Shows
The Manaverse PodcastMVP149: The Future of 2nd Hand Geek: Updates, Features, and Benefits for Game StoresIn this special update episode of the Manaverse Podcast, host Tom Traplin sits down with Blake Edward Hawkey, one of the co-founders of 2nd Hand Geek. Together, they discuss the evolution of the platform since its inception, the exciting new features available, and how the marketplace can benefit both players and local game stores.What You'll Learn in This Episode:The story behind 2nd Hand Geek, an eBay-style marketplace for used and new games, miniatures, and other geek culture items.How 2nd Hand Geek differs from platforms like eBay and TCGPlayer by offering a unique community...
2024-09-2041 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP148: Local Game Stores Can Save The WorldHow Game Stores Can Change Lives and Build CommunityIn today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast, I dive deep into a topic that's been on my mind a lot lately: the growing loneliness and division many of us are experiencing in the modern world. With nearly a third of adults in the U.S. feeling lonely on a regular basis and our society becoming more polarized, I believe local game stores have a unique opportunity to bridge these gaps and foster genuine human connections.The Loneliness EpidemicLoneliness has become a silent epidemic...
2024-08-2913 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP144: Michael Bahr on Selling Your Game StoreWelcome to another episode of the Manaverse Podcast! My name is Tom Traplin and I am your host and this is the podcast where we talk about building successful friendly local game stores. Today, we’re talking with Michael Bahr, the mind behind the LGS Net Income newsletter and former owner of Desert Sky Games in Arizona. Michael relatively recently sold DSG to another game store owner, and I say relatively because I’ve been sitting on this recording for way too long, but we