPA that specializes in small businesses. Even though I have not launched the games just yet, I have spent a lot of time and money on press releases, my computer, the New York Toy Fair last year, meals with potential investors, etc. Fortunately I kept all of my receipts organized in a folder with a summary page listing everything. This made it as easy as possible for my CPA to go through all of my records. He saved me a LOT of potential heartache. One thing I did learn is that it is important to keep a written journal wherever you go (i.e. in your car) so that you can accurately log the dates, mileage, receipts, and purpose of your business-related expenses. From what I understand, this makes it easier to justify your deductions at the end of the year - in the event you are ever audited. (Make sure to consult a certified CPA for professional tax advice.)
Luis
02-11-10 | 12:25 amChateau RoquefortOver the weekend, I joined my old Board Game Meetup Group to enjoy a night of new games from around the world and to test play my inventions for additional feedback. This past weekend did not disappoint. One particular game that surprised me was called "Chateau Roquefort." At first glance, the design looks like a game for young children. Although the concept of the game is rather simple, the strategy it takes to win was very cleverly designed. I was impressed by the amount of multi-leveled detail that went in to the physical design of the game, as it is filled with moving traps and requires some memory skills. (Memory is definitely not one of my strong suits, but the game was a lot of fun.) Kudos to Zoch, the German-based board game company. From what I hear, some of the best board games in the world come from Germany. If you get the chance to play it with your family (or any of the games I mentioned), please drop me an email and offer us your feedback. Mahalo! (Thanks!) Here is the description from PixelPark, a game distributor from New Zealand: Chateau Roquefort 2-4 players Ages 6 & up Playing time: 30 minutes Publisher: Zoch Authors: Bernhard Weber & Jens-Peter Schliemann Monsieur de Montforte no longer lives in his Chateau. When he vacated the premises, the highly acclaimed gourmet left behind a collection of the finest cheeses in the world. As the years passed, the cheese aged, but so did the Chateau. Now the mice that search the Chateau for the cheese treasures must be careful or fall into holes which have opened in the floors as the building aged, making the Chateau one of the largest mouse traps under the starlit sky. Welcome to the craziest Chateau in the gaming world! The three-dimensional adventure takes place on four levels. At the top, the Chateau's roof blocks the view of the inside. When a player peeks under the roof, he can see the lattice of walls and rooms and send his mice in search of treasure cheese! However, once there, the mice must tread carefully as the floors slide unexpectedly under their paws and can reveal a deadly trap. For those who can avoid the traps, delicious cheese treasures await. Not only can children shine in Chateau Roquefort with their unbeatable memories, but they improve also their abilities to anticipate what lies ahead! Adults will also find the game an exciting challenge, again and again! it And the game comes with a double-sided board for two different scenarios! (Image Source: www.pixelpark.co.nz. Accessed February 11, 2010)
Luis
01-28-10 | 12:56 pmText Donation to HaitiI just realized that I posted this on my Twitter and Facebook account, but forgot to list the information about donating to the Red Cross via text messaging here on my blog. Most of you have probably seem the devastating earthquake and the amazing work being done to rescue the people of Haiti. MGive Foundation, a nonprofit group, is working with the Red Cross and wireless carriers to channel donations via texting. If you would like to donate to the Red Cross, text the word "Haiti" to the number 90999. Here is the news story on the NPR news website. They say that the compassionate response so far has been incredible. Something so devastating and unpredictable as this definitely renews your appreciation for how precious life is, doesn't it? (Image Source: Yahoo.com homepage. Accessed January 28, 2010)
Luis
01-21-10 | 05:03 pmBoard Game Sales Up in 2009Today I read an article from Playthings.com, that claimed, while overall toy sales slipped 2% during the first half of 2009, board game sales were up by 10%. Here's the link to the article: "US Toy Sales Slip 2 Percent in First Half" This tells me that people are staying at home more often to spend time with family and friends, instead of taking the entire family to the movie theater; where you can easily spend $80+ for a family of four. What is great about board games is that you get repeat entertainment value and almost always get a different experience and outcome. Times may be hard for many different industries, but it is reassuring to see that board games are still doing very well.
Luis
01-16-10 | 03:33 pmConversation With Ed Akerman; the Legendary Man Who Launched UNORecently, a close friend of mine from central Florida told me about a news story on Ed Akeman: co-founder of International Games. In 1971, his company bought the rights to the original version of the best selling card game, UNO. (You know you've played and loved this game.) I took a personal interest in this story because Mr. Akerman lives only a few hours from me in central Florida, and because I remember introducing UNO to my friends when I taught English in China. Needless to say, my Chinese friends enjoyed the game so much, I had to leave it behind. (You shouldn't argue with a country that invented Kung-Fu.) In 1992, International Games became a part of the Mattel family and the rest, as they say, is history. I am always excited to learn from people that have succeeded in the field that I am pursuing, so I took the opportunity to contact Mr. Akerman to get his personal insights on how he conquered the Toy and Game market. Q: How did you find out about the game, UNO? A: I found out about the game through my brother in law, who was in the military. His brother-in-law was in the aquatics club. He stared playing the game. When I went to visit him, I started to play the game as well. Then, of course, I bought the game from them, gave him 5% royalties, and we just got lucky that people accepted the product and it just started growing and growing. Then, we bought another game called, Skip-bo. Q: And how did that one do? A: Actually, it's the #2 card game in the world. UNO is #1. Q: How did you introduce the game to the market? Did you already have your own money or did you use angel investors? A: My family was involved. We went to the New York Toy Show and tried different things. What I did to get it started, was I set-up -- we'd get some manufacturer and I'd send it to them. There were about 40 or 50 throughout the United States just major buyers. I would send it to their secretaries and let them play the game. And when I would call them, the secretary would have already reviewed the game and then tell the buyer about it. It was an interesting way to do it. Board games are the toughest thing to get on the market. Q: Why is that? A: Board games are more expensive to manufacture. They are more expensive to advertise because of the high end dollar cost to them. What I would do - what I would suggest; unless you want to do it on your own; is to contact Mattel, Milton Bradley, and those (other) companies. Just tell them you have a board game that you would like to present to them. Make sure they send you a "Hold Harmless." A "Hold Harmless" is a form saying they won't take your idea. Unless they send that to you, don't send (your game) to them. Ha, ha. Q: Is that like a Non-Disclosure Agreement? A: Yes, same type of thing. We called it a "Hold Harmless" in my day. Q: I noticed when I went to the Toy Fair in New York, the companies like Mattel and Milton Bradley wouldn't even let me in unless I was invited or unless I was a buyer. I didn't realize at a toy fair, an "inventor" is kind of like the "bastard child," if you will, ha, ha. A: Yeah, that's about right. That's because there's so many new products out there. Unless you're registered with a Toy Association, The Toy Manufacturers of America (TMA), they won't let you get in there, ha, ha. They don't want you to steal their ideas. They are protected that way. It's a close-knit organization. All they want is buyers to come in. [READER'S NOTE: I did some online research and found that the Toy Manufacturers of America is now called the Toy Industry Association. This is the national New York City-based trade association for U.S. producers and importers of toys, games and children's entertainment products.] Don't send a game unless the send you a "Hold Harmless" form. And don't expect miracles overnight because they may not even contact you. Get a copyright, of course. You have to. Then go to the New York Toy Fair yourself and get a booth. Of course, that is a tough way to go too. Q: How so? A: That's the way we started, ha, ha. It's tough because you're on the outside looking in. Or, you can go to a sales representative and contact them and see what they say. Q: Did you start off in local stores or go straight to Kmart and Walmart? A: I just started local. I started locally in Indiana, because I am from Indiana originally. Then I did some assignment stuff - of course, we were lucky, because people accepted the game very quickly. You're best bet is to get some games made up; call a sales rep; and show them the product out of New York. Just see if they like the product and go from there. If you get a sales rep liking your product, they'll try to sell it. Like I said before, board games are the toughest games to sell. Q: You said that you out-sold Monopoly which was before you sold it to a major toy company. How did you do that? Did you already have a business background? A: I was a banker in Indiana. I didn't know anything about games when I started it. I learned my lessons by going to certain places to show the product. I went to the Toy Manufacturers of America and also used sales reps throughout the country. Q: Do you know of listings where I could find reputable sales reps? A: Look under "toy reps" and "toy/game representation." *I would like to take the opportunity to thank Mr. Ed Akerman for taking the time to answer a few of my questions. Navigating through this industry can be very challenging if you do not already have experience or a skilled team of people helping you to succeed. It is a huge help to get the advice of those that have done it before you and I appreciate Mr. Akerman's generosity. Hope you enjoyed this post and look forward to your feedback! Thanks for reading and good luck to you in your endeavors! Mahalo! [UNO image courtesy of Mattel]
Luis
01-16-10 | 11:25 amNew York Toy Fair 2010!Just to give everyone a head's up, the American International Toy Fair I attended last year in New York is coming up once again and is only a month away! Anyone who is anyone in the toy and game industry will be at the New York Toy Fair because it is one of the biggest events in the USA to feature your new toy or game. What is American International Toy Fair? Toy Fair is the largest international toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere where the newest and hottest products in the children's entertainment marketplace are exhibited. It is the premier meeting place for manufacturers, retailers, importers, licensors and reps from around the world. When and where is the show? Toy Fair 2010 will take place February 14-17, 2010 (Sunday - Wednesday) at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and showroom locations. Who is not eligible to attend? Suppliers to the trade including shippers, paper and packaging companies, graphic design firms, and any individual or company looking to sell their services to exhibitors. * Relatives not involved in the business. * Anyone under the age of 18. (Absolutely no children or infants will be admitted.) Hope your New Year is off to a successful start! Enjoy!
Luis
01-10-10 | 04:50 pmSample Game Review SheetHello Again, I know this is the second blog for today, but I wanted to pass along to you a sample game review sheet I customized for my own inventions. Perhaps there are some of you that have an invention of your own and you're looking for ways to test it out on the public so that you can fine tune your invention; move forward with production or licensing; or decide whether or not it is worth pursuing further. I admit that the first version of Global Quest I made years ago was horrendous! After having several people and professional review companies test play the game, I made numerous revisions. Now I am proud to say that it seems to be universally regarded as visually impressive. One of the investors I met with yesterday called it "eye candy", whereas his partner called it "aesthetically appealing." Anyways, here is a sample review sheet I made for myself. You are welcome to copy and paste the form and customize it to your own needs. Just promise to send me your experiences and feedback. Mahalo! (Thanks!) Global Quest™ Review For each question, circle your honest opinion about the game you played. (1 = Horrible, 10 = Fantastic) 1. Overall look of the game? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2. Function - How well did the game play? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3. How easy was the game to understand? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4. How unique is the game? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 5. Is this game a good match for your age group? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 6. How interesting is the game to make you want to play again? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 7. How exciting is the game? (Did it make you laugh; did you have a great time playing?) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8. Would you buy this game if you saw it in a store or online? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 9. How would you compare this game to other board games in stores? 7.3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 10. If you saw this game on the shelf, would it catch your attention and make you stop and take a closer look? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11. What did you like about these games? _______________________________________________ 12. What did you NOT like about these games? _______________________________________________ 13. What do you think would make these games better? ________________________________________________ Thank you so much for playing and sharing your thoughts! :)
Luis
01-10-10 | 04:12 pmInvestor Game ReviewYesterday, I met with a group of four investors at their office to discuss and potentially play both of my board games. Because we had such a constructive and elaborate discussion about possibilities and potential road blocks for each game, there was no time left to actually play the game. As a result, I apologize that I am not able to share with you their reactions to playing my games. Each one of the investors brought their own level of expertise to the table, sharing their thoughts and concerns about the potential direction of the company. In my opinion, it is important to take into consideration the advice of those that have experience in the field you want to pursue. However, ultimately the final decision is your own, even if others may not share your vision. At this point, you must decide what you feel is in your company's best interest and move from there. Everything is being carefully reviewed from both sides and I promise to keep you updated on our decisions whether or not we will be moving forward at this point. It is times like these that force you to dig deep within yourself to find creative ways to establish that which you want most. I hope you had a wonderful weekend!
Luis
01-05-10 | 01:21 pmHappy New Years!Can you believe it is already 2010??? I am just blown away by how quickly time has flown, but it has been a great year for me in many ways. I just returned from spending time with my brother and his family from out of state. We went to see Sherlock Holmes at the theater; visited the grand parents; took the kids to a huge arcade here in South Florida called "Boomers"; ate lots of food; and played a few board games. The highlight of the visit occurred last night when I was tickling my playful, six year old nephew. He tried to slip out of my arms while he was laughing really hard, then he accidentally knocked out one of his front teeth with his own forearm....I felt so terribly horrible. Fortunately, it was a tooth that was already loose. He recently had another front tooth already removed a few weeks before. However, I still went out and got him a mini monster truck toy and some "tooth fairy" money for his parents to place under his pillow. My brother and his wife milked the "bad uncle" guilt trip for every drop it was worth, lol. Gotta love family! When I returned to my overflow of email messages, I discovered that one of my new investors wants to meet this Saturday to play my board games. I will give you an update on their reactions and feedback on "Global Quest" and "Treasure Hold 'Em". This is always a good thing in order to find ways to improve your own product. Hope your holidays were as enjoyable as my own! Warm Regards, ~Lu
Luis
12-31-09 | 03:25 amNondisclosure AgreementsToday my entire (immediate) family on my mother's side has come together today to celebrate the New Year with my grandmother and great grandmother. It's been a few years since we've been able to do this, so I feel incredibly fortunate and thankful. In the meantime, I wanted to fulfill my promise to continue to update you on lessons I learned this past year. One of the first things I learned from having professional companies review the first drafts of my board games is the importance of using a Nondisclosure Agreement. This is basically a legally enforceable agreement or contract "whereby one promises to treat information confidentially and not give out information without proper authorization." Again, please make sure to consult a professional attorney for your own individual situation. The information presented here is simply my opinion based on my own experiences. The link below is a sample Nondisclosure Agreement form on the SCORE website, which is dedicated to small businesses. Hope this is helpful. Best of luck in your endeavors as you focus on the potential of a new year! SCORE: Sample Nondisclosure Agreement
Luis
12-23-09 | 09:47 pmFinished First Draft!!!I just wanted to share that today, I have officially finished the first draft of my very first book!!! This was one of my major goals to complete before this year finished and it feels phenomenal to have accomplished it! Now, you will have to excuse me while I go celebrate with a nice bowl of vegan chocolate brownie ice cream! Yuummmm!!!!!!!!! :)
Luis
12-16-09 | 11:53 amMeeting With InvestorsToday I just had breakfast with two investors who are meeting with entrepreneurs like myself to see if they might be interested in investing in my board games. I got to learn about the different aspects of business in which they specialize in, which gave me some insight as to where they may be the most apt to help my business grow. (Essentially, if they or someone else were to become my business partners, then I suppose it would be "our" business.) What I liked is that they were not only looking to make a sick amount of money (as are we all). They were looking for a company that would make sense from a marketing standpoint, had realistic goals for the future, and ultimately had to be a fun and attractive project. I appreciated that on all levels. I am also seeking to make a significant amount of money, because without profit, how can you expect to move on to other projects, take care of your family, continue your education, go on an occasional vacation, etc.? However, I am also seeking to gain real world experience from those that have done it successfully. Robert Kiyosaki, the author of "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" says that most expensive advice you can get is free advice. This simply means that getting advice from those that have no experience and/or are just as broke as you are, will ultimately cost you much more than hiring experienced and successful individuals. What I have learned from all of my independent studying this past year and from working at one of the most luxurious hotels in South Florida, is that having lots of money does not make someone rich. It's what a person knows that makes him/her wealthy. The fundamental difference between a rich and a poor person is that you can take all the money away from a rich person and they will find a way to make it back again in a relatively short period of time. You can give a poor person the winnings from the latest multi-million dollar Powerball Lottery and statistics show that within ten years (give or take a few years), they will have spent or lost all of their money. I find that absolutely fascinating. Next week, the investors and I will attempt to set up another meeting so that they (and possibly their families) may play my board games in order to get their feedback. In the mean time, I believe I am about two days away from completing the first draft of my first book! Once that is completed, I believe a mini celebration in definitely in order! Hope you are having a great week so far! Warm Regards, ~Lu
Luis
12-15-09 | 09:34 amBusiness Plans & Confidentiality AgreementsOne of the biggest fears I notice that most beginning inventors have, is the fear of having their idea stolen. However, since you may be new to this idea of producing/marketing your own invention, product,or idea, how on earth do you get advice and feedback while minimizing your risk? (DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to substitute sound, legal advice in any way or form! Please seek the advice of a professional before embarking on your own business venture.) First of all, if you are serious about generating money by having your own business, it is my opinion that you should ALWAYS write a business plan first! I know too many people (myself included) that have wasted too much time and effort without a solid direction in their course of action. You can hire a professional online or in your local community; check out the free services offered at your local SCORE chapter of the Small Business Administration (www.sba.gov); and/or order a copy of business plan writing software online (i.e. Amazon.com). I personally used "Business Plan Pro - Version 11.0" because it has a good reputation; it was fairly easy for me to use; and it is a cost effective compared to other companies that will write your professional business plan for a few thousand dollars. If you get stuck on any particular section, I would recommend talking to your local SCORE representative or a business plan professional. When I came up with my first business plan for my board games, I discovered there are a number of sites and books in the library that address basic Confidentiality Agreements. It generally does not have to be anything terrible complicated. This is the sample form that I used: The undersigned reader acknowledges that the information provided by Luis (NAME OF PERSON OWNING PRODUCT/BUSINESS) in this business plan introduction summary is confidential; therefore, reader agrees not to disclose it without the express written permission of (NAME OF PERSON OWNING PRODUCT/BUSINESS), of (BUSINESS NAME). It is acknowledged by reader that information to be furnished in this business plan introduction summary is in all respects confidential in nature, other than information which is in the public domain through other means and that any disclosure or use of same by reader, may cause serious harm or damage to (NAME OF YOUR BUSINESS). Upon request, this document is to be immediately returned to (NAME OF PERSON OWNING PRODUCT/BUSINESS), of (BUSINESS NAME). __________________________ Signature __________________________ Name (typed or printed) ___________________ Date This is a business plan introduction summary. It does not imply an offering of securities.
