We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alex Girshfeld. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alex below.
Alex, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
Creativity is a key part of my work. My company, Indestroom, is the leading worldwide escape room supplier, specializing in the production of escape rooms, puzzles, props, decorations, and interactive museum exhibits. Every project we undertake is unique, which is why my team and I are always challenged to generate fresh, creative, and vibrant ideas.
Sustaining a high level of creativity on a daily basis isn’t always easy. That’s why I seek inspiration from various sources, such as movies, series, video games, board games, and more. For me, watching a new film or series isn’t just enjoyable; it also sparks new concepts, ideas, and themes that I can incorporate into my business.
Yet, the ultimate key to maintaining a lively sense of creativity is unwavering enthusiasm and passion for what you do. I wholeheartedly love my business and its industry. This enthusiasm fuels my ability to overcome challenges and consistently perform at the highest level of productivity and creativity.
Always remember, when you’re genuinely passionate about your business or job, the sky’s the limit for personal and business growth!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Escape Games have been my passion since I was 18.
I was keen on playing Street Challenges – competitions in solving puzzles and finding hidden signs around the city. When the first Escape Room appeared on the market, I felt -that’s it! That’s what I am supposed to do! I went with my gut feeling, left my job and launched my first Escape Room. It quickly became very popular and we’ve expanded our ER chain. Then we faced a problem of producing Escape Rooms for ourselves and for our franchisees. It was hard to find a qualified ER producer, so we decided to launch our own production.
We started as a small local factory inspired by our passion for escape rooms. We were small but very ambitious! Every single worker was passionate about their job. It’s an incredible feeling to wake up in the morning, anticipating a new day at your beloved workplace. Our projects are unique, and most tasks are far from being routine. That’s probably one of the reasons why we experienced rapid growth—a dedicated and enthusiastic team deeply IN LOVE with their work. We truly put our hearts into each and every project.
This led us to become a huge international trusted brand.
Indestroom has evolved from a small factory into a full-cycle process of creating hi-tech Escape Products from A to Z.
Our combination of 3 own factories, modern equipment, and dedicated staff is our recipe for producing top-quality escape rooms in a short time. And, of course, there’s another secret ingredient—my personal enthusiasm and passion, which drive, motivate, and inspire my team to break boundaries and move forward.
Indestroom is my pride and passion. I carefully test every product we make and personally connect with every client. None of our products is released until I am 100% satisfied with the quality and durability.
Furthermore, I genuinely care about our clients’ results. I want them to achieve great success with our escape rooms and assist them in avoiding mistakes by providing educational materials and sharing the experiences of our clients worldwide. I don’t hesitate to point out if they are making mistakes. This comprehensive approach in our work allows us to receive positive reviews from our clients and encourage them to return and order more escape products from Indestroom.
I am a family man. I have a beautiful family, a wife and two children who are the world to me. Indestroom is like my third child. I love my company and care about every client and project with all my heart.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1) Embrace Positive Thinking: I’ve been through the early stages of starting a business, and I know firsthand that negative thinking and the fear of making mistakes can really hinder your progress. Trust me, every business faces its fair share of challenges. My advice to you is not to let these obstacles discourage you. Instead, treat every mistake as a valuable learning experience that can open up new opportunities for your business.
I’ve stumbled and fallen many times, but each time I picked myself up and kept moving forward. I can tell you from experience that this resilience eventually leads to greater success. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes because, in the end, nothing is as valuable as the lessons you learn from your own journey.
2) Effective Time Management:
Throughout my own entrepreneurial journey, I’ve learned the importance of valuing your time. One common mistake I made early on was trying to control every aspect of my business and handle every task personally. Let me tell you, this approach is not sustainable. With only 24 hours in a day, it’s impossible to manage everything.
My advice based is to delegate less critical tasks and plan your day efficiently. A strategy that has worked well for me is prioritizing tasks based on their urgency and importance. By doing this, you can free yourself to focus on the most critical aspects of your business.
Never Stop Learning:
I’ve achieved a fair amount of success, but I can’t stress enough how crucial it is to keep learning. The world is changing at a lightning pace, and you must stay updated on the latest industry trends, new business tools, and emerging technologies.
From my own journey, I can attest to the benefits of keeping an eye on your competitors, understanding your customers’ needs, taking professional and personal courses, and actively participating in industry conferences and exhibitions. Knowledge is the ultimate power that keeps you a step ahead of your competitors.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
We’ve undergone numerous changes, developments, and significant growth over the past year. Indestroom has evolved into a European company, which brings us closer to clients throughout Europe.
We’ve established a promising partnership with the largest escape room franchise chain, Paniq Room, and its owner, Akos Gabossy.
Additionally, we’ve launched a new escape room factory in Hungary from the ground zero and successfully constructed 176 escape rooms worldwide in just this year!
We’ve also introduced innovative products, including self-restarting and self-driven games, which enable more players to participate and increase our clients’ revenues. But that’s not all – we have an exciting new concept for escape room owners in the pipeline that is set to revolutionize the market! I won’t reveal all the details just yet, but I can promise you that it will be ready very soon.
Our journey of development and growth is ongoing, and while we’ve already achieved significant success, I firmly believe this is just the beginning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://erworkshop.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indestroom
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indestroom
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/indestroom
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Indestroom
