Author: Cat Cooley
Warren man creates video game fun – on wheels
WARREN — Somerset County entrepreneur Ken Levey has tossed his hat into an industry that is growing in popularity — video games and interactive fun. Launched about six months ago, GameTruck is a patented mobile entertainment theater featuring flat-screen HDTVs, comfortable seating, a high-quality sound system and the latest video game consoles.
Levey, who left a 25-year career as a trader to open this business, said the changes of the stock market prompted him to start a new venture.
Levy resides in Warren and his territory is built around the surrounding towns, he said.
“I worked on Wall Street for about 25 years primarily as an equity trader,” Levey said. “GameTruck is a unique franchise system that I thought seemed like a great idea and a great investment.”
The vehicle is equipped with seven flat-screen HDTVs, sound systems, multiplayer video games and video game consoles including Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation 3. The company touts that GameTruck is the only patented mobile video game theater, which separates it from the competition. The mobile travels to birthday parties, corporate events, summer camps and school events.
Purchasing a franchise was a good fit for Levey given his business experience.
“I explored many business opportunities when I decided to leave Wall Street,” he said. “A franchise provides a proven system that has been successful, brand recognition and support from the corporate office. I was so impressed by the leadership team. GameTruck is such a fun business idea that it was a good fit for me and my family.”
The potential reach for customers includes children age 7 and up, Levey said.
“GameTruck is the premier party experience for children and adults,” he added.
Day-to-day, Levey is booking parties, talking to potential clients and marketing.
“We’ve received great feedback from the community and are continuing to grow,” Levey said.
For more information about GameTruck, visit www.gametruckparty.com or call 908-872-4704.
GAMETRUCK COMMITS TO HELPING ITS FRANCHISEES
Mobile video game company goes above and beyond with franchisee support
(Tempe, AZ)—In addition to training and support, GameTruck, a patented mobile video game theater concept featuring flat-screen HDTVs, comfortable seating, a high-quality sound system and the latest video game consoles, is committed to helping its franchisees when problems arise.
When Gilbert Poon, the GameTruck franchise owner in Middlebury, Conn., was in a car accident that totaled his truck and severely damaged his GameTruck trailer, he was prepared to cancel all of his parties until he could get a new truck and trailer. The GameTruck corporate office learned about the accident and was unwilling to let Poon lose so much business because of the accident. The corporate office put a plan in place to get a truck and trailer to Poon to rent while his was fixed. The GameTruck franchisee in Indianapolis, Joao Belo, agreed to rent Poon his second truck and trailer.
Poon was also down a GameCoach to run events so the corporate office arranged for one of their GameCoaches to help Poon until he can hire a new coach. That GameCoach is also driving the truck and trailer from Indianapolis to Connecticut.
“Helping our franchisees succeed is a key part of our business,” said Scott Novis, founder and CEO of GameTruck. “The support offered by a franchisor is a huge benefit for franchisees and we are set on going above and beyond. The situation with Gil is just one example of how we are able to step in when a franchisee needs assistance, and the way Joao was willing to help proves what a great system we have built. We are happy to get involved in situations like this to benefit our franchisees and it’s even better when franchise owners help each other.”
GameTruck offers a premier party experience for both children and adults in an interactive, multiplayer environment that accommodates 16 or more players. Self-powered, climate-controlled GameTruck trailers are outfitted with comfortable seating, four to as many as eight flat-screen HDTVs, enhanced sound systems, more than three dozen of the latest multiplayer video games and all the major video game consoles (XBOX360®, Nintendo Wii™ and Playstation®3). A GameCoach manages each event, promoting fair, interactive play. Since it was founded in 2006, GameTruck has grown to 60 franchisees operating 80 GameTruck rigs in 150 territories across 23 states and Lagos, Nigeria. GameTruck expects to add 30 new franchisees and 60 new territories in 2012 alone, with long-range projections for 200 to 250 units covering the U.S. and Canada. GameTruck is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 8,029,368 issued October 4, 2011.
NJ Firefighter Finds Spark with New Business
Garwood, NJ — Craig Manning has been a firefighter and emergency medical technician (EMT) for more than 20 years. In 2011, he opened GameTruck, a patented mobile video game theater concept featuring flat-screen HDTVs, comfortable seating, a high-quality sound system and the latest video game consoles, in Garwood, N.J., with his wife, Gina.
The GameTruck business model allows the Mannings to operate the business from their home. The flexible schedule also suits Craig’s firefighting schedule.
“I love my job as a firefighter and finding a business that allowed me to continue firefighting was perfect,” Craig said. “I can book parties around my shift schedule and Gina runs the business and handles parties when I am working at the fire house.”
GameTruck offers a premier party experience for both children and adults in an interactive, multiplayer environment that accommodates 24 players. Self-powered, climate-controlled GameTruck trailers are outfitted with comfortable seating, four to as many as eight flat-screen HDTVs, enhanced sound systems, more than three dozen of the latest multiplayer video games and all the major video game consoles (XBOX360®, Nintendo Wii™ and Playstation®3). A GameCoach manages each event, promoting fair, interactive play.
“Gina has been a stay-at-home mom for several years so GameTruck is a great opportunity for us to team up and work together,” Craig said. “We love the idea of GameTruck. It’s a unique, fun birthday party experience for kids that is also safe so parents don’t have to worry.”
With Craig’s full-time job as a firefighter and Gina’s responsibilities to their four children, the couple wanted a proven business model that would be easy to launch, which is why they decided to buy a home-based franchise instead of starting a business from scratch. The GameTruck model allows franchisees to be up and running within 60 days of signing the franchise agreement.
GameTruck offers a comprehensive two week training and education program that combines both WebEx instruction and live-event training from the company’s training team at the franchisee’s location. Experts, franchisees, techs, gamers, drivers, marketing experts and the founders participate in this comprehensive training program. In addition, GameTruck seamlessly combines its customer website and call center with a proprietary franchisee back-end operating system to maintain a simple, streamlined process for both customers and franchise owners. For example, the corporate office helps answer calls so that Craig does not miss a lead while he is at work.
“The support a franchise offers makes it possible for me to keep the job I love and run a business I love,” Craig said. “Gina is also able to run the business while taking care of our kids, which has been a huge benefit.”
The Mannings also use GameTruck to give back to their community, taking the mobile video game theater to various charity events. For example, every year they take the GameTruck to Play Ball for Miracles, a fire and police charity softball tournament.
Since it was founded in 2006, GameTruck has grown to 60 franchisees operating 80 GameTruck rigs in 150 territories across 23 states and Lagos, Nigeria. Expansion is underway in Canada and Trinidad and GameTruck expects to add 30 new franchisees and 60 new territories in 2012 alone, with long-range projections for 200 to 250 units covering the U.S. and Canada. GameTruck is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 8,029,368 issued October 4, 2011.