Luis
12-12-09 | 06:39 pmLessons Learned This YearCan you believe the end of another year is almost here?! Sometime in the begining of this year, I wrote down something called "my napkin goals" of 2009. It was four goals that were the most important to me, in which I thought could be achieved by the end of the year. There goals included: 1. Competing in 3-4 beach volleyball tournaments (based on getting a skilled and willing partner); 2. Selling 150,000 copies of my board game, Treasure Hold 'Em (based on whether or not I secured enough angel investors); 3. Return to China to visit and try to find Ding Mei (See first entry); and 4. Complete my first book. An unexpected turn in the economy caused me to be laid off from my job back in June and delayed a lot of my ambitions. As a result, I have only completed goal number four. However, I am happy to say that I have a meeting with three investors this coming Wednesday that are interested in my business plan for Treasure Hold 'Em and I have been training with a local group of regular beach volleyball enthusiasts on a pretty regular basis. There were also a series of valuale lessons I learned along the way that I would like to share with you in reference to what to do with your invention. I've been constantly running into people that have been telling me about their invention, business, music, and film ideas, but don't have any idea of what to do with their idea once they have completed the creative part. For the next week or so, I will be sharing with you the importance of using Copyrights, patents, trademarks, and confidentiality agreements in order to protect your product and ideas. I hope the season is treating all of you very well. Warm Regards, ~Lu
Luis
11-27-09 | 11:34 am200 Gifts for CharityEven though I am currently standing by for three different potential investors and have yet the ability to launch my board games, I did not want this year to pass without donating something to the charity I mentioned earlier this year, called Friends of Abused Children. As I called today to give them my information, you could hear it in the Administrator's voice that she was relieved to be receiving the donation. She mentioned it seemed as though they might be 200 gifts short this year. I am guessing that when unemployment rates go up and the economy goes down, charities simultaneously take a hit as well. Normally, I may not have mentioned the donation because I feel that this is a personal thing for each individual. However, because I have an appreciation and sympathy for what these children may be going through, I would like to encourage you offer any amount that you are able -- even if it is only a few dollars; the equivalent to a week's worth of gasoline; or a night at the movies with the family. When you live in an abusive home (or have just escaped from one), it can be a very lonely and confusing time in your life, especially for a child. It is times like this in which the kindness of strangers makes a huge difference in a young person's life that I believe will be passed forward in the future. When they look back at this time in their life, I would much rather have them remember something positive in the midst of their pain, rather than remembering only the negative. Many thanks to you for taking the time to read my blog. You may make a donation via phone (561-659-5005) or contact Friends of Abused Children via email: Info@friendspbc.org. Warm Regards, ~Luis www.GlobalQuestGame.com
Luis
11-27-09 | 10:44 amHappy Thanksgiving!Hello Everyone. For all of you that celebrate this holiday, I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I was fortunate enough to spend it with my grandmother and great grandmother, along with quite a few other family members. I don't know if this is a human nature thing or just a guy thing, but it is almost always a mistake to let me know what you are squeamish or afraid of. I just learned yesterday that my 21 year old cousin is terrified of porcelain dolls because of how lifelike and creepy they are. She also said it seems like their eyes are always following you. Well, my grandmother is a big collector of porcelain dolls, especially the ones that are 2-3 feet tall. While my cousin and my sister were chatting in the kitchen by themselves, a 3 foot porcelain doll suddenly peeked around the corner to stare at them "all by itself". She screamed for her mother and smack the heck out of me. LMAO! I have not laughed that hard in a long time! I know what you're thinking..."I can't wait to try that on MY family!" Anyways, I hope your Thanksgiving was as fun as mine. My pets enjoyed celebrating the holiday as well, so I decided to take a picture of them and share it with you. Enjoy! ;) 
Luis
11-24-09 | 02:08 pmTic Tac ToastAs you already know, I feel it is my duty to present clever, independent, and/or unusual games that I think you might find interesting. I like visiting geek-type websites that feature new and cool gadgets, such as www.thinkgeek.com and www.gizmodo.com. (I'm not sure if it's a guy thing or a geek thing.) Today on Gizmodo, I found a Star Wars toaster that imprints the head of Darth Vader on your toasted bread. (I know what you're thinking, "...Awesome!") This eventually led me to a "Tic Tac Toast" stamper you can burn into your bread. Breakfast has just become fun again and I wanted to share it with you. Enjoy!
Luis
11-15-09 | 12:34 pmCashflow Time!Just to give everyone an update; I will be joining the Cashflow Board Game Group again on November 22, 2009 at the following location at 2:00pm. Havana Coffee & Restaurant 7750 Nova Drive Davie, FL 33314 954-306-6655 They have great Cuban food there and a friendly group of people that show up to play the game. If you are in the area, we would love to have you join us! :)
Luis
11-12-09 | 01:04 amRECON 2010I know I am getting dangerously close to becoming a "board game geek" (or perhaps it has already happened and I just don't know it yet), but there is a major gaming event that I just learned about called, "RECON 2010". Apparently, the Historical Miniature Gaming Society - South Chapter (HMGS-South) is holding this anticipated gaming event in Cocoa Beach, Florida. On their website, thay are boasting, "...over 11,000 square feet dedicated to the best Historical, Science-Fiction, Fantasy, Board, and Role Playing in the South!" There is also a renowned game designer named Richard Borg who will be making a guest appearance. For those that are interested in trying something a little different and you just happen to be somewhere in the neck of the woods of Cocoa Beach (heck, you don't ever need to twist my arm very hard to make an excuse to be at Cocoa Beach!), the event takes place on April 29-May 2, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Cocoa Beach 1300 North Atlantic Avenue Cocoa Beach, FL 32931. Phone number to contact for more info on RECON 2010 is: 321-783-2271. Website: http://www.hmgs-south.com/hmgs/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=27
Luis
11-03-09 | 03:26 pmCashflow - Escaping the Rat RacePreviously, I had mentioned some non-mainstream board games that I found to be absolutely brilliant and a lot of fun. One of those games is a game created by Robert Kiyosaki called, "Cashflow". If that name sounds familiar, it is because he is the author of the best-selling book, "Rich Dad, Poor Dad". I had just finished reading one of his latest books called, "Increasing Your Financial IQ" - which, by the way, completely changed the way I view the world in terms of my approach and attitude towards money! In his book, he regularly refers to his board game, "Cashflow", which is specifically designed to reinforce the valuable lessons he teaches in his books and in a fun learning environment. There is a fascinating concept of how we, as humans, best learn new ideas and retain them in our cranium. (There could be a clever pun to the popular board game, "Cranium", but I shall resist. LOL.) According to this study, we only retain approximately 10% of what we learn by only reading about a new subject. (This is known as "passive involvement") The absolute best way to retain a new subject or skill is by actually DOING it. (Which is referred to as "active Involvement".) Out of the 12 or so different ways in which we typically learn new skills, simulating the experience (i.e. through a board game) is the second best way to learn. (Makes sense to me. I'll buy that for fifty cents.) After hearing so much about the game in Robert's book, I finally went onto www.meetup.com, where you can find groups of people interested in just about any hobby you are interested in. As I mentioned before, I use this site to join beach volleyball, board game, and now a writer's group. This past Sunday, I joined one of the hundreds (or was it, "thousands"?) Cashflow meetup groups to finally play the game after much anticipation. I found it to be absolutely fascinating how some of the players' reaction to the game is identical to how emotionally charged people are about the concept of money in real life. One player absolutely needed to be 100% certain that he was making good investments and became very agitated with any uncertainty. Another player took advantage of one really good deal at the right time in the game and the rest just seemed to flow easily for him as he kept receiving millions of dollars every turn. I, on the other hand was not doing terrible, but my conservative and safe approach kept me lagging behind in terms of getting out of the rat race. (It also didn't help that I kept having children, which of course, increased my expenses, lol.) I was really impressed of how detailed and well thought-out this game was designed. Well done, Robert! Needless to say, this is on the list of my top favorite board games. However, I would like to encourage you to read at least one of Robert Kiyosaki's book before playing. It will make it a lot less intimidating. I couldn't help smiling throughout the game as I realized everything I learned was cleverly reinforced in this game because it simulates real life situations and financial opportunities. If becoming financially secure, independent, or flat-out wealthy is important to you, I highly recommend you sign up on www.meetup.com and find a local group playing "Cashflow" as soon as possible. If not today, then when are you going to decide to improve the quality of your life? As my father used to tell me as a child, "No one is going to take better care of you than YOU.
Luis
11-01-09 | 02:54 pmThank you to My Global Viewers!I know it has been a little while since I have done one of these, but I wanted to express my sincere gratitude to my faithful readers from around the globe in the USA, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine, Germany, Romania, Netherlands, Great Britain, China, Canada, Moldova, Iran, Turkey, Greece, and France! You are the best! I promise to be more diligent with keeping up with my blogs this month. Some promising and fun things have been happening lately in reference to my board games and meeting investors. I look forward to sharing them with you! Mahalo! (Thank you!) ~Lu
Luis
08-30-09 | 07:25 pmMy First Commercial!!!Here's another lighthearted but fun video that I enjoyed (and endured a little physical pain) making. LOL! I am very excited because, I just completed my first commercial for a HP computer contest using some of the basic editing skills I learned on my own. Hope you enjoy the video! Please remember to click 5-stars and pass it along! Thanks so much!
Luis
08-24-09 | 01:13 pmFirst Day of School!Today, Arlyn, the local college student I assisted with all of her scholarships and grants through the Global Quest Scholarship Contest called me today around 10:00AM to express how excited she is about starting her first day of class at her university. She told me she arrived 30 minutes early and told instructor after the class was over that she has "waited her entire life for this!" It was such a great feeling to hear her beaming with confidence and excitement! It was also very heart-warming to hear her so excited as she pursues a dream that she loves so much and to know that I had a small part in helping her. Arlyn has told me on a few occasions that she never would have been able to do this without my help. However, I don't believe that is true. I believe people do not give themselves nearly enough credit. When you long for something so badly and/or you are sick and tired of the current direction of your life to the point that it causes you too much physical, emotional, or mental pain --- you WILL find a way to change things in your life, one way or another! It might take a lot of time, money, discomfort, and sacrifice; but if you keep learning from your so called "failures" and keep improving your approach, you WILL make progress!
Luis
08-23-09 | 12:37 pmPow WowThere's something great about a game that exceeds your expectations in terms of entertainment and laughter! Pow Wow is a game that looks like it would only be for kids, but it is one of the funniest games I have ever played (Next to Cranium, of course!). I could easily see how this would be popular around college parties! I have not laughed this hard in a long time! The concept of the game is simple: you have to wear a feather on your forehead (held by a headband wrapped around your noggin) and try to guess the sum of all the feathers around the table. The only problem is that no one is allowed to see their own number. You could have a negative number, a high number, or a multiplied number! You keep going around the table, each person raising their best guess of what the estimated total number is. Once you think the person before you has guessed too high, you challenge their answer. If you challenge someone's guess and you're right, then that person is out of the game. If you are WRONG, then YOU are out of the game. Simple concept, but LOTS of fun!
Luis
08-15-09 | 03:44 pmShadow HuntersEver play a game that you thought might be too intimidating, but in a pleasant surprise twist, it turned out to be mad fun? Well, for me, Shadow Hunters was one of those games. I had never heard of this game prior to joining my local board game group from MeetUp.com. However, almost every time we meet up on Saturdays, there are always at least a handful of people that are quick to grab it from the closet. In the game, you are either a Shadow (a creature of the night); a Hunter (a human who's job it is to destroy supernatural beings), or a Civilian (a normal person stuck in the middle of this ancient battle). The only catch is, everyone's identity is secret and you have to figure out who is who before you attack with a variety of weapon cards and special abilities. The tricky part is that it is easy to mistake someone else's identity and attack the wrong person, which can potentially expose your identity to the other players. Each character has a unique way of winning the game; including one character who wins if he is the FIRST to die! As my girlfriend's son would say, "What the cheeseburger???" LOL! Play time for Shadow Hunters is only about 30 minutes and is definitely among my favorites! Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Luis
08-15-09 | 01:45 amCash Flow 101 - The Board Game by Rich Dad, Poor DadRecently, I have been listening to a book on CD called "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" by Robert T. Kiyosaki. I've been hearing so many positive reviews about his books for so long that I went to my local library and decided to give it a shot. I find it a bit odd to say this, I feel enlightened by the insights he shares with his readers in reference to understanding the different beliefs, attitudes, and approaches that rich and poor people have towards making money. Today, I am in the last chapter of the book and he mentions two interesting board games he invented called, "Cash Flow 101" and "Cash Flow 202". They are board games that not only help you enhance your financial I.Q., but they also teach you some of the many ways you can invest and manage your money in order to free yourself from the proverbial "rat race". In my previous blog, I mentioned that I have been recently turned on to the website www.MeetUp.com. Well, one of the "Entrepreneur Groups" in Miami apparently play "Cash Flow 101" regularly as a means to discuss, brainstorm, and teach others how to help themselves become financially rich. (Always a fun thing to learn, I imagine.) I have not played these games yet, but I have heard that it has the ability to be a bit daunting or pleasantly enlightening. The results of how well (or poorly) you play the games may directly reflect the current attitude and/or lack of knowledge about managing and investing your own money in real life. I am looking forward to introducing it to my board game MeetUp group to get their thoughts. Please let me know if you have played either of these and send me your constructive feedback on "Cash Flow 101". Mahalo! (Thank you!) Game Description From the Manufacturer: Learn how to get out of the Rat Race and onto the Fast Track where your money works for you instead of you working hard for your money. Use this game to practice real world investing with play money. CASHFLOW 101 is an educational board game that teaches accounting, finance, and investing at the same time - and makes learning fun. This educational program, CASHFLOW 101, includes the board game CASHFLOW 101 and three CDs which reveal the lessons of CASHFLOW 101. CASHFLOW 101 is recommended for adults and children age 10 and older. Game Description From the Manufacturer: CASHFLOW 202 teaches you the advanced business and investing techniques used by technical investors by adding volatility to the game. It teaches the advanced investment techniques of "short-selling stock", "put-options", "call-options", "straddles" and real estate exchanges. You must have CASHFLOW 101 in order to play CASHFLOW 202. This package contains new game sheets, new playing cards, and 4 CDs. CASHFLOW 101 and 202 are recommended for adults and children age 10 and older.
Luis
08-13-09 | 04:28 pmRailroad TycoonI would like to introduce you to a board game I have recently tried for the first time and has become one of my favorites of all time: Railroad Tycoon. (I featured a link to the game on the left side of my homepage as well.) The board itself is huge (about 36x45 inches, 91x114 cm) and could probably cover your average coffee table top. Once you learn how to play, I must warn you that you may become addicted! It's tricky, challenging, and requires quite a bit of strategy. The premise of the game revisits the early Age of the Steam Locomotive. The concept is simple: you begin with your own locomotive and compete to build a vast railroad network empire. What I found amazing about this game is that it can take around two hours to play but you lose all sense of time once the momentum begins! I lost terribly my first time playing, but I learned so much and had so many new ideas of how to play better during my next round, that I wanted to play again immediately! LOL! However, at this board game MeetUp group, there were so many games to choose from, it would have been a shame not to mix it up by trying something different. Below is a link where you can get a copy for yourself. (You will never find the games I feature in my blog in mainstream Walmart or Target. They only seem interested in featuring a thousand different versions of Monopoly and Clue.) Please send me your thoughts if you get the chance to play Railroad Tycoon! I would love to feature your feedback here in my blog. Enjoy!
Luis
08-13-09 | 11:22 amwww.Meetup.comHave you ever discovered a brilliant idea that is out on the market, smack yourself on the head, and ask yourself, "Why didn't I think of that???" (I have several bruises from doing that often!) Well, there is a great website called www.Meetup.com where you can take just about any hobby that you are into (i.e. board games, extreme sports, scrap booking, filmmaking, entrepreneurism, etc.) and get together with people that are interested in the same things. If you can not find an existing group with the hobby that you are interested in, then you can create your own group and invite others to join. Since most of my closest friends are incredibly busy and married with families of their own, I decided to give this site a test run for these past few months. I am pleased to report that I have been having the best time getting together with huge groups of people that like to play board games and beach volleyball. The best part, aside from a couple of bucks to park at the beach or bringing a snack / refreshment to the board game gatherings, it's all FREE! (Who doesn't appreciate an inexpensive form of great entertainment and relaxation these days?) The local board game group has grown so large that they had to remove it from Meetup.com. Every Saturday from 4:00pm till about 1:00am, players contribute their own food and drink (from lasagna, to chips, to drinks); and bring a board game they would like to play or choose from the TWO CLOSETS full of board games that the organizer has in his home. Most of these games I have never heard of before because they come from toy trade shows and/or from Europe. Imagine over 30 adults and teenagers from every walk of life playing board games on five different tables; laughing and having a great time for hours. There's no more room for growth, but it is some of the best times I have had in a while! Now that I think about it, I would love to get their feedback on the two board games I invented: "Global Quest" and "Treasure Hold 'Em". As I continue to play new games, I would like to share them with you in this blog and on my homepage to try for yourself if you don't feel like spending twenty bucks per person to see a movie only once at the theater (tickets and food); or fifty+ bucks per person to see a concert with your buddies (tickets, parking, food, and souvenirs). What I like about board games, you can have repeat play with a variety of outcomes and conversation is actually encouraged, lol! Enjoy!
