Denver Escape Room

For many businesses, being first to market is essential to their success. When owner Brian Lacertosa of the Denver Escape Room began planning his venture, there was nothing like it in the state of Colorado, but by the time he launched he was third to market in Denver. That didn’t stop his momentum though; just a year after opening his first location he has already opened a second location in Phoenix, Arizona, and by the end of 13 months, he is slated to have an additional four locations open. “The challenge with escape rooms is defining what we are,” said Brian, “there’s a disconnect between explaining it and actually doing it.”

Denver Escape Room has four rooms, each with unique stories. You enter a room, receive a debriefing, and use that information to gather the clues to unlock the storyline further. When your time is up, if you haven’t solved the room, staff gives you the complete solution. This is done so there’s no incentive to re-do the room, which could ruin the experience for another guest. About six months after opening, Brian hired Cody Borst as a game designer. “What we really want is for people to have fun. If they don’t, then they’ll have a bad impression of escape rooms and never try another.”

With over 900 hours of work going in to their latest room, Crimson Storm, their testing process helps ensure a great guest experience. What makes the Denver Escape Room unique is their ability to hold corporate training and teambuilding events. They have a large conference room and a certified corporate trainer that helps them create an engaging experience for businesses. “It’s much more than getting people together to play games,” explained Brian. Teams play through a room with a trainer watching via CCTV, then receive feedback on their team dynamics, and try a second room to see if they took the feedback. The process is interactive and can jumpstart a new program or worked into an existing program. While he was planning the business, Brian began working with the North Metro Denver SBDC. “My consultant was such a valuable resource. It was great having someone I could call up and say, ‘Hey, I need some help with this. Got anyone in mind?’” Brian’s consultant even connected him to a group of angel investors, and although the pitch fell short, he learned some valuable lessons. “Trying and failing actually made me better prepared for the pitches that were successful.”

When asked about how they’ve been able to expand so rapidly, Brian said, “I’m very fortunate because I’ve got the right people. My staff has allowed me to expand. We were hitting 3 year goals within 6 months.” Right now, the Denver Escape Room employs 10 people in Colorado, and Brian is excited to see the growth of the business. “It’s great to bring something totally new and very cool to Northglenn. We’ve won several awards, but recently winning the Northglenn People’s choice was the best.”

Colorado Safety Supply

Starting out as a dream in 2012, Valerie Boyd developed her knowledge and contacts within the safety equipment industry to move forward with confidence in 2014. Valerie started to make the dream a reality. Coming from a family working in the structural steel industry, Valerie’s top priority is to keep families safe by keeping workers safe. Colorado Safety Supply does just that, providing safety training and equipment for construction job sites. Located in Aurora, Colorado

Read More »
Sit Means Sit Dog Training

Sit Means Sit Dog Training was opened in November 2008 by Jori E. Pollard who serves as the owner and head trainer. Located in Pueblo, CO Sit Means Sit Dog Training is located at 2424 N. Freeway, Pueblo, CO 81003. Sit Means Sit Dog Training is the fastest growing dog training company in the U.S. specializing in off leash training, aggressive dogs, and difficult issues. They provide an opportunity for dog owners to develop a

Read More »
RoShamBo

Mallory Logan has moved from employee to owner of RoShamBo, a marketing and design shop. This out of the box creative business is celebrating its seventh year in business in Gunnison at 144 North Main Street, Suite B. The creative firm was founded by Delaney Keating who mentored Mallory to eventually take over the business.”I started as an intern when I was a graphic design student at Western in 2008, I have loved every minute

Read More »
The Little Bird Bake Shop

The Little Bird Bakeshop opened its doors on December 14, 2010 and in the past year has developed a loyal following. On any given morning, a passerby wandering through Old Town Square in Fort Collins can peer through the bakeshop’s inviting façade and watch customers sipping coffee and enjoying delicious chocolate croissants, chocolate walnut cookies, and other pastries. With its friendly atmosphere and fresh, creative confections, it will take only a glance before you walk

Read More »
Power to Play Sports

With completion expected in the spring/summer of 2016, Power To Play Sports brings the first-ever Events Center of its kind for youth basketball in northern Colorado. As the premier youth organization in the Rocky Mountain region with an established clientele reaching national participation, the venture brings northern Colorado to the forefront of family-destination. Established as a full-time corporation in 2008, PTPS has quickly raised the quality of youth basketball leagues, tournaments and developmental instruction throughout

Read More »
VeriClean Springs

When you meet Dee Anna Thompson, not only does she greet you with warm smile and welcoming hug, you would never know she was the President of a fast growing, award winning business based on her humble personality. Dee Anna Thompson, President of VeriClean Springs opened in 2000. At the time, Dee Anna needed to make ends meet. Given cleaning was the only experience she had coming out of high school, finding a job was

Read More »
Scroll to Top
Skip to content