Luis
08-02-09 | 02:17 pmGlobal Quest Scholarship UpdateWow, it is amazing how quickly time flies when you are working on multiple projects at once! Many of you may recall the "Global Quest Scholarship Contest" in which I would personally help the winner obtain enough scholarships and grants to pay for their entire community college tuition. This notice was posted at local high schools, Palm Beach Community College, GlobalQuestGame.com, and announced on our MySpace Page . Amazingly, a number of people and a scholarship company inquired about my contest, but no one applied! Therefore, I reserved the right to select a local college student of my choosing to demonstrate what I could have done for one of you. Many, if not most of us have been seriously affected by the current economy; including myself. The student I selected is no exception. She is a single parent working for herself by cleaning houses. Due to the economy, she has lost a significant part of her clientele to the point that she's afraid of losing her home. Few locals can afford the extra expense of having someone else clean their home for them. This aspiring college student and I sat down and put together a few essays, letters of recommendation, and collected her tax information for the previous year. I am thrilled to announce that she has been accepted to the university of her choice and her entire first year of tuition is paid for in scholarships and grants with an additional $2,000 for books and supplies! Other than her parking pass and college application fee, she doesn't have to pay for anything out of her pocket! At first, she didn't mention anything to any of her family or friends out of fear of criticism for wanting to go back to school at this stage in her life. However, once she received her award letters, she was so excited that she no longer cared what they would say and told them anyways. LOL! It was a great feeling seeing her so happy! We are currently working on her second year of tuition, books, supplies, and fees. Below is the video we put together to enter the Calm-A-Sutra of Tea Scholarship for $15,000 presented by teausa.org. We chose a beach volleyball theme because the spokesperson for the contest is Misty May Treanor; the U.S.A. Gold Medalist in Beach Volleyball for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (Not to mention it's my favorite sport!) I admit, it is a bit on the silly side, but we had a lot of fun making it! Your constructive feedback and support by voting 5-stars would be greatly appreciated! Enjoy and wish us luck!
Luis
06-08-09 | 12:39 pmGetting Expert AdviceLast Friday, I recently wrote to some of the fascinating inventors I met at the New York Toy Fair back in February and wanted to get their personal insights about how they succeeded in the toy industry. I asked them a series of questions that I really needed answered to learn from other's experiences. It can get incredibly expensive and time consuming(sometimes years) to make all the mistakes yourself if you are new to inventing, producing, and marketing your own products. Here are two of the responses I received from Carl Restivo, President of Innovative Toys - the makers of ScareMeNot plush creatures designed to take the "scary" out of monsters; as well as from David Stein; the inventor of Bubble Thing . 1. How and when did you get started in the toy industry? ScareMeNot: We incorporated in Aug. 2008 and launched the line at the Toy Fair in Feb in NYC. The company was inspired by our kids having trouble getting to sleep as they thought that the Boogeyman or something was in their room and wanted to sleep with us. Bubble Thing: I got started in the toy industry in 1984 after inventing the BubbleThing in Maine for my little daughter. 2. How did you initially raise money for your idea/invention? (Did you already have expendable money set aside or did you have to borrow from somewhere?) ScareMeNot: Our own money. Bubble Thing: I didn't raise any money to start. I had $4,000 and started manufacturing small batches and selling them in the street. 3. What challenges/obstacles have you encountered? (And how did you overcome them?) ScareMeNot: Finding a reputable and English speaking factory in China, testing & import requirements, and terrible economy to launch a business. Bubble Thing: About challenges and obstacles-- There were so many I don't know where to start and they continue today. Only two things matter in business: be the best there is and keep your word. That way people will trust you. 4. How long did it take for you to initially generate sales? ScareMeNot: Once launched, we immediately had sales online and 30 days after toy fair had Mfg Reps in 40 states with orders coming shortly thereafter. Bubble Thing: About generating income-- It started the day of my first street sales. But it was three years before I wasn't actually losing money. 5. Do you find that your sales are cyclical? (i.e. Do you do better during the holidays vs. summer vs. during the school year, geographical locations, etc.?) ScareMeNot: Our main customers are Specialty stores so they typically buy late summer for Q4 but if really excited, buy now and then re-order. Bubble Thing: Yes, sales are cyclical. 6. What would you do differently, if you could start over again? (Knowing what you know now.) ScareMeNot: We were lured by Mass Market potential in the beginning and wasted a lot of time to learn that Specialty stores will not carry your product if you are in Mass. Mass also requires a lot of cash reserves for advertising and product returns. Bubble Thing: If I had to do it again, I don't know. Very few people have all the skills it takes to do this. You might be best advised to write a patent, get it pending, and then shop your thing around New York Toy Fair in February. That's the simple way to be an inventor. If you go into manufacturing yourself, it gets way more complicated. I'll say this--- You have to be absolutely determined to succeed no matter what goes wrong and no matter how many people fail you. If you want to learn more about either inventor or their products, just click on their links on my home page and tell them, "Luis from GlobalQuestGame.com sent me!"
Luis
06-05-09 | 12:31 pmFinding a Good PriceAs you may recall from my previous blogs, I have been searching manufacturers in China directly through Alibaba.com for one of my board games. I came up with a brilliant way to launch one of my games and finally found ways to redesign the components so that it is still visually appealing, but inexpensive enough to attract potential investors. Next, I found a local angel investor group that schedules events for small businesses to present their company and investment opportunity. I was encouraged to sit-in during one of these events so that I may have an understanding of how the process of pitching my business idea works; while molding my presentation and business plan according to their requirements and standards. This will be a great learning experience for me and for any of you that may be in similar situations. Wish me luck. I will keep you posted.
Luis
06-04-09 | 08:02 amRecord Month!Wow, it's hard to believe another month just flew by! I am thrilled to report that last month exploded to an all-time high for this website at 192,421 hits! Thank you, thank you! Of course, here comes the tradition of listing and thanking the following countries which visited this site (in order of number of hits): USA, Israel, Thailand, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Brazil, India, Italy, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain, Philippines, Canada, Argentina, Kuwait, Hungary, Turkey, Russian Federation, South Korea, and Netherlands! A big thank you to all of you! This month, I'm going to focus on asking independent inventors about their personal insights and challenges to bringing their new product to the market. Hopefully this information will be helpful and inspirational to any of you that are trying to find ways to start your own business and/or license your own product. Stay tuned!!! "
Luis
05-26-09 | 05:25 pmHow Many Languages Can You Say, "Hello"?Hello Everyone, I know it has been a little while since my last blog. A lot has been happening in terms of my games and a book that I have been writing. The economic downturn finally caught up with me as I was recently laid off a few weeks ago. My day job involved working as an Audio Visual Technician in a Staging and Production Company. A lot of the companies you have seen recently on the news that have either gone bankrupt or received government bailouts were our clients. This eventually resulted in a trickle-down effect. No worries though. I decided to return to one of my great passions in life and volunteered at the Delray Beach Film Festival and had an amazing time while networking with other filmmakers. (See picture below.) This is a perfect opportunity to focus on the things that mean the most in terms of career and/or starting your own business. Just for fun, I decided to post my first contest on www.ibeatyou.com and on YouTube. See if you can beat me! Enjoy! How many languages can you say, "Hello"? - Find competitions at ibeatyou
Luis
05-01-09 | 10:28 am71,136 Hits in April!!!It is the start of a new month and I wanted to express a special "Thank you!" to everyone that has visited and referred this simple website to friends and family. I am thrilled to announce that this website received 71,136 hits from around the world, which was a record month for GlobalQuestGame.com and GlobalQuestFund.com. This is phenomenal! If I am not mistaken, I believe this month also received visits from more countries around the world that any other month; including: United States Israel Hong Kong Thailand Brazil Portugal India Lithuania Malaysia Canada Great Britain Italy Indonesia Spain Taiwan Germany Philippines Hungary Finland South Korea Argentina Netherlands Singapore Poland
Luis
04-19-09 | 11:38 pmRaising Start-up CapitalGenerally, I like to see the positive things in most situations, but I must admit that it's terribly exasperating that everything closes early on Sundays. Normally, I will go to the local coffee shop or library to do some writing or reading after work. When my favorite locations are not available, I'll find a Taco Bell or Chinese restaurant -- ANYWHERE that will provide a little solitude and no distractions. The reason why I'm upset today is because I went to my regular Chinese spot in Lake Worth; ordered a nice sit-down dinner and a Pepsi; read a bunch of chapters on "Getting an Agent" (I've been writing a non-fiction book since last July and want learn how to get it published); and without warning, the owner told me they were closing the restaurant FORTY minutes early because "they needed to clean the floor". -- Grrr! I need to enroll in a Masters degree program in a college that has a 24-hour library and/or become super-wealthy so that I can build one of my own late night library for the city to enjoy. That would be my personal heaven. Anyways, the reason for today's blog is due to the challenge and frustration of having two great board game inventions, but absolutely no dinero (Spanish for cold hard "cash") to self-produce my games. As I mentioned to you in my blog about the New York Toy Fair - the American game manufacturer I would like to hire uses a Chinese affiliated company that requires me to purchase a minimum of 5,000 copies of my game before they will consider making a prototype. This comes out to approximately $36,000. This does not include tooling costs (designing the game from scratch) and shipping to the United States from China, etc. Making the game here in the U.S.A. is disproportionately expensive and would not be financially competitive with other established games in stores = no profit = sad me. So, what are my options? 1. I could take the easy way out and try to get a toy agent to license the game for me. Problem is that first-time inventors receive about 2%-4% profits of any sales (if they are lucky); plus I will have to share AT LEAST 15% of my minuscule profits on each game sold with my agent. One agent I met in person advertises that they receive 40%-60% of inventor's profits. I have no problem sharing my profits with an agent because they know the toy business much better than I do. However, it hardly seems worth it when a toy company is nowhere near as passionate about your project as you are because it has not been proven on the market, therefore does not have "perceived value" yet. (Think of how the 8G I-Pod Touch retails for $229, whereas similar touch screen MP4 players cost $50-$80 on Amazon.com--- I believe it's all about perceived value based on really great marketing. Heck, even I want one!) Since that does not improve my financial situation at all; 2. The next option is to find someone with money to take a chance by investing money into my invention. Last year, I dated a lovely and beautiful woman whose parents own a restaurant and were looking to invest in one of my games once they sold their business. However, as you may have experienced for yourself; the economy took a sharp downturn; they were losing money fast; and they had to take the restaurant off the market and go back to working in the kitchen. Some of the other young adults that played and reviewed my game also said they would love to invest in my invention, but only had about $1,000 to spare. As much as I am honored by that nice gesture; $1,000 will not even get you a decent booth in a major trade show to exhibit your new invention. This now forces me to: 3. Consider starting my business on a smaller scale; 4. Learn how other successful people brought their product to market; 5. Come up with my own clever marketing tool; and... 6. Look for another manufacturer that requires a smaller minimum purchase order. So, I went to Alibaba.com (a fantastic resource of manufacturers, suppliers, sellers, and buyers from all over the world - especially China) and found a few potential companies I might want to do business with in Hong Kong and mainland China. This might be my ticket back to China to look for Ding Mei (See my first blog). One manufacturer only required a minimum of 500 pieces and they said they comply with U.S. testing standards. This is something I will have to confirm for myself. Also, I went to the library and found some books on raising money and starting my own business; including: - "How to Finance Your Invention" - by Jack Lander - "All I Need is Money: How to Finance Your Invention" - by Jack Lander - "The Mom Inventor's Handbook: How to Turn Your Great Idea into the Next Big Thing" - by Tamara Monosoff. I know I'm not a mom or even a parent. However, if a mad-busy, multi-tasking, work-at-home parent can still find a way to become financially successful doing something she loves doing, then there is something I know I can learn from her to become successful as well!; - "Mommy Millionaire: How I Turned My Kitchen Table Idea Into a Million Dollars and How You Can Too!" - by Kim Lavine. This was highly recommended from an avid reader friend of mine who has her own online business selling hand-made crafts and home-made novelty soaps. * As an interesting side note: Last night, I had a strange dream that Tony Robbins (One of the greatest personal development gurus of all time) came to my house to meet ME! As he shook my hand, I suddenly had an anxiety attack because I was so embarrassed that I am not where I hoped and thought I would be in this stage of my life. This stems back to how I am always painfully conscious of the example I am setting whenever someone asks me for advice and/or needs encouragement to follow their passions in life. I my opinion, leading by example is always the greatest teacher.
Luis
04-13-09 | 02:42 pm"Clocky"Last week, I read an inspiring story on Inc.com called "The Reluctant Entrepreneur" . It is about a young entrepreneur named, Gauri Nanda, founder of Nanda Home, Inc . What was interesting about this inventor is that she invented a clever and quirky little robot/clock called "Clocky" while studying at M.I.T. Imagine this: when the alarm goes off in the morning, the clock wheels itself off your bedside table and rolls around the room, emitting R2D2-like squeaks. (I have a younger brother that desperately needs one of those!!!) Apparently, Nanda grew up watching her parents spend an incredible amount of time and effort running a small weekly newspaper and had no intentions of following in their entrepreneurial footsteps. "I was opposed to the idea of starting a company," says Nanda. "I saw the hours my parents worked." As it turns out, several tech bloggers saw the picture of her brilliant and unique clock and before she knew it, she was getting calls from reporters, TV producers, and even a call from Good Morning America. How cool is that??? As Nanda's new company continues to grow by leaps and bounds, she has already sold over 10,000 units of her Clocky invention. That's pretty impressive for an invention she made for fun (actually for a class project) and then tossed it away in the back of her closet for a couple of seasons. Of course, anyone who knows me is well aware that I will not be able to resist contacting Nanda to learn how she did it on her own. This is the type of success I am committed to having with my board game inventions. Learning from other successful people is the best way to not only succeed yourself, but to also minimize making all the mistakes on your own. Besides, life becomes that much more interesting and exciting to expand your circle of friends and by surrounding yourself with like-minded and self-motivated people. P.S. I had no idea, until about five minutes ago when I was searching for a Youtube video on "Clocky", that Ms. Nanada was so incredibly gorgeous as well! Wow, I'm such a Latin when it comes to beautiful geeks!
Luis
04-03-09 | 11:25 pmGlobal Quest Scholarship DeadlineA few days ago, I was THRILLED to learn that I had won two of the four scholarship contests I had aggressively competed for on Brickfish.com . That's pretty amazing considering there were over 10,000 other entries competing for the same cash prizes! Any potential cash prizes I would win, I would give away as a bonus prize to the winner of the Global Quest Scholarship Contest featured on this site. Only problem is; the deadline for the Global Quest Scholarship Contest is TODAY and out of the hundreds of people that viewed the scholarship contest, NO ONE applied for it! What happened??? That would have been an additional $400 to buy perhaps two semesters worth of college books; thousands of copies at Kinko's; or supplement a serious Starbucks addiction! Not to mention that I would be personally helping the winner research and earn two years worth of free grants and scholarships for tuition at any Florida Community College. The odds of winning this scholarship contest are completely in your favor because the pool of competition was so small. Perhaps this is why I was so successful in winning scholarships when I attended college - Either, very few people make the effort to apply for them; perhaps they simply do not know about the tremendous amounts of free tuition funding that is available online, at your school's financial aid office, and in your local library; or perhaps they convinced themselves not to apply because they assume the competition is too great. How disappointing! Yes, often times a scholarship contest can be quite challenging, but that's the fun part! (Or at least, that is what the competitive part of me says.) Being aggressive with any opportunities for free scholarships is what allowed me to study at Cambridge University in England for a summer semester. We visited all the hot spots in Paris, France; toured a castle and walked underground for a haunted tour in Edinburgh, Scotland; and watched a Shakespearian play the way they were meant to be enjoyed in London, England. It was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life as there were several moments I will never forget. Turns out that there were summer study abroad scholarships available through my college Financial Aid department. Since two friends of mine and I were the only ones that applied for the awards, we automatically won! Perhaps next year's Global Quest Scholarship will have a better turn out, but I'm still terribly disappointed that I didn't get to help someone get the enjoyment out of winning free money for college like I once did. There is so much free tuition money available out there! Please do not hesitate to get your share! It needs to go to someone --- why not you??? Below is a copy of the two emails I received from Brickfish.com announcing my winning prize entries. That is $400 that could have easily been yours! From: BrickfishPrizing Sent: Thu 3/19/2009 3:02 PM Subject: Congrats, you're a Brickfish winner! (Rants & Raves Sweepstakes) Hey Luis, It is our pleasure to inform you that you have been selected as a Sweepstakes winner in the Brickfish "Rants & Raves" campaign!! Congrats, you've won $150!! From: BrickfishPrizing Sent: Mon 3/23/2009 1:02 PM Subject: Congrats, you're a Brickfish winner! (Face of Moonjee) Hey Luis! It is our pleasure to inform you that you have been selected as the Most Viral Prize winner in the Moonjee.com "Be the New Face of Moonjee.com!" campaign!! Congrats, you've won $250!
Luis
03-19-09 | 11:33 amApplauding Those Who Help Improve Future GenerationsI remember being introduced to the idea of recycling as a kid in elementary school. Back then it seemed like a minor inconvenience to most adults and not very widespread. Now, with all the educational campaigns, televised exposure, and celebrity endorsements, recycling has become as synonymous as brushing your teeth - it's lunacy NOT to do it! Today, being informed about our living environment has reached a much higher lever of consciousness, which now includes alternative energy and protecting our limited, natural resources. I was thrilled to see that some companies at the New York Toy Fair have the forethought and have taken the initiative to educate our kids once again in new and fun ways. I imagine that this is not an easy subject to get children excited about, much less motivating today's kids to want to explore these challenges further into adulthood. This is why I applaud the following companies for doing such an outstanding job in creating toys and games that make caring for the environment fun and incredibly fascinating. Even though I do not have any children yet, I think I just might buy some of these products just to be prepared early! Truth be told, some of these kits would be a great introduction to hands-on alternative energy for myself, since I was never exposed to these subjects in grade school. Hope you enjoy these as much as I did! Although Thames & Kosmos has a huge variety of incredible kits to choose from, it's no secret that my favorites are the Alternative Energy & Environmental Science kits. It simply blows my mind that kids can learn how to put together a fuel cell-powered car; build a working wind turbine; and construct a mini watermill to generate hydropower electricity! How phenomenal is that?!? The Young Scientists Club has won multiple awards for their quality science-related products. They have done an amazing job staying true to their mission: "To engage boys and girls around the world in "An Educational Science Adventure that Lasts a Lifetime'". Elastic Earth just launched their fantastic environmental board game for the first time this year at the 2009 Toy Fair, called "Endango". I personally got to play before any of YOU did! --- Muah, ha, ha! (One of the many perks I've recently discovered of being in the toy industry!) Even though it is for ages 6 and up, I can not wait to get my hands on a copy (for my niece and nephews, of course!). I really enjoyed the concept. It's absolutely brilliant and well thought out! TEDCO Science & Educational Toys has their own unique variety of science experiments to choose from, but don't ask me for any favorites because there are too many to choose from. Many of which look like they would be a lot of fun for the simple reason I love projects and games in which I can get my hands dirty. What fascinated me about this particular company is that it was founded by the late Ralph Teetor - a well-known and highly respected inventor who did not let early blindness stop him from creating his ingenious inventions. I appreciate him that much more every time I use my car's "Cruise Control", because that invention was also his! Make sure to check out these sites and tell them, "Luis from GlobalQuestGame.com said 'hello!'"
Luis
03-17-09 | 05:39 amQuirky & Clever ToysHere’s a list of items that are probably not in your average toy store, but caught my attention because of their unique quirkiness and clever creativity. It’s amazing to me to think how long teddy bears have survived throughout generations. The basic concept has pretty much remained the same… that is, until Teddy Scares! It is said that these were once the bears you played with during the day and slept with at night. However, they are no longer your typical soft and cuddly bear. Each one has their own intense story to tell. This is a bold variation of your traditional bear, so don’t say I didn’t warn you! Monskeys have some of the coolest and artistic urban designs you have ever seen on a monkey. Apparently, this was not by accident. What is different about Monskeys is that they are designed as a platform for Artist and Designers from all over the world that share their creativity. To date, they have designs from over 10 countries. Although I could not initially put my finger on what felt “familiar” about these designs, I discovered that Toy2r collections were created from an obsession with designer/art toys and collectibles; based out of Hong Kong. These are reminiscent of the cult classic Asian toys and cartoons some of us enjoyed growing up as kids, yet they are like nothing I have ever seen. Hopefully that will make more sense when you check it out for yourself. Then there’s the very cool and child-friendly concept of the ScareMeNot creatures! These clever little plush creatures are designed to take the “scary” out of monsters in more ways than one. Not only are they a great bedtime companion for children when they go to sleep, but they also scare away any monsters children might be afraid of in all the usual places. (i.e. under the bed, in the closet, etc.) Check out the website to see how they work! Brilliant idea! I don’t know how many of you reading this blog are old enough to remember the classic Godzilla TV series. Typically, some colossal monster from another planet or ancient burial site would threaten everything from villagers; to the military; to sky scrapers in downtown Tokyo. Godzilla would then rescue the day by tearing the monster apart. The funny part is that they would often destroy the city during their epic battle. LOL! Well, at the New York Toy Fair, I met the group that created a board game based on a similar concept called, Monsterpocalypse, made by Privateer Press . Make sure to check out their NYC version of the game called “I Chomp NY”. Since the year 2000, Privateer Press apparently began their company making some of the most incredible (award-winning) fantasy game figures I have ever seen. Definitely worth checking out! I couldn’t resist featuring a Birthday Tribute to Godzilla I found on YouTube for you. Enjoy! Some people don’t need a fancy booth or scantily clad models to sell their product. Some people just know that their product is eye catching and fascinating enough to sell itself. That was my first impression of the Splatback toys. All I have to do is show you a video I found of it on YouTube and you just might initially say, “What the...?!?” Then, you will probably want one so you can smash it on the ground over and over again just to see it reform. Don’t say I didn’t tell you so! Here is a game that I’m willing to bet my parents wished they had invented when my sister and I would drive them crazy during long road trips as we would sing “A Hundred Bottles of Bear on the Wall” or when we beat each other while playing “Punch Buggy”. (Good times! LOL!) There was an interesting game I discovered at the New York Toy Fair that kind of reminded me of the “Where’s Waldo” books from the library in a container. It’s an addicting little toy, called “Find It” , where you have to find a variety of themed objects buried in a container of small pellets. I was surprised to discover that there are already high profile imitations copying the idea, so make sure it says, “Find It Games” if you do decide to get one.
Luis
03-16-09 | 09:54 amI love brilliant people!There is something incredibly appealing about people who are just naturally brilliant in art, mathematics, and/or the various sciences. Some of my favorite films include "Good Will Hunting", "Finding Forrester", "A Beautiful Mind", and "Powder" for the way in which they dramatize these wonderful people who can take these subjects and mold it to their will in clever and creative ways. If you look hard enough, you might actually get to meet someone like this who's sole passion includes one of these subjects and it becomes a thrill just to see them in action. During my exploration for new and unusual toys at the New York Toy Fair this year, I almost walked passed the display of one of these brilliant inventors, artists, and mathematicians. His name is Janusz Kapusta and he discovered a new geometric shape; an eleven faced polyhedron, which he calls the K-Dron . He had a very basic booth with simply an enlarged poster in the background featuring what looked like hundreds unusual shapes. When I asked him, "What is a K-Dron?", his face lit up with excitement. It was as magnetic and endearing as watching an excited child as they make their very first drawing or the first time they first get the hang of riding a bicycle on their own without training wheels. The way he explained it to me; the K-Dron is the equation of the shape made by a vibrating string over time. More simply; if you take a string and firmly hold each end so that it is straight; then have another person pull that string in the middle and lets go; there is a shape that the string will make during the period of time it takes to return back to its original (straight) position. That is called the K-Dron . This shape has caught the world-wide attention of mathematicians, philosophers, architect designers, art critics, and of course, ME! Mr. Kapusta created a game that uses only eight of these shapes (4 black and 4 white pieces), which is capable of making over 30,000 different shapes. The object of the game is to try to imitate these various designs using the pieces you have. There are three different levels: easy, medium, and hard; but they are all a fun challenge. Using the same pieces, you are also able to print out a traditional checkered board from his site and play chess with your box of K-Dron . Enjoy and please tell Mr. Kapusta, "Luis from GlobalQuestGame.com says, 'hello!'"
Luis
03-15-09 | 10:02 amNew Website AddressI have decided to change the name of this site to www.GlobalQuestGame.com . while keeping www.GlobalQuestFund.com for the annual scholarship portion of this site. You can still access the site from either web address. Thank you!
Luis
03-12-09 | 12:34 pmOld School ImaginationWhen I was a kid, I was fortunate to live in relatively small town called Vicenza, Italy because my father was stationed there in the Army. My friends and I used to walk around the neighborhood to find large cardboard boxes or panels of plywood to make elaborate forts in the back yard. One day, my best friend's father made us a two-story fort made from wood with small openings for windows and trap doors; and we would sometimes camp out there, creating all kinds of alien encounters; imaginary battles; and hide and seek games. Good times! ZinkoTek is a company I met at the New York Toy Fair have seem to taken a similar type concept to the next level for young children. They use free-form building blocks that can create just about anything from life-sized robots; to giant rocket ships and helicopters; to elaborate houses and forts, etc. Unlike our old fashioned forts, I like that this is much more durable and you don't have to worry about splinters!
Luis
03-11-09 | 12:40 pmTrump WisdomI once read in one of Donald Trump's books how he emphasized the importance of learning everything about your business if you want to be the best at what you do. When I attended my first trade show in New York, the first thing I did was grab every toy trade magazine that lined the entrance wall of the Toy Fair Convention Center. When Bill Gates was actively involved with the daily management of Microsoft, it was reported that he would take a few weeks out of the year to dedicate only to reading up on the latest trade magazines in order to keep up with trends of his industry (and probably create some new ones with the ideas he generated from the articles). Many of the magazines featured below (and on the GlobalQuestFund.com homepage) have free email updates. Enjoy! 1. Playthings 2. Royalties 3. The Toy Book 4. Licensing Book: Building Business Through Partnerships 5. Toy Fair Times 6. License! Global: The Source for Licensing & Retail Intelligence 7. Kidscreen: About reaching children through entertainment 8. Kazachok Licensing Mag 9. Latinoamérica (Spanish publication) 10. HKTDC Toys & Games
Luis
03-10-09 | 11:51 pmToy Fairs Around the WorldThis is for those of you that might have a game or toy invention that you may have contemplated or definitely would like to take a shot at bringing your creation to the rest of the world. (Ergo, your own little "Global Quest") The following is a list of major toy and game trade shows around the world that seem worthy of further exploration - even as simply a means to obtain a deeper level of understanding of the toy industry. These links are also featured on the GlobalQuestFund.com homepage. 1. Of course, there is the International Toy Fair which was my first trade show since I invented "Global Quest" and "Treasure Hold 'Em". This trade show is strictly TRADE ONLY and attracts over 20,000 industry professionals from 90 countries. The next event will take place February 14-17, 2010 (Sunday - Wednesday) at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and showroom locations in the Toy District in New York City, NY. 2. Naturally, after meeting someone as inspiring and as ambitious as Mary Couzin at the 2009 Toy Fair in NYC, I am thrilled to mention that she is the founder of the Chicago Toy and Game Fair a.k.a. "CHITAG"; a game designer in her own right; and Mary also runs www.DiscoverGames.com (a site dedicated to helping aspiring game inventors/designers and manufacturers get off the ground). Put it this way, if you are in the game industry, you have probably heard of her. She has truly earned her celebrity status as an entrepreneur. CHITAG typically takes place in November of every year in Chicago, Illinois. Check the site for updates and details. 3. When it comes to gaming, I hear that no one takes the art of play as serious as Germany. SPEIL '09 is the world's biggest games event OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, which is probably why they are able to boast 150,000 visitors; including hundreds of press, radio and TV journalists and 760 exhibitors from 31 nations. It is said that game designers are considered rock stars at this event (IF you are good, of course). Allegedly, people will buy a game just because a certain designer's name is attached to it. This event will take place on October 22-25, 2009 at Messe Essen. 4. There are so many obvious reasons why I REALLY would like to visit Brazil: the incredibly beautiful people; the festivals; their intense athletic spirit in soccer and beach volleyball; the unique acrobatic style of martial arts; the rich/organic food; etc. The serendipitous notion that the ABRIN Toy Fair just happens to be located in São Paulo, Brazil is the tipping point for me to dust off my passport once again! It is renowned as "Latin America's most important toy trade fair." This event takes place April 13th-16th, 2009 at the Expo Center Norte in São Paulo, Brazil. 5. The Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair is coined "Asia's Biggest Toys Event" and the second largest toy fair worldwide. Last year, they attracted 2,003 exhibitors from 36 countries and regions, making it the largest in Asia. This event will be taking place on January 11-14, 2010 and held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. 6. A new toy trade show I recently learned about is called the Middle East Toy Fair in Dubai. After doing a little bit of research, the following statement caught my attention: "The value of the Middle East toy market is estimated at AED 5.5 billion with about 11.8% annual growth," said Eckhard Pruy, Chief Executive Officer of Epoc Messe Frankfurt. "The average yearly toy expenditure is AED 1200 ($327) per child, second only to North America." This event is reported to be the largest exhibition of its kind in the region. The Middle East Toy Fair takes place on March 23-25, 2009 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Dubai, UAE. 7. According to the Toy Industry Association, all industry experts regard the Russian Federation as the #1 growth market in Eastern Europe. Sales in the toy segment are growing by approximately 30% a year, with current sales volume estimated at approximately $4 billion. Toy Russia takes place on March 11-14, 2009 in Moscow. Check the site for next year's event. 8. The Toy Fair a.k.a. The British Toy Fair features a Greenhouse Area which is dedicated to small and new companies, which, according to Kevin Jones, Chairman, British Toy & Hobby Association, "...has been particularly successful, almost doubling in size in the last two years". Next year's event will take place on January 26-28, 2010 at the Olympia Grand Hall in London, England. *For more trade show events worldwide, I did find the following websites particularly useful: http://www.eventseye.com/fairs/st-toys-games-trade-shows-36-1.html and http://www.biztradeshows.com/. There is an abundant list of shows featured throughout the world, so you might want to click on "Toys & Games Trade Shows by location" on the first site, which is featured towards the top of the page in order to break it down by country and continent. Hope this is helpful!
Luis
03-06-09 | 01:15 amEvolution of GamingFrom low-tech wonders to high tech marvels, I am fascinated with the complexity and evolution of modern gaming. We've come a very long way since the 2-D graphics of the Original Super Mario Brothers that I grew up with! As most of you may already know, not only are today's games incredibly realistic and three-dimensional, but everything is all about customizing characters and competing with other people LITERALLY from all over the world! Beginning with clever characters and adventure games from the digital planet of KIZ TOYS ; to customizing your own "Freaky Creatures" in order to battle with other players online; these were two companies that made me do a double-take with their incredible web-based games. P.S. Whenever you visit any of these sites, please tell them, "Luis at GlobalQuestGame.com sent me!" Mahalo! ("Thank you!" in Hawaiian)
Luis
03-05-09 | 12:17 amEncouragement from the Bubble ThingOne of the things I enjoyed the most about the 2009 Toy Fair was having the opportunity to talk with new and successful inventors and to learn from their experiences in order to minimize making similar mistakes on my own. For example, I got to meet David Stein, the inventor of the Bubble Thing . If I am not mistaken, I believe held the 1988 Guinness World Record for the "Biggest Bubble Ever Blown". If you take a look at his invention, it seems like such a simple concept, yet it is brilliant because it captures the attention of both kids as well as adults. Mr. David Stein humbly admitted to me that Bubble Thing seems to still be doing well in stores because he was able to put all of his girls through college with the residuals he has made from his invention. I appreciated his encouragement and advice about securing a patent for anything I invent as well as obtaining board game agents and brokers. He even referred me to his own patent attorney, whom he has had for several years. I told you talking to successful people can be incredibly helpful! Life is too short to make all the mistakes by yourself. I implore you to take the time to seek out and learn from other's experiences. Perhaps it is because successful people remember what it was like to be in the beginning stages with their ideas and all the frustrations and obstacles that came with it, that they are willing to share their knowledge with novices like myself.
Luis
03-04-09 | 11:10 amNew Regulations Impact Toy Makers - ArticleToday, I found this important article on www.entrepreneur.com for parents as well as anyone in the Toy Industry. Please take a moment to read this article .
Luis
03-03-09 | 12:54 amFebruary's VisitorsI am very excited to share with you some new people from different countries that have visited my site compared to previous months. I would like to thank and welcome all of my visitors from the United States, Germany, Sweden, China, the Russian Federation, Canada, Great Britain, Japan, Netherlands, Mexico, France, and Vietnam! Thank you!!! My "Global Quest" for this site is to be visited by at least 100 countries on a regular basis as I seek to have my world trivia board game in as many game fanatic cultures and languages as possible! This time, I found a free online "widget" to show you what part of the world everyone is coming from because it's such an honor and thrill to have such a diverse group of viewers. Hope you enjoy this as much as I do. :) 
Luis
03-02-09 | 07:08 pmWaiting for Scholarship Contest ResultsWell, I am thrilled to say that the four scholarship contests I entered on Brickfish.com have all ended. I am also pleased because out of the 33,647 total entries combined; ALL FOUR categories I entered finished within the TOP 3 !!! How's that for dedication! If this was the Olympics, I would be talking to Nike, UnderArmour, and VISA, negotiating athletic contracts! I am thrilled because they were the most challenging and time-consuming scholarship contests I have ever entered. The bad news is that the sponsoring companies that award the cash prizes may choose anyone within the top 150-250 entries to receive the award and still have not announced their winning selections yet as of today. For the sake of those new to this site; the cash prizes I would win from this website would go directly to a local community college college student as an added bonus to winning the prize from my Global Quest Scholarship Contest - the deadline of which ends on April 3rd. 2009! If you are planning to enter, please make sure to get your essays in as soon as possible. Hope you had a great weekend!
Luis
02-18-09 | 05:06 pmMassage & Toy Safety - Last Day in NYC!Today was the final day of the 2009 Toy Fair and my last opportunity to learn as much as possible from the different exhibitions that seemed to be doing very well and/or simply caught my attention. My day kicked off to a perfect start when I noticed that there was a massage booth featured at the trade show from a local spa. A lovely Licensed Massage Therapist beckoned me over with a warm smile and invited me to have a 10 minute chair massage... "OK, you twisted my arm," I said. I was in massage heaven as she melted my stress and tension a constant flow of therapeutic techniques across my back, neck, shoulders, arms and hands...(Ahhhhhh! Phenomenal!) I was so incredibly relaxed, you could have sat me up on a display table and people could have mistaken me for a human-sized rag doll -- I did not want to move! The best part was that I was trying to learn her techniques by (unsuccessfully) paying close attention. I explained that I went to massage school years ago and was licensed in Florida, so she asked ME for a massage, lol! I wish you could have seen the confused looks on the people passing by. I love what I do, so I wasn't worried about anyone else's reactions. She commented that I have "great hands" and she gave me another massage in exchange. (This is the best way to make friends, in my opinion.) If you just happen to be in the Manhattan area, make sure to stop by Oasis Day Spa on One Park Avenue. It's an absolute must in a business community as busy as NYC! The most important thing I learned today as I visited the TIA booth is that many inventors may assume that the manufacturer hired and produce their product is complying with all U.S. safety standards and practices in terms of lead testing, etc. (Remember last year's big scare with all of the recalled toys contaminated with dangerous levels of lead paint???) If you are a parent or even considering getting into the toy industry, please make sure to confirm that these procedures are being done with your products or toys your children play with. Go to the Toy Industry Association's Toy Safety page for more information.
Luis
02-17-09 | 12:18 pmTofu the Vegan ZombieAfter meeting, talking, and networking with so many incredible people in the toy industry, it finally hit me that there are a lot of you out there that may have had an invention or two of your own that you would love to introduce to the market but don't have any idea of the resources that are out there and available to get started. The following blogs over the next several days will include links to various sites such as Toy Trade Shows, the Small Business Administration, Patent Attorneys, Manufacturers that could make prototypes of your invention, etc. In addition, I would like to share with you some of the fascinating, unusual, and odd inventions and companies that caught MY attention at the toy fair. On my homepage, you can click on the web links to the cool toys and helpful businesses I interacted with at the trade show. First and foremost, let me introduce you to the 2009 Toy Fair that I have been raving about for the past few days. It is the first link in the upper left hand corner of my homepage. Second, let me connect you with the Small Business Administration's website. The SBA was specifically created by the federal government to "aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation." They have a tremendous amount of great resources that I have explored on my own. What is great about this organization is that there are local offices all over the country, partially staffed by retired business professionals that volunteer to help guide you if you want to start, build, and grow your own business (i.e. your own board game company). :) Finally, let me introduce you to the coolest and my personal favorite toy at the trade show: "Tofu the Vegan Zombie"! I am partially biased because I have been vegan (pure vegetarian) for around nine years now and it blew my mind that such a toy existed! When I asked the representatives from Applehead Factory Design Studio about the inspiration for this toy, they explained to me that Tofu is a friendly Zombie that "eats grains, not brains". (LOL, I love it!!!) Apparently he was an experiment that went wrong when a lab monkey stuffed a block of tofu into the zombie's open skull after accidentally losing his brain. As a result, he only eats vegetables and grains. However, if Tofu ever loses his "tofu-brain", he turns into a dangerous zombie creature, craving human flesh. I told you he was awesome! I can not even remember the last time I bought a child's toy, but I just had to get this one just for the pure novelty and humor factor of "Tofu". P.S. I also just happened to find some hilarious Youtube videos of Tofu the Vegan Zombie doing a Michael Jackson "Thriller" dance video and another as a movie trailer. Check them out:
Luis
02-16-09 | 08:18 amPress Kits, New Ideas, & Strange Coincidences???Thanks to a brilliant college friend of mine that specializes in Public Relations, I prepared 50 professional Press Kits for Global Quest and my new company, Think-a-ma-bob Games. Today, I delivered most of them to the Toy Fair's Press Room. The staff members there were incredibly helpful. One of the great things about successful people is that they are often willing to give new and aspiring inventors advice and tips on how they made it big in their industry - which is a tradition I would like to carry on by writing this blog on all that I am learning as I go along. There was one booth that I visited which featured an article on how the company began with just a few friends. They toured their product around local schools, etc; thus creating a word-of-mouth buzz before they hit the market. By the time their game was featured in stores, they apparently sold out very quickly. Good stuff to know! This is not much different to what I have been doing with my local library tour and getting feedback from young people. I also had the pleasure of meeting Mary Couzin, founder of Discover Games and Chicago Toy and Game Fair. She offers services as an agent, representing new inventor's games at three different trade shows. Tonight she received the "Wonder Women of Toys" Award for her achievements as an entrepreneur. Here's the crazy part. Some people say that there are no coincidences in the world, but I'll let you decide after hearing this story. I have corresponded with Mary's company in the past because they feature great online articles offering free advice for aspiring inventors like myself. I even expected to see her at the 2009 Toy Fair this year as well. However, out of all the hotels in Manhattan and out of all the rooms that could have been chosen in my hostel, one of my roommates is currently working with Mary at this trade show as an intern. I'm not a mathematician, but the odds of that are quite small and may not be all that impressive to some people. However, later tonight, I met with an old friend who lives in Manhattan and he wanted to show me around Time Square. It required taking two subway trains in order to get there, and the first thing that strikes you (if you have never been there, like myself) is how enormous and brightly lit everything seems to be! You always see the famous billboards and bright lights in movies and during New Year's celebrations, but it is a whole different experience when you see it in person! Anyways, my friend and I eventually decided to find a random place to grab a drink and to snack on some chips and salsa. We chose this great Irish establishment and on the second floor, Mary Couzin and her entire company from the Toy Fair just happened to be there celebrating after the awards event! How insane is that?! Is it Karma; Divine Intervention; or just very rare and strange coincidence? Who knows! All I know is that I had to go say hello once more and wish her congratulations for her award. Afterward, we continued to tour the city... good times!
Luis
02-15-09 | 11:48 amTOY FAIR - Day 1Yesterday, I was thrilled to discover that there is a free shuttle to the Toy Fair at the Javitz Convention Center. However, I somehow managed to just miss the first scheduled pick-up. Prior to knowing anything about the shuttle, I was prepared to walk the mile to the Trade Show, and now it would appear that I invoked the fulfillment of my own prophecy. If I ever have the fortune of having children of my own, I can officially tell them, "in my day, I had to walk a mile in the winter cold, both ways, in a brand new suit and uncomfortable dress shoes!" What was worse is that I don't own a pair of gloves or dress coat. Every few blocks I had to stop inside of a coffee shop to defrost my hands. I must have stopped into five different clothing stores and none of them had any gloves for sale! How is this possible in New York City?! Oh well. At least I got to enjoy a variety of New York tea along the way. My first impression of the Toy Fair was the massive size of the event. It's a little deceiving in the front lobby, but once you enter the exhibit areas, the display booths seemed to go on endlessly. Today, I spent eight hours only on the first floor; meeting, talking, and learning from as many people in the industry as I could. However, I still was not able to cover the massive level. Anticipating that there would be thousands of people at this event, I designed a clear display case to carry and show-off my new game. Ideally, I wanted to see if it would gather attention and function as a great conversation starter..and it worked B-E-A-U-TI-fully! I felt like I was walking around with a gorgeous new girlfriend. As I passed by every booth, many people kept staring at my game; made positive comments; and/or asked questions about Global Quest. I was ecstatic! I tried to pay attention to what types of booths seemed to be getting the most attention and what types of strategies people used to gather an audience. There was everything from costumed characters taking pictures with kids; to gorgeous models passing out fliers; to themed lighting and music at the booths; to souvenirs and contests to win prizes in order to entice people to their exhibits. If you are an inventor like myself, you couldn't help but to notice the toys and games that proudly displayed the awards they received for "Most Outstanding Toy of the Year", etc. It gave the games more of a prestige appeal. Personally, I liked the LEGO man sitting on the park bench at the LEGO "brick stop". (My camera's display screen went blank, so we had to guess when it was taking a picture - which is why this is not the most flattering photograph). There was one fact that could not be denied at the trade show. I noticed that NOTHING beats a great product with smiling, energetic people to actively invite you to check out their toy! What a great learning experience.
Luis
02-14-09 | 10:10 pm1st Day in NYC!I just arrived at NYC to attend the 2009 Toy Fair in Manhattan, NY. I have been awake for at least 36 hours preparing last minute details, trying to anticipate what to expect. (Feels like cramming for end of semester final exams!) According to various people I have spoken to, this is THE place you want to go if you want to introduce a new toy you have invented to the marketplace. This is my first trade show, so I am thrilled and nervous at the same time. Ironically, despite all the time I spent trying to anticipate what to expect; true clairvoyance didn't hit me in the face until the frosty New York winter wind greeted me the moment I stepped off the plane. I forgot to buy a coat! As my nose froze to a bright red and my eyes began watering from the dry cold, I hunted for the nearest store in the airport that had anything that could bring my body temperature back to 98.6 degrees. I would have preferred Target or even Walmart, but I don't think my tropical blood could wait that long. Expecting to pay 2-4 times the national average for a basic coat, fortune smiled upon me as I found an official PGA Tour winter coat on sale at 50% off for only $30. At least one good thing came out of the recession. MY HOTEL: My hotel is a unique experience by itself. I am staying at the Gershwin Hotel; which is a hostel within walking distance of the Javitz Center - where they are holding the 2009 Toy Fair. The hotel is painted in Fire Engine red with some type of sculptures that sort of resemble white flames (or funky tongues) protruding out of the front of the building. As you walk in, you are greeted with the far east sound of Indian music as you notice the walls decorated with fascinating Indian paintings, posters and manipulated photographs. Apparently the Gershwin hotel recently sponsored an Indian Festival at the hotel itself - It's such a shame I missed that! After one too many horror films about hostels, my sister tried to warn me about these kind of places. However, I chose this hotel for four reasons: 1. It has a great reputation from multiple online reviews; 2. It is located just under a mile away from the trade show (not to mention that there is a free shuttle to the event. Sweeeet.); 3. It cost me only $36 dollars/night; whereas everywhere else even remotely close to the Javitz Center was well over $100/night, and finally; 4. One of the things I love most about hostels is that you typically get to meet people from around the world, which coincides perfectly with my (coined) "xenolust" ideology. In a traditional hotel, you normally do not get to meet anyone, much less make friends to explore the town. In summary: Inexpensive; close location; of good reputation, and good times with new people. That's good enough for the government and good enough for me! (The photo below of the Gershwin Hotel was taken by Jerry Desmond)
Luis
02-03-09 | 06:59 pmScholarship Deadline UpdateHello everyone, hope you are having a wonderful week thus far! Please note that the deadline for the "2009 Global Quest Scholarship Contest" has been extended to April 3rd, 2009. An updated copy of the scholarship has been sent to Palm Beach Community College and will be posted on their website soon. If you know of any Palm Beach County High Schools that might appreciate and benefit from this scholarship contest, please contact me via this website. Thank you so much! Warm Regards, ~Lu
Luis
02-01-09 | 01:51 pmUPDATE!As you may recall, I have entered four scholarship contests on Brickfish.com to potentially win $3,000 in cash prizes to give away to a local community college student as my way to give back to the local community. This is an additional bonus to the winner of my "Global Quest Scholarship Contest" to have their own Personal Assistant and Scholarship Expert help them find two years worth of free tuition in grants and scholarships that they will never have to pay back! This year, I finally encouraged my mother to pursue the one thing she has always dreamed of doing; which is to pursue a career in the Fine Arts field. This is a natural talent that she has passed on to all her children, but never had the courage to pursue herself. I've already started researching scholarships for her and we have already found over $20,000 that she qualifies for in only our FIRST DAY of searching. As soon as she receives her tax returns, we will submit the applications as soon as possible. What most people do not understand is that there are THOUSANDS of scholarships available out there for so many different qualifications. Some are simply for being an adult returning to college; being a single parent; having low income; or by being Spanish, Italian, African-American, or Native American descent, etc. Some institutions offer large amounts in free tuition just for choosing a certain school; while others will give you money for simply being left-handed! (I am dead serious!) Here is the latest update on the four scholarships I have entered so far: 1. In the "Be the New Face of Moonjee.com!" Campaign, where I submitted my skydiving picture; I finished in first place out of 2,325 entries! (THANK YOU SO MUCH!) However, the sponsoring company still has not officially announced the winners yet, and they reserve the right to choose whomever they want out of the top 250 entries -- so keep your fingers crossed! The next three are still in progress and the competition is FIERCE! There is about TEN DAYS LEFT for two of the last three entries. ALL your daily votes are CRITICAL from this point on: 2. In the "What's Your Favorite Toy?" Campaign, I am ranked #1 out of 5,406 entries! That is phenomenal, however the competition is still hot on our heels! lol! 3. In the "Planet Beautiful" Campaign, I am currently ranked #3 out of 17,031 entries! That's HUGE, but there's still a lot of ground to cover because the leader is killing us in points and votes! 4. In the last campaign I will be entering on this site (because it is incredibly time-consuming!) - "Medicine For Melancholy Photo Project", I am currently ranked #3 out of 374 entries. This one ends on February 24th, so there's still a lot of ground to cover and a lot of people want to win this one because it's sponsored by a independent film production company. They are promoting a new film called "Medicine For Melancholy" - which looks likes something I would definitely watch. I enjoy a lot of variety in the types of films I watch. Thank you sooo very much for those of you that have been supporting me! I hope that you continue to do so because this has been an exciting ride thus far, thanks to you! :) Warm Regards, ~Lu
Luis
02-01-09 | 12:36 pmGlobal Quest Scholarship ContestHappy Super Bowl Sunday to everyone as we welcome a new month! Since I have posted several blogs since first announcing the "Global Quest Scholarship Contest", I am re-posting the rules for easy searching. Good luck to everyone who applies! Here are the official guidelines to the "Global Quest Scholarship Contest" PRIZE: Your own personal assistant and scholarship expert that will guarantee to help you obtain two years worth of tuition in free grants and/or scholarships at any Florida State accredited Community College. (Equal to approximately $4,500 - $6,600 for in-state students.) TO APPLY: This is a two-part Essay Competition: PART I: - Find a (non-U.S.) foreign culture that you may have heard negative perceptions from other sources; including your family, friends, the media, etc. - Seek out any fascinating and/or unusual factual information about your selected culture that is positive. - Then write a 1,500 word essay about your selected culture, beginning with: (A) What your perceptions may have been prior to your to your research; (B) A list of the positive, fascinating, and/or unusual facts about your selected culture that may have changed your perception; (C) Your new personal outlook about your selected culture, based on your discoveries. PART II: - You must write at least 500 words explaining why you are committed and must absolutely do whatever is necessary to attend college and obtain your degree. Your Personal Assistant and Scholarship Expert is committed to helping you obtain the equivalent of two years of free Community College tuition; therefore you are encouraged to "dig deep" and must convince the judging panel that you need and want our assistance. We want to know who you are and what motivates YOU. *Judging will be based on creativity and personal insight. QUALIFICATIONS: - You must be a Palm Beach County, Florida resident accepted into a Florida state accredited community college. - All GPA's, backgrounds, and majors are welcome to apply. - Proof of Palm Beach County residency and acceptance to a Florida accredited community college is required. - DEADLINE: All applications must be submitted on www.GlobalQuestFund.com/contact.php by April 3rd, 2009. - Only one winner will be selected and announced on www.GlobalQuestFund.com/blog.php within three weeks after the submission deadline. RULES: - Only one entry per applicant is permitted. - All essays will be reviewed by a panel of judges. - You are encouraged to use any combination of AT LEAST TWO RESOURCES from personal interviews of people from your selected foreign culture, books, magazines, newspaper articles, and/or a reputable Internet site to support your findings and insights. For example, you may use one book and one magazine article, but you may not ONLY use 2 of the same type of resource (i.e. the internet). - Please make sure to cite all sources at the end of your essay in MLA format. - NOTE: Plagiarized work and incomplete applications will be automatically disqualified. - Make sure to include your name, mailing address, phone number, email address, intended major, and Community College you are/will be attending. No images or attachments are necessary. - Your contact information is private and will not be shared by any third parties. - By entering this competition, you acknowledge and agree to allow your name and entry (excluding your personal contact information) to be published and promoted in any media format throughout the universe and that your entry will become the sole property of www.GlobalQuestFund.com. GLOBAL QUEST HISTORY & INSPIRATION: Global Quest is a new trivia board game that takes fascinating, unusual, and odd facts from virtually every country and culture around the world and combines them in a fun and equally fascinating game. After visiting and living in various foreign countries, Luis Aponte, the creator of Global Quest, noticed a significant universal element of prejudice and fear, both locally and abroad, that seems to stem from lack of knowledge and exposure to at least one foreign culture or community. Such limited exposure can lead to misguided fear and separation, rather than true understanding and harmony. Global Quest was created out of a love for foreign cultures and in an attempt to challenge this phenomenon in its own minuscule and enjoyable way. The Global Quest Scholarship Contest is simply an expansion of this goal while encouraging scholarship in a challenging economy. Good luck to all who enter the contest!
Luis
01-23-09 | 04:05 amToy Fair 2009I know it has been a few weeks since my last blog, but I have been incredibly productive with: - the scholarship contests I have entered for YOU to win on Brickfish.com; - creating fliers for the first "Global Quest Scholarship Contest" to post in local high schools and community colleges (which I am very excited about!); - creating and registering my company with the state as an Limited Liability Company; - creating business cards, brochures, and press kits; - and buying a plane ticket to my first real trip to New York City because I will be attending my first Trade Show to feature my board game at the world famous Toy Fair 2009 in the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York! I'm anxious, nervous, and thrilled at the same time! It feels very similar to the first time I went skydiving and traveled to China to teach English - both of which went very well, so I am expecting to have the same fortune at this trade show. I am told that this is THE place to be if you have a toy invention that you want to introduce to the market. There are thousands of industry professionals from around the world that come here to search for the hottest trends in the toy industry. This should be very exciting and a great learning experience. (Emily, if you are reading this, I can not thank you enough for all of your help and insight for helping me make this thing possible!) P.S. I thought you might be interested in checking out my new company name and business card. I wanted a unique name that flowed nicely and was easy to remember. I made a list of about 30 possible names for a company and had a dozen of my friends check off the ones that they liked. This is the one they liked best... A lot of people often say "thing-a-ma-bob" for that ONE THING they can not seem to remember the name of at that very moment. (Chances are, YOU may have said it at least once in your life, lol.) I like that "Global Quest" is a game that stimulates conversation and makes you "think", so I merged the two words into "Think-a-ma-bob Games". The logo was a little something I created on Photoshop over a year ago. Hope you like it! :D
Luis
01-07-09 | 10:38 pmHard TimesToday, I have had a renewed appreciation for the great things in my life despite the economy causing me to lose between 41% - 57% of my normal take-home pay at work... I had met a twenty year old young lady from my hometown who revealed to me that she was abandoned by her mother and then adopted by an older couple when she was at the tender age of eight. She has recently become a single mom with a beautiful three week old baby and has just decided to move up to North Carolina to live near her adopted parents. She discovered her biological mother in Florida can not seem to kick her drug addiction and both of her brothers are in jail for different reasons - one of them for murder. Yet somehow, she remains positive and has decided to return to college up north to pursue a Criminal Law degree and become a Public Defender. I only met this person today, yet I am so proud and humbled by her motivated outlook on life; despite what obstacles have been thrown at her and the role models she has been exposed to in her life. If she decided to remain here in Palm Beach County, FL, I would have encouraged her to try out for the scholarship on this website. Any problems I may have had that seemed substantial only yesterday, suddenly have become insignificant. What the Global Quest Scholarship Contest represents to me is an opportunity for a young person to be able to rise above the stigma and statistics that would otherwise weigh down the spirit of someone like this young woman because unexpected financial hard times many of us are now facing. When I hear about the extraordinary challenges that today's local youth seem to have, it motivates me even more to use one of the few skills I had to learn how to do well (when I was putting myself through college) in order to help others. If I am fortunate and this site and my boardgames become successful; I hope to be able to continue this Scholarship Contest as a tradition every year. In the following years, I also hope that the number of aspiring college students I am able to help will grow exponentially. Thank you for taking the time to read my ranting for today. :)
Luis
01-07-09 | 10:03 pmThank you! New Scholarship Entry...I would like to thank you so much to those that have been supporting me in my scholarship campaigns! It's been incredibly appreciated! One of my campaigns has only SIX DAYS LEFT and the competition is fierce! I would be incredibly grateful if you would click "VOTE" and leave kind messages (both of which earns points). A greater help would be to post these entries to everyone you know and have them click "VOTE" on each one as well. (Entirely optional - of course!) I have entered a forth scholarship campaign two days ago (see below) titled, "Kitty" --> named after my favorite student featured in the picture. :) When I entered the campaign two days ago, I was ranked #120th place. Today, I am ranked #9 !!! However, this campaign has just started and there is plenty of room for anyone to win this contest. As of now, the grand total potential winnings (if I am incredibly lucky to win all four entries!) is $3,000! I believe that is equal to an entire year's worth of Community College here in Florida! (Woo-hoo!) Remember, ALL CASH PRIZES will go to the winner of the Global Quest Scholarship Contest. (See blog for 12/26/2008 for more details.) Thank you again and make sure to vote once per day and PASS IT ON!!! Cheers! :) P.S. I'm really loving the fact that I'm starting to get the hang of learning to use HTML to add links to my page! :)"
Luis
01-04-09 | 09:07 pmReflecting on 2008When I reflect on all that I accomplished in 2008 in reference to my board games; such as creating this website; filming fun street interviews for the game; contacting Mr. Jay Leno and Mr. Donald Trump; traveling on a library tour and getting great feedback from teens and young adults; and creating my own scholarship contest; I must say that I am incredibly grateful for the entire growing experience. However, as I prepare my goals for 2009, I am deeply saddened because 2008 came and went and I am not any closer to being able to return to China to find and help Ding Mei and her grandparents. The one time I remembered to bring a camera during one of my visits to see Ding Mei with my good friend, Maggie; I didn't realize until after we returned home that the camera had frozen on the last few frames and never captured the final images. I know she is not my child, but in some small way I fear and worry for her as if I were her parent - a parent that broke his promise. There is a phrase my father used to tell me when I was a child that I will never forget. He used to constantly say, "No one is going to take better care of you than yourself." More than ever, I believe that philosophy wholeheartedly based on my experiences in life. During the next two months, I am committed to making some dramatic positive changes in order to remedy this situation. Yes, I am going to still offer ad space on my homepage, but that will not be my only strategy to help me fulfill my promise. For those websites and companies that would like to sponsor this site, you are still welcomed to do so and I extend a heartfelt "Thank you", as you will benefit from the traffic generated on this site. However, it is time to stop relying on others and make my own goals happen for myself. Although I do not have any images of my young friend, Ding Mei, (see first blog on January 2008) I would like to share with you a few images of my students and my good friend, Maggie. Enjoy! :) I had over 100 students back then, from preschool to professional adults. I think it is obvious to say that this was one of the best experiences of my life! :) 
Since most Americans can not remember or properly pronounce traditional Chinese names, all of my students enjoyed giving themselves English names. A number of my Chinese colleagues even asked me to "name them". This was one of my favorite students who named herself, "Kitty". She had such a wonderful spirit despite the she had third degree burns on her arms from a fire in her home a few years prior. She never showed signs of being self-conscious about them. Whenever she would arrive to the school, she would run to me as fast as she could and yell, "Bao bao wo!" (which means "Hug me!") and would jump in my arms, having 100% faith that I would catch her in mid-air! LOL! :) 
Below is a picture of my good friend, Maggie and I after attending a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony. 
Luis
01-01-09 | 06:56 pmHAPPY NEW YEAR 2009!!!Instead of using a traditional image to bring in the New Year, I wanted to share this incredible video that shows "One Year in 40 Seconds". Hope you enjoy it! Oh, before I forget!!! Two out of the three scholarship entries I entered for YOU are now #1!!!! What a great way to start the year! - My Skydiving photo: "128 MPH Straight Dooooown!" is now #1 out of 1,676 entries! - My "Global Quest Board Game" entry is now #1 out of 2,224 entries!! and last, but not least.... - "Mystical Chinese Mountain" is now ranked #5 out of 6,850 entries!! Woo hoo!!!! Remember; ANY cash prizes I win from these contests will go straight to the winner of the Global Quest Scholarship Contest in addition to offering your Personal Assistant to help you find TWO YEARS worth of tuition in scholarships and grants! PLEASE NOTE: My entries on Brickfish are NOT finished yet! So, please keep voting for them DAILY so that we can ensure that money will be used here on the Global quest Scholarship Contest!!! Thank you so much for those that have voted already!!! Hope you had a wonderful New Years celebration!!! Enjoy the video! :)
Luis
12-31-08 | 10:01 pmNEW WORD: XenolustI finally figured out the reason why I am so fascinated and have such a passion for foreign cultures. I would like to introduce a new word to the English language right here on www.GlobalQuestFund.com! *You may have heard of the word, "Xenophobia" - which, according to the Webster's Dictionary, is: - The fear or hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign. *Then there is a word that most people, I think, are familiar with known as "Lust" - which according to the American Heritage Dictionary, includes: A.- An overwhelming desire or craving. (As in, "A lust for power") B.- Intense eagerness or enthusiasm. (As in, "A lust for life.") I believe I suffer (not really "suffer") from what I have decided to identify as "Xenolust". It is a word I have not found in any library or online dictionary, so as the originator of the new word, I would like to define "Xenolust" as: -"An overwhelming desire, craving, or enthusiasm for strangers or foreigners, or anything that is strange or foreign." -Or more simply; "An intense love or passion for foreigners and/or foreign cultures." Now, all I have to do is find someone like Beyonce Knowles to sing it in a hot new song and it will be popular enough to be introduced to the next edition of the English language dictionary; just like "Bootylicious" LOL! ;)---> which, by the way, IS featured on www.Dictionary.com! "
Luis
12-30-08 | 08:27 pmDecember Visits! :)I don't know why this fascinates me, but I like to acknowledge and thank those from every country that visited this site during the month! :) The United States always has the most hits on this site [Thank you! :)], followed this month by the Russian Federation, China, Ukraine, Spain, Australia, Netherlands, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, India, Japan, Mexico, and Venezuela. Thank you so much! It's flattering to have such a wide range of viewers! :)
Luis
12-30-08 | 07:23 pmWorking soooooo hard!Just wanted to provide a quick update on the status of the three scholarship contests I am entered in to give away any cash I win to the winner of the Global Quest Scholarship Contest. This is my small way of giving back to my local community. My Skydiving photo: "128 MPH Straight Dooooown!" is ranked #2 out of 1,621 entries! "Mystical Chinese Mountain" is now ranked #13 out of 6,393 entries!! and my "Global Quest Board Game" entry has just bumped up to #2 out of 2,035 entries!!! This is the HARDEST I have EVER had to work for any scholarship! Usually you just write an essay, get a few letters of recommendations, do a few community service hours, and be done with it! This is just insane in terms of time consumption!!!! However, WE are also VERY CLOSE to winning, so please continue clicking "VOTE", leave comments, and promote them on your myspace, facebook, myyearbook, friendster, livejournal, Hi5, and all those other social networking sites, because $2,000 I'm am striving to win will be a HUGE help for the person I will give it away to. My father made a similar sacrifice for me and I am forever grateful! Right now, I would like to pay it forward. When I become successful with my own projects, I will definitely pay back my parents for all of their support while I was trying to do well in college. Hope you enjoyed your holiday and preparing for a great New Years! ::) Warm Regards, ~Lu
Luis
12-29-08 | 04:09 pmFastweb.comToday, I submitted the "Global Quest Scholarship Contest" to Fastweb.com to get the word out to everyone. It is a site that I used for most of the scholarships I received when I attended college. It's really a great site with TONS of resources - not only for scholarships, but for internships, jobs, ideal colleges for your major, as well as tips on how to improve your scholarship applications. As soon as I receive a confirmation from the website that it has been posted, I will announce it right here. So stay tuned! :)
Luis
12-26-08 | 09:30 pmOfficial Global Quest Scholarship ContestHere are the official guidelines to the "Global Quest Scholarship Contest" PRIZE: Your own personal assistant and scholarship expert that will guarantee to help you obtain two years worth of tuition in free grants and/or scholarships at any Florida State accredited Community College. (Equal to approximately $4,500 - $6,600 for in-state students.) TO APPLY: This is a two-part Essay Competition: PART I: - Find a (non-U.S.) foreign culture that you may have heard negative perceptions from other sources; including your family, friends, the media, etc. - Seek out any fascinating and/or unusual factual information about your selected culture that is positive. - Then write a 1,500 word essay about your selected culture, beginning with: (A) What your perceptions may have been prior to your to your research; (B) A list of the positive, fascinating, and/or unusual facts about your selected culture that may have changed your perception; (C) Your new personal outlook about your selected culture, based on your discoveries. PART II: - You must write at least 500 words explaining why you are committed and must absolutely do whatever is necessary to attend college and obtain your degree. Your Personal Assistant and Scholarship Expert is committed to helping you obtain the equivalent of two years of free Community College tuition; therefore you are encouraged to "dig deep" and must convince the judging panel that you need and want our assistance. We want to know who you are and what motivates YOU. *Judging will be based on creativity and personal insight. QUALIFICATIONS: - You must be a Palm Beach County, Florida resident accepted into a Florida state accredited community college. - All GPA's, backgrounds, and majors are welcome to apply. - Proof of Palm Beach County residency and acceptance to a Florida accredited community college is required. - DEADLINE: All applications must be submitted on www.GlobalQuestFund.com/contact.php by April 3rd, 2009. - Only one winner will be selected and announced on www.GlobalQuestFund.com/blog.php within three weeks after the submission deadline. RULES: - Only one entry per applicant is permitted. - All essays will be reviewed by a panel of judges. - You are encouraged to use any combination of AT LEAST TWO RESOURCES from personal interviews of people from your selected foreign culture, books, magazines, newspaper articles, and/or a reputable Internet site to support your findings and insights. For example, you may use one book and one magazine article, but you may not ONLY use 2 of the same type of resource (i.e. the internet). - Please make sure to cite all sources at the end of your essay in MLA format. - NOTE: Plagiarized work and incomplete applications will be automatically disqualified. - Make sure to include your name, mailing address, phone number, email address, intended major, and Community College you are/will be attending. No images or attachments are necessary. - Your contact information is private and will not be shared by any third parties. - By entering this competition, you acknowledge and agree to allow your name and entry (excluding your personal contact information) to be published and promoted in any media format throughout the universe and that your entry will become the sole property of www.GlobalQuestFund.com. GLOBAL QUEST HISTORY & INSPIRATION: Global Quest is a new trivia board game that takes fascinating, unusual, and odd facts from virtually every country and culture around the world and combines them in a fun and equally fascinating game. After visiting and living in various foreign countries, Luis Aponte, the creator of Global Quest, noticed a significant universal element of prejudice and fear, both locally and abroad, that seems to stem from lack of knowledge and exposure to at least one foreign culture or community. Such limited exposure can lead to misguided fear and separation, rather than true understanding and harmony. Global Quest was created out of a love for foreign cultures and in an attempt to challenge this phenomenon in its own minuscule and enjoyable way. The Global Quest Scholarship Contest is simply an expansion of this goal while encouraging scholarship in a challenging economy. Good luck to all who enter the contest!
Luis
12-25-08 | 03:22 pmHappy Holidays!!! :)Well, it turns out that I work during the week between Christmas and New Years, which means I will not be able to spend the holiday with my family in North Carolina. :( On the positive side, it allows me more time to keep working hard with the scholarship contest and to continue writing my book. As of today, WE are ranked as follows on Brickfish.com. (I say, "WE" because whatever I win, I will be giving to whomever wins MY scholarship contest on this website: *My Skydiving Photo: "128 Miles Straight Doooooown!" is ranked #2 out of 1379 entries! *The "Global Quest" board game photo is ranked #3 our of 1706 entries!! *"Chinese Mystical Mountain" is ranked #18 out of 5407 entries!!! That is incredible! It is all due to all my family and friends I emailed on my personal email account; all the people on Brickfish voting for us; all the people on various social networking sites, such as MySpace, Facebook, MyYearbook, LiveJournal, Friendster, etc.; and of of YOU that voted directly from this website! One of the contests end in two weeks, while the other two finish in about five or six weeks -- So, please keep checking back here daily to click "Vote" on all three entries! A big heart-felt "THANK YOU!" for all of your support! Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday with your loved ones!!! ::) Warm Regards, Lu 
Luis
12-10-08 | 11:55 amMystical Chinese MountainsideOne of my favorite landscapes of all time. This is a mountainside image I took early one morning at Yellow Mountain in China. The morning fog seemed to flow over the mountains like an ocean tide. It was truly amazing. This is also where they shot the film, "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" for obvious reasons. It was an 8-hour hike. Everywhere I looked, I couldn't help resist saying, "Wow!....wow!....WOW!" LOL! This is the third scholarship contest I am entering for a cash prize I will give away in my own scholarship contest. Please vote for me EVERY DAY that you can so that some worthy college student will benefit from this! Thank you so much! :)
Luis
12-08-08 | 03:52 pm128 MPH Straight doooooown!This is the second scholarship contest I am entering in order to win a total amount of $1,000....Please vote for me EVERY DAY because I am going to give the prize money away in my own scholarship contest in addition to helping the winner find scholarships to fund the first two years of any Community College in Florida! Thanks! :) Skydiving for the first time was perhaps the most exhilarating and the most liberating experience of my life. This was one of those things most people only say they want to do. I was committed in actually doing it -- and more than once! =) I had to hide the pictures because my parents would have had a heart attack! LOL! ;)
Luis
12-04-08 | 04:56 amNew Scholarship Contest. Please vote for me!As I was designing and searching how to create my own scholarship contest, I stumbled upon a new scholarship from Brickfish.com, asking you to submit "Your Favorite Toy". Well, I may be biased, but I absolutely LOVE the two board games I have invented. I have put about four years of my spare time refining Global Quest into what it has become today and it excites me whenever I have the chance to share it with someone who has never seen it before, because most people's first reaction (from both kids and adults) is "WOW!" I humbly ask for your support by voting for me in this contest by clicking on the following link as often as you can remember to do so. This is because I will be giving the prize money away as an additional bonus to my own scholarship contest. Cheers! :)
Luis
10-31-08 | 01:07 pmHappy Holiday!Well, it's the end of another great month! I just wanted to say "thank you" to all of you that visited the site and for your nice comments from all over the U.S.A., Mexico, Poland, Kuwait, Australia, France, Great Britain, Nepal, Japan, Spain, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia. (Wow! That's the great thing about networking on so many different social websites.) BTW, don't forget to get out and VOTE next week on November 4th! If you have the chance, go out and vote EARLY! In fact, I'm off to do that today. Good thing too, because my brain hurts from reading up on all the issues from all the different candidates for the local political offices as well for President. Also, I just wanted to make a brief announcement: If there has been anything I am grateful for, it is all the challenges and struggles I went through that helped me grow as a person while putting myself through college. As a teenager (many moons ago, lol), I would have scoffed at you if you told me that I was going to go through at least another four years of school--on purpose. Considering how many people are struggling right now just to make ends meet; remembering what it was like many years ago when my family was once on welfare; and reflecting on how incredibly competitive and difficult it was for my students in China to get into the best colleges in order to ultimately take care of their families; my appreciation for what I have here in the U.S. has grown exponentially! Therefore, I would like to give something back and have decided to announce a HUGE Global Quest Free Scholarship Contest within the next few weeks. However, since I may be the only one involved in evaluating all of the applications (hopefully some volunteers will offer to assist me - hint, hint!), I think I will have to limit the contest to either my city in Greenacres or to all of Palm Beach County, Florida ...so stay tuned! Have a safe holiday and, if you are registered, remember to go VOTE!!! :) 
Luis
10-10-08 | 10:33 amGlobal ExposureI've been checking the stats on my website and I just wanted to thank all these viewers from so many interesting countries for visiting my site: Mostly the U.S. :) and places I would never expect such as Poland, Kuwait, Nepal, Great Britain, Spain, and other members of the European Union. Last month, I even had quite a few people from Japan, Korea, Egypt, and of course China (because of all my old friends and colleagues from when I taught English there). Thank you! Please make sure to write back and tell me where you're from. I love getting those emails!
Luis
10-08-08 | 01:49 pmLes Beans' Game NightHello Everyone, I have a brilliant friend who specializes in Palm Beach County (Florida) events (http://www.examiner.com/x-965-Palm-Beach-County-Events-Examiner) and I wanted to share with you an event for tonight that I could not resist just by association. This was a piece from today's blog: "Love coffee? Love board games? Find your caffeinated soul mate at Les Beans' Game Night tonight. Les Beans located at 410 2nd Avenue North, Lake Worth is an incredible Coffee Shop with weekly events. At Game Night tonight you can enjoy classic games like Bingo, Trivia, Scrabble and more with fellow coffee lovers." If you just happen to be in the area, I would love to meet you. Come out; have some coffee; play a few rounds of Scrabble with me; and possibly make some new friends. Hope to see you there! Cheers! P.S. I'll try to remember to take and post some pictures.
Luis
10-02-08 | 11:06 pmScrapbooks and Board GamesThis is a blog I posted on Scrapbook.com and Scrapjazz.com. If any of you have ever taken a product and/or something you invented to the market, I would love to get your feedback and advice for a board game I invented. Thanks! About four years ago, I worked for the Youth Services department at the city library in Boca Raton, FL while attending college. Often times, patrons would kindly donate a lot of their old books to the library to add to our collection. However, if the books were tattered, we could not keep them, so we would offer them for sale for about 25 cents. One day, a jumbo-sized book on Ancient Board Games was brought to the library and I couldn't help but to find it fascinating. There were illustrations for games that were played in ancient Egypt, Greece, Africa, Mesopotamia, etc. Who would have thought that board games had such a long history! Since we worked with youth of all ages, we were always looking for new things to attract kids and teens. We had things like "Rocktober" - where we would invite a local high school band to play on the library lawn, while we gave out free pizza, sodas, and glow sticks. (About 200 teens would show up to this event!) We had Movie Night, Poetry Night, Tie-Die Night, Karaoke Night (surprisingly popular!), and yes, even Board Game Nights. When this jumbo-sized book on ancient board games came in, a colleague of mine suggested that I should make my own board game and bring it to the library to see if the teens might be interested in inventing their own games as well. Great idea! During my childhood, I was what you would call a "military brat"; where we were exposed to a variety of different cultures as I lived in Italy and Germany. I remember we would also visit the castles in Austria; museums in Spain, etc, etc. (I know it's enough to make some people sick, but if you can find the means, I highly recommend exposing your children to such life-enhancing experiences while they are young!) As you can imagine, I have a great appreciation and passion for foreign cultures and wanted to create a trivia board game based on some of the oddities of every culture. It was eventually titled, "Global Quest". The first version of Global Quest was inspired by a huge ancient map I found at my university library. When I opened it up, there just happened to be a family with children passing by me and the kids simultaneously whispered, "Wooooooooww! I laughed and thought this might be a good format to start with. Initially, it looked like a big "8" turned sideways, showing the eastern and western hemisphere. It was about the size of two Monopoly games put together and could be rolled-up like a scroll. The game was also laminated, which made it very difficult to keep it flat when you decided to play. Regardless, I was so thrilled with the game, I decided to send it to a professional product review company to get their opinion. I think it cost me about $300 to do so, but if it could sell in stores, I thought it would be worth it. The company rated the game in several different categories from 1 to 10 (1 = Poor; 10 = Terrific). I was crushed to find that most of the categories were given a rating of 1 through 3. Ouch! I decided to give the game a rest for awhile because it had occupied so much of my time. During that time, I was the Historian for the Golden Key International Honor Society at my college, so it was my job at the end of each year to put together a photo album, showing all the events we participated throughout the year. I would then recruit a team of volunteers, hit the local scrapbook stores for all sorts of paper styles, lettering, funky-shaped scissors, stickers, photo corners, etc.; break everyone into groups and let them get crazy with their scrapbook creativity. About two years later, while visiting just outside the Orlando area, I found this small, family-owned store called Scrapbook USA in Clermont, FL. By then, I've been so exposed to the vast universe of scrapbooking that I couldn't resist taking a look inside. The woman that ran the store obviously had a major passion for the art, because she had featured a huge variety of creatively designed scrapbooks. It was like a mini FAO Scwartz of scrapbooking! And there it was...! I found one that was about a six and a half inch square (closed) and tied together by a thin ribbon. When it opened up, it reminded me of the children's pop-up books in my library, as it opened to about nineteen inches wide and about thirteen inches in height. "Whoooooa!" I wasn't sure how to do it at the moment, but this HAD to be the shape and design for my new board game! I paid her right then to teach me how to make it and I experimented by making a scrapbook for my sister's birthday and another one for my brother's high school graduation. (See the featured pictures in my photo gallery). They were amazed by it as well and so I went to work on the new design of my board game with my new scrapbook inspiration. Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" was popular in theaters at the time, so I was inspired to make the game look like an old, aged treasure map, gluing three 12 x 12 card stock sheets together and using a paper knife to create random "tears" on the edges. I used some of the elements featured on a lot of ancient maps, such as an ancient dragon, a beautiful mermaid, and an old-fashioned compass - each one is an original design. The younger siblings of a beautiful woman I was dating made some great suggestions on how to enhance visual quality of the game. One said I should paint the details of the game by hand. Since I love the quality and nuances of something hand-made, I took some black acrylic paint and the finest paint brush tip I could find to create a calligraphy-type effect on the edges of all the continents, characters, and the old-fashioned compass. Then I took some Decorating Chalks (suggested by the owner of Scrapbook USA) to color and shade the inside of the continents and characters themselves. What is great about Decorating Chalks is that whenever I made a mistake or didn't like how I was shading something, I could easily erase it with a Chalk and Craft Eraser. You can not do that with acrylic paint; therefore you have to make your "mistakes" look like you did it on purpose. Another sibling suggested I should find a way to add magnets to the game. I thought this was a great idea as well, but you'll have to check out the game yourself to find out how I used them! ;) Finally, I took the finished hand-made prototype and scanned it into a computer to enhance the colors a little bit and to add some pirate-like lettering. After working on it for a few months and protecting it with copyrights and a pending game patent, I can finally say it is pretty darn beautiful. Now, I get the "Wow!" reaction from every child, teenager, and adult I show it to. I even have teachers that are asking how soon it will be in stores because they want to use it as a fun learning tool for geography, languages, history, and cultures. Oh, before I forget; I went back to a local library and recently held an event there to invite teens to officially be the first to test play my board game and to get their feedback. Initially, there were only 5 teens signed up for the event, which was fine. However, when I walked into the library, so many kids were curious just by the funky shape of the box that I ended up having 16 teens, 3 parents, and one seven year old! Ha! I broke them into teams of two and we had soda, cookies, pizza-rolls, and a really great time! There were ages 11 through 21 participating, but I was concerned that the younger ones might find the questions a little too difficult. To my pleasant surprise, it was the younger teams that beat everyone else as I awarded them two free tickets to the movie theater. Finally, I had them fill out a survey using the same categories that the professional product review company used for me four years previously. I emphasized that I needed them to be absolutely honest because it will make all the difference in the world when I decide to bring it to stores and major buyers. If you check out my Blog on www.GlobalQuestFund.com for 9/28/2008, you will see that every category averaged between 7 through 10! What a great testament to all the struggle and hard work put into this project. Now, the next step is to bring the games (I have an English and Spanish version of "Global Quest", plus another game called "Treasure Hold 'Em") to the American International Toy Fair in New York. Apparently, this is THE place to get exposure from all the major toy industry buyers from around the world. I believe, none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the exposure and inspiration from scrapbooking!
Luis
09-28-08 | 12:41 amMy 1st Official Library Tour! Good times and Great Feedback!Yesterday, I had my first official public review of my trivia board game called, "Global Quest" at The Palm Beach County Library on Summit Blvd in West Palm Beach, FL. I wanted to test my game in a "real world" setting to see if all of my hard work over the past few years of tweeking the game had paid off. The very kind Youth Librarian who assisted me by signing people up to test play the game initially told me there were only 5 teens registered to play. When I walked into the library, there were so many kids who were curious just by the funky shape of the box alone, that I ended up with about 16 teens total! However, since only I had two free movie tickets to give away as prizes and six tokens for the game, I decided to have six teams of two people per team. We had ages 11 through 21 ready to play the game, but I was little concerned that the game might be a little too challenging for the younger kids. I was amazed and happy to be proven wrong because it was the youngest pair that actually won in the end! Everyone all had sodas, Oreos, and a really great time, round after round. I even watched the parents trying hard not to call out the answers in the background. Once the game was over, I had them fill out a little survey to get their feedback, based on the professional evaluation of the first version of my game. Every question was based on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = horrible, 10 = fantastic!) I also emphasized to be completely honest because their opinion would make all the difference in the world. Here were the average results: 1. Overall look of the game? 8.6 2. Function - How well did the game play? 7.6 3. How easy was the game to understand? 7.3 4. How unique is the game? 9.0 5. Is this game a good match for your age group? 7.5 6. How interesting is the game to make you want to play again? 8.3 7. How exciting is the game? (Did it make you laugh; did you have a great time playing?) 8.5 8. Would you buy this game if you saw it in a store or online? 8.5 9. Do you think your parents would buy this game if they saw it in a store or online? 7.9 10. How would you compare this game to other board games in stores? 7.3 11. If you saw this game on the shelf, would it catch your attention and make you stop and take a closer look? 8.3 This was a dramatic improvement from the first version of the game four years ago! I also asked them what did they like about the game; what didn't they like; and how would they make it better. They offered a lot of great feedback and I will take all of their suggestions to heart as ways to improve my prototype before taking it to my first trade show. One of the incredibly valuable lessons that I have learned (and would like to recommend to anyone considering inventing something for the market), is: 1. Allow trustworthy family, friends, and industry professionals to give you feedback on your idea. They may give you a lot of viewpoints and perspectives you have not considered before. Usually industry professionals will have a "Non-Disclosure & Confidential Agreement" available for both of you to sign in order to prevent sharing your idea with anyone else. 2. Adjust/Change your idea based on other people's suggestions and based on your best judgment. (Keep whatever you like; then throw away the rest. They're only suggestions.) 3. If you have not protected your material (through copyright and/or patent), make sure that anyone else who tests your idea signs a "Non-Disclosure & Confidential Agreement" as well. You can find a general form online and then customize it to fit your product. It is important allow honest criticism of your idea from people you do not know. If you do not trust letting the public know about your idea, you can always take your idea back to the same professional company or perhaps try another company for a second opinion. 4. Repeat as often as necessary, until you are satisfied with your results. Now that I've created a pretty strong prototype, protected my inventions, and greatly improved my scores after TONS of feedback, the next stage is to bring both of my games to a trade show to see if I can either generate orders or see if a major toy company would like to license my games. I've been told that the American International Toy Fair on February 15-18, 2009 is THE place to get major exposure from all the major toy industry buyers from around the world. I would like to thank the Palm Beach County Library Youth Services Department and Movico Parisian 20 at City Place in West Palm Beach, FL for making this event possible. You are wonderful and your support was greatly appreciated! Below is a picture of the final two teams that had to have a tie-breaker! Good times!
Luis
09-01-08 | 12:04 pmLibrary Event Posted!Yesterday, I was thrilled to learn that my library event was approved by the county library system and to know that fliers and bulletins have been posted! I've already picked up free movie tickets donated by Muvico Parisian 20 @ City Place in West Palm Beach and I'm awaiting responses from Sloan's ice cream, the Cheesecake Factory, Barnes & Noble, Universal Studios Orlando, and Walt Disney World Resorts for their possible donations. If you have or know of any teens that live in the West Palm Beach area, I highly encourage you to invite them to come to the Palm Beach County Library on Summit Blvd on September 27th. @ 2:00PM. It's going to be a lot of fun!
Luis
08-08-08 | 11:52 amMr. Trump's ResponseAs you may recall, I recently sent a letter to Mr. Trump, inviting him to post the website links of his West Palm Beach-based companies on my homepage. Interestingly enough, Mr. Trump has also produced at least two board games of his own. I thought he might find it at least humorous, if nothing else, to know he is featured as one of the answers on one of my trivia questions. But alas, here was his response (featured below). This is for anyone that has a project of their own that doesn't seem to be getting off the ground. Believe in yourself; keep pushing; keep getting feedback; and keep adjusting until you get what you are looking for. Sage advice.
Luis
07-30-08 | 09:37 pm"The Donald"It is approximately 2:00am and I just finished writing a invitation to "The Donald" aka Mr. Donald Trump himself since he has four of the most significant landmarks here in Palm Beach County. I thought he might find it humorous to know that he's mentioned as one of the potential answers in one of my world trivia cards in "Global Quest". I've decided to initially approach businesses here in Palm Beach County first in order to benefit the local community when I sell all of my ad "real estate". Once the word is released to the media that a "Small Town Former Teacher Raised $1 Million for His Board Game Inventions," I anticipate receiving at least 10,000+ hits per day, which will have the potential to generate a substantial amount of revenue for anyone featured on my homepage. This may sound a little unorthodox, but that is how Trivia Pursuit and Cranium first started out. It's only natural that I would offer the first opportunity to Mr. Trump. The worst that can happen is that he may not respond. When I was living in Los Angeles, pitching my reality show ideas to anyone and everyone in the industry, I even contacted Governor Schwarzenegger in reference to an educational-based reality show. He wrote back and informed me he was too busy to meet with me. (I kept the letter to this day as motivation to keep pushing forward) I say, "If it's worth doing, it's worth taking it all the way to the top" --- and Mr. Trump is about as far up as you can go as a financial mentor. Oh, and in case you are curious about the trivia question in which Mr. Trump is mentioned in, here it is: "My First Fortune" and "My Second Fortune" is how couples in Mozambique (Moe-zam-beek) may refer to their: A. Money B. Farmland C. Children D. Vacation to Donald Trump's house The answer is "C. Children". There is a cultural note that says, "In this society, the family is traditionally considered their most valuable institution." Hope you enjoyed that little piece of knowledge!
Luis
07-08-08 | 09:50 am1st (Unofficial) Library Tour; Successful and Mad Fun!!!Today, I just had my first (unofficial) library tour at the West Palm Beach Public Library (www.mycitylibrary.org) on Clematis Street just to give "Global Quest" and "Treasure Hold 'Em" a test run. In a nutshell, it was FAN-TAB-U-LOUS! (It's a cheezy but fun word, and it's rare I get to use it in a sentence.:) Miss Jenn, a very creative and tech savvy Teen Services Librarian, was kind enough to allow me to set-up both of my games in the teen section of the library, where kids were already preparing to play "Madden" and "Dance Dance Revolution". This library has such a great program for teens, they even have their own MySpace page: www.MySpace.com/teensource561. I have to admit that I was humored and surprised when some of the teens recognized me from the "Global Quest Eavesdropping" videos I posted on YouTube, MySpace, and on www.GlobalQuestFund.com. To be honest, I was even more surprised that some of the teens were willing to try my new board games over their pretty popular video games - which was a great compliment! These particular teens that played, beat me at my own games (partially because I've forgotten a lot of the answers!) by using some impressive strategy. They used the other obstacles featured in the game to their advantage in ways I didn't even think of! Very clever! One by one, more kids started coming by the table and asking questions, wanting to know when the games were going to be in stores. I was thrilled to hear that, but it was great to get such constructive feedback from the teens that played the games as well! Thank you, West Palm Beach Library! I'm looking forward to the next Library Tour event!
Luis
07-04-08 | 08:29 pmHappy Independence Day!There's nothing like having a day to simply appreciate and be proud of where you are from and to spend time with family and close friends. Hope all of you are having a wonderful 4th of July! Warm Regards and Lots of Pie, Luis 
Luis
07-01-08 | 11:50 amLibrary Tour of Global QuestUPDATE: Still no response from Jay Leno... Terddumpin! Yesterday, I met with the Head of the Youth Services Department at one of the Palm Beach County library branches and I noticed that they are having a difficult time attracting teens, particularly during the summer. This gave me a great idea! Since I began this journey to create my board games as an Assistant Youth Librarian, I've decide to return to that source of inspiration by establishing a mutual cooperation with local libraries and taking "Global Quest" on a library tour. This is hilarious to me because it sounds like an underground concert tour or something, lol! Unfortunately music, on ANY capacity, has never been a talent I possessed, not even with liquid-courage in karaoke. Because this event involves the county system, getting approvals and notices sent out take a bit of time. Therefore, my first event will be on September 27, 2008 at the Palm Beach County Library on 3650 Summit Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33406. MARK IT ON YOUR CALENDARS!!! If you live near by and/or know some teens who would want to get a sneak preview of the game before everyone else on the planet, I HIGHLY encourage you to come! I would love to get your feedback and thoughts on the game. After all, it has been a combination of feedback and suggestions that have made this game as great as it is! I have many of you to thank for that! Hope to see you there! P.S. If you are wondering why I will not be featuring "Treasure Hold 'Em" at the library as well, it is because it is a poker-type game and may not be publicly perceived as proper because of the element of wagering "treasure". Although there is a mathematical element of learning probability and not much different than the stock market, 401k's, or mutual funds, it would be better not challenge any potential negative perception of the game.
Luis
06-29-08 | 11:03 pmFriends of Abused ChildrenAfter much consideration, I've finally chosen a charity that I would like to contribute to. I wanted to find a local charity that has a solid history of helping child abuse victims and/or focuses on child abuse prevention. By accessing the Florida Division of Consumer Services, I was able to confirm whether or not most of the funds raised have been applied toward the actual programs and services for the children. Why am I including this in my blog? Because I remember what it was like to be a terrified child of someone that you were supposed to be able to trust. I remember what it was like to have the police and social workers tear you away from your mother and put you in a foster home with strangers. I know what it was like to harbor that anger and frustration to the point that it negatively affected and even destroyed some of my most important relationships as a teenager and as a young adult. Abuse is a horrible reality for millions of people around the world, but it is especially cruel when it happens to children for the simple reason that it often becomes a vicious cycle that repeats itself in adulthood. It's difficult, and sometimes tormenting, to accept that some wounds may never heal. However, I know that this cycle is broken within my life and I would like help those with similar or worse experiences by donating 11% of the revenue generated from this site and from the sales of my board games to Friends of Abused Children in West Palm Beach, Florida. (www.friendspbc.org) Friends of Abused Children, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) corporation. They distribute funds directly to the children of Palm Beach County who are in some way under the supervision or care of court-appointed foster parents or relative care. They have an outstanding record and are featured on the Florida Division of Consumer Services. Friends of Abused Children also has a variety of programs and services that they provide to these children and I encourage you to visit the site yourself. Warm Regards and Lots of Pie, Luis "
Luis
06-06-08 | 02:30 pmGreat Reviews!!!I want to thank all of you for the great comments you have been sending about the game and the "Eavesdropping" videos. Here's a nice email I wanted to share with you: Hola Luis, Let me start by applauding you...I am extremely proud of you!!! I absolutely love Global Quest Trivia Games. The questions are intriguing and fun. The video installments are hilarious and very entertaining. Kudos...What a phenomenal idea!!! I was browsing the Global Quest web site today and learned about your accident. I am so happy you are safe and well !!! Furthermore, I am impressed by your ability to take an unfortunate and scary incident and transform it to a positive and bright endeavor. I wish you continued success. You have a faithful customer in me!!! XOXO, Linda P.S.Best wishes on your search for Ding Mei!!!""
Luis
05-30-08 | 04:10 amBeach Beauty (Take 2)Melanie is officially the first person to get all three Global Quest trivia questions correct in a row! The only problem is that I accidentally gave her the answer to the last one because, um,...I must admit...beauty and brains are my kryptonite! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! :) This will be the last "EavesDropping" segment I will do, or at least until I complete the final draft of Global Quest's Spanish Edition... Stay tuned and enjoy! """
Luis
05-20-08 | 11:26 am185 Hits Per DayI'm not as recognized as Jay Leno by any stretch (yet), but it would appear that a lot of you seem to like my videos anyways. (Thank you for the compliments!) This month, I've been getting an average of 185 hits per day, which is exciting, considering I have not advertised yet. I have at least one more video to post up before committing to finishing the Spanish prototype of Global Quest. CHINA UPDATE: I received several responses from my old friends and students in China and everyone and their families seem to be alright. They did, however, feel the earthqake all the way to Zhejiang Province (A Eastern Coastal Province of China). I'm going to contact some of my adult students again to see if they can help me find a way to find Ding Mei. Keep your fingers crossed!
Luis
05-20-08 | 10:41 amThe Art of Waiting...Touching base with the local media; I finally submitted my first Press Release to several local editors. Very excited! Just for kicks, I also decided to send Jay Leno a copy of some of my videos that were inspired by his "Jaywalking" segments. I've dubbed my street interviews as, Global Quest's "Eavesdropping", since that was such a hot topic on the political front this past year or so. Last year, I was upset to learn that Jay Leno will retire from the Tonight Show next year. In my opinion, he's the best source of comedy at the end of a long work day. He may or may not even watch my videos, but it's definitely worth a shot!
Luis
05-19-08 | 04:21 amMy Students in ChinaAfter seeing so many images of the victims from China's devastating earthquake, I had to email everyone I knew in China. I'm concerned about my old students, friends, collegues, and of course, Ding Mei (see first blog entry on January 12, 2008). It's so frustrating not being able to locate her. The moment I have the opportunity, I'm flying back and using my media contacts to find her. The problem is that we lost contact with her some time ago. Even though, we lived in Zhejiang Province at the time, there's no telling where she and her grandmother moved to! I only hope she's ok. [Photo obtained online from Reuters]
Luis
05-17-08 | 12:35 pmLifeguardAs I mentioned in one of my previous blogs, I met four very cool lifeguards who were smarter than the questions I had prepared for them. So, I had to bring the questions up a notch just to give them a challenge (They weren't getting any wrong! Grrr!) Plus, they also introduced me to the beach beauties I have featured on this blog as well, hence my gratitude to them! Enjoy!
Luis
05-14-08 | 11:52 amMy first 800 pixels!!!I'm very excited! Just before I was about to launch my press release campaign to all the local newspapers, I posted my first 800 pixels! Make sure to click & check them out to see what they have to offer! :)
Luis
05-09-08 | 10:24 amBeach BeautyI say, "What would a South Florida-based game be without taking it to the beaches???" (I thought you would share my sentiments!) Lisandra is what I like to call a quadruple-threat: she's incredibly beautiful, clever, adventurous, and will be in a career field making great money...not to mention she was just fun to interview! (Sigh) I love this country! ;)
Luis
05-07-08 | 02:45 pmThe Challenges of a One Man Production Crew...On The BeachToday and yesterday, I got to interview four really cool lifeguards and three very lovely ladies on the beach. However, one of the challenges of being a one man production crew is remembering to check every little detail! For example, during the first two lifeguard interviews, I didn't notice that the audio channel was on the wrong setting. Therefore, two out of the four interviews are silent movies. (They got two out of three questions right anyways, so it wasn't as much fun, lol! - Juuust kidding.) Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, my second "Beach Beauty" interview was completely cut off because the tape ran out in the middle of the interiew and I didn't realize it until I got home! :( Edith, if you're reading this, I would love to interview you again! This time, I'll be prepared with questions that have NOTHING to do with the Spanish culture, because you girls are absolutely too smart! ;) Stay tuned, I should have the videos up in a couple of days. Gracias! You were all a lot of fun and very supportiive! Thank you for that! P.S. Mark, you're the best!
Luis
05-03-08 | 05:13 amShutdown Day - May 3rdLately, I've been working so hard in promoting the website, updating my site, and writing press releases that I haven't taken the time to get away from technology and enjoy doing something outdoors! I found this great website today and wanted to share it with you. It's called, http://www.shutdownday.org/. This is the basic concept in a nutshell (Enjoy and go visit the grandparents or something!): It is obvious that without computers we would find our life extremely difficult, maybe even impossible. If they disappeared for just one day, would we be able to cope? Be part of one of the biggest global experiments ever to take place on the Internet. The idea behind Shutdown Day is to find out how many people can go without a computer for one whole day, and what will happen if we all participate! Shutdown your computer on 03 May 2008 and find out!
Luis
04-25-08 | 02:25 pmBest Video Response Ever!Hello Everyone, I just wanted to share an email I recently received in reference to one of my videos. I was very honored and touched by this person's response. (The names are DELETED for identity protection.) Hey Lu, You have NO idea of the timing of your video helped (DELETED NAME). I am sure she would like to tell you of her experiences. Besides being exhausted and got sick two days before they traveled home, (DELETED NAME) had another shock. I would often take her to Christian rock concerts(since she was 4 years old). Last year I took her to Cornerstone, where there are many bands playing. Some of the music sounds rough but the message of Jesus is clear and I do not have to worry about what she is listening to. (DELETED NAME) befriended one of the musicians and they wrote back and forth on MySpace. The next day after she got home, she found out the boy committed suicide. Needless to say she has been devastated. Last night when we saw you video is the first time I saw her laugh since before she left for Romania. God Bless You, and thank you for putting it on. (I have watched it many times myself). As far as Ding Mei, when I read what you wrote I was so touched that I had to tell you about it. I am almost 54 and in the fire service for 28 years. I have seen the most horrendous things imaginable happen to human beings. It has hardened my emotions to death and destruction while still caring like I always have. SP it is possible to have both a macho and a soft side. (But not at the same time). Any time I hear or see something like you have done for Ding Mei, it touches my heart...... Obviously you were given a gift, and I do not think it is just to invent Global Quest, however intriguing as it seems to be. You helped Ding Mei and who knows how many others you do not even realize. You must have great parents or whomever raised you. I would like to shake their hand and say well done. Just so you know, I never write like this to people I do not know. Anything I can do for you let me know. In the future I would like to make a small donation. I hope you take Global Quest to the outer limits. God Bless You (DELETED NAME)
Luis
04-22-08 | 02:51 amGlobal Quest - En Espa�olI finally started creating a Spanish version of my Global Quest trivia board game. This has been a great challenge since all the different Spanish countries in the world often have different expressions and/or dialects. Looking forward to introducing that to you as well once it is done!
Luis
04-09-08 | 01:19 pmFireman's Daughter - On a TrainA few weeks ago, I read an article commemorating Dr. Seuss’s' "Green Eggs and Ham" ("…Could you, would you on a train?"). This inspired me to jump on a train, where I met a fireman and his very smart daughter. This is the fourth installment for the trivia board game I invented called, "Global Quest". Enjoy! """
Luis
04-08-08 | 03:39 amFlorida College StudentThis was shot at a local community college... which will remain nameless! I would like to believe that this college student was pulling my chain, but it's hard to tell sometimes! Enjoy!
Luis
04-07-08 | 12:53 pmThe Statue of LibertyThis is the second installment my trvia board game, "Global Quest". Once again, I couldn't resist getting this person on camera when I saw her dressed as the Statue of Liberty. She seems to love her job and I guess that's all that we can ask for in life, right? I'm still blown away by how many AMERICAN adults don't know how many stars are on the U.S. American flag. Incredible!
Luis
04-07-08 | 04:08 amJust to clear things up...Someone just asked me a very good question. Just to clear things up, I decided not to give away $5 for answering three questions correctly. I feel it's more honest this way because the people that I get to interview seem have more fun because they WANT to be on camera, not because I'm PAYING them. Hope this clears things up. Thanks for the inquiry! Game on! :)"
Luis
04-06-08 | 06:08 amUncle SamThis is the first installment for my new Board Game invention, "Global Quest". When I saw this guy dressed as Uncle Sam, I just couldn't resist asking him to be on camera! He was a great sport! :) This is why EVERYONE needs to play Global Quest! ;)
Luis
03-21-08 | 03:51 amThe First Interviews!Yesterday and today I had my first interviews on the streets of South Florida and can't wait to show you the footage! One was dressed as Uncle Sam and the other as the Statue of Liberty---you just don't pass an opprtunity like that! Stay tuned for some fun!"
Luis
02-20-08 | 01:44 pm3 QuestionsI'm very excited! I just received a custom-made tie I created online, using my Global Quest logo. I now have the "costume" I want to use in the street interviews. Anyone who can answer my three quesions correctly will get an easy $5! Since this IS South Florida, I thought Ft. Lauderdale beach and possibly a local community college might be a great place to show why EVERYONE needs to play "Global Quest" (and "Treasure Hold 'Em"). I still need to name my mini-series show. Since "Jaywalking" (from the Tonight Show) is already taken, could you please suggest some names? Mahalo! (Thanks!) P.S. I love my Mac!"
Luis
02-06-08 | 08:40 amJay WalkingLast night, I was watching the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and I love a segment that he does, called "Jay Walking". Basically, he showed images of the candidates currently running for President of the United States to see how many random people could identify them by name; i.e. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCane, Mitt Romney, etc. This gave me a great idea! I'm going to show why EVERYONE needs to play Global Quest - not only because there's some great and unusual world trivia, but because it's mad fun and will make people believe you are brilliant! I'm going to interview ten random people on the street and ask them three questions from the game. The first will be very easy, the second will have a medium level of difficulty, and the third will be somewhat difficult. This should be fun, so stay tuned!"
Luis
01-30-08 | 03:09 am4,428 Hits in January!Wow, I am truly amazed that in my first month (first two weeks, to be exact) having this website, I have had 4,428 hits on my site without spending a single advertizing dollar! Looks like I had visitors from all over the USA, the Netherlands, Egypt, Germany, China, and Canada. That's pretty exciting! It's a pity that no other companies were able to benefit from this yet! The more you delay, the less traffic you're getting! Make sure to post your link on my site A.S.A.P.!"
Luis
01-21-08 | 04:15 pmPopular SitesI've gotten about a half-dozen responses from curious companies seeking more information. I've also posted bulletins and blogs on myspace, submitted photos on flikr.com, and contacted multiple companies in the gaming industry. Most of the major electronic game companies do not accept sponsoring requests. Still pushing on.........."
Luis
01-15-08 | 01:52 pmFollowing Successful PeopleI once heard someone say that in order to become successful at something, you should find someone who has already achieved what you are looking for and mimick their strategy. Now that the website is finally up, I'm going to e-mail it to everyone I know to kick this thing off, then focus on creating press releases and articles for the local newspapers, magazines, and for on-line news sites. Here goes somethin'!
Luis
01-12-08 | 01:32 pmWelcome!!!Welcome and Happy New Year to all of you and your families! This is the year in which I have committed to making some dramatic changes in my life! In a nutshell, these two board games are the result of a challenge given to me when I was a Youth Librarian Assistant while attending college. We created some "wicked-cool" events to draw teens and children into the library (i.e. high school rock concerts, movie nights, karaoke nights, etc.) and had a great time doing it! In 2003, the best thing happened to me after I completed my Bachelor's degree... I received a rejection letter from the only graduate film school I applied to in California. Instead of sulking around until the following school year, I had this crazy travel-bug to go teach English in a small town in China, by myself, for an entire year, without knowing a single word in their language! Ha! (How insane!) It became one of the best times of my life! When I returned home, not only did I learn the language (enough to survive), but my entire world view changed and I realized that I have a responsibility to be an active participant in helping others. Part of that motivation stems from wanting to contribute to a local charity dedicated to fighting child abuse and neglect. However, my main inspiration comes from a very special abandoned child I met in China, named Ding Mei. Simply stated, I have lost contact with her, and I am committed to finding her again and would like to offer to sponsor her. (To read more about Ding Mei, feel free to keep reading below.) This is the year that I promised I would return to China and offer her the choice to either stay there and I could hire a tutor for her while living with a trusted family in China; OR perhaps she would be willing to come to the United States and start a new life here. After several unsuccessful attempts to obtain a literary agent in L.A. to help me sell a few reality show concepts I wrote, I heard about a young man in England, named Alex Tew who created a brilliant web-based tool to raise money to pay for college in a very big way. I figured that if it could work for him, perhaps it could work in my situation as well! And so the board games return... I've decided to self-produce my board games that have received a lot of great reviews from kids, parents, teachers, and college students. In addition to selling pixels for $1 dollar each and featuring your web link for FIVE years, my unique approach to Alex Tew's million dollar homepage, is that I will offer you a SIGNED copy of both my games BEFORE they are released to anyone else on the market. In addition, 11% of everything generated on this site will be donated to a local charity of my choice, dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. See my FAQ page for more information and make sure to refer lots of friends to buy pixels for themselves! Warm Regards & Lots of Pie, Luis "Ding Mei" - An Incredible Child Abandoned: There are certain people that cross your path in life and you may (or may not) realize that it was not by accident. From the moment I saw this child, I knew instantly that our paths were meant to cross. Her name is Ding Mei, but my (then) Chinese girlfriend and I affectionately referred to her as "Ya Tou" (pronounced "Yah Toe"), which is a kind of nickname, meaning "little girl". My girlfriend and I stopped by a McDonald's one day to get some of their (fantastic) pineapple pies and there she was; an eleven-year-old, albino Chinese girl, kneeling on the sidewalk, in hand-made, tattered clothing, with a written sign asking for money. As you can imagine, she was impossible to miss. I was so intrigued, that we eventually convinced her to have lunch with us at the restaurant so that we could get to know her. Apparently quite street savvy and undeniably adorable, Ya Tou is also incredibly timid and afraid to speak to people. Turns out she has been begging nearly every day in front of McDonald's for roughly a year, but has never been inside to eat anything. When she's not in front of the Golden Arches, she's close to the Kodak store because she likes to listen and sing along to the music that they play on the speakers outside. She looks down on herself because she's so different. Her father died years ago and her mother left her because she didn't want an albino daughter. She now lives with her grandparents, but has never been to school a day in her life because her family is afraid that the other children will make fun of her. It's enough to make you cry. It took a little while for her to relax enough to begin smiling and talking with us, but she still would never tell us her name (or not until we visited several more times to gain her trust). She's convinced that she's ugly because her skin is so pale and her hair is so blondish-white, but I told her that in my country, women pay a lot of money every month to have beautiful blond hair like hers and that she's so lucky because she has it naturally and doesn't have to pay any money, ever! That's when I saw her dimple for the first time. She has a wonderful smile with a dimple in her right cheek, long blond eye-lashes, and bright gray eyes that would nervously twitch back and forth as if constantly scanning for any sudden hostile movement. One of the McDonald's staff came and wondered why she wasn't eating her cheeseburger, and the girl said that she didn't want to try it because she's never had one before and that the food looked strange. The Coke was ok though. :) (I've been a vegan for over seven years, so obviously I didn't mind that she doesn't like to eat meat, lol!) When we went back to her part of the street, she gave Maggie, fifty cents and asked if she would buy an ice cream for her, but Maggie said that she would be happy to buy it for her with her own (Maggie's) money. The little girl said, "Why won't you use my money? I can pay for it." After Maggie smiled, I told the little girl to hide her money and Maggie went to buy her an ice cream pop. I wish you could have seen the excitement on the little girl's face when she opened it and began eating with such content. You have to have a heart of stone for your heart not to melt at that moment. After that, I told her that I would be the happiest person in the world if she would let me take a picture with her. She agreed and even wore my Beijing Olympics baseball cap as we took a picture together. As you can probably guess, I just wanted (and still want) to sponsor her, but I don't know how her grandparents would feel about it. Only time will tell.
Luis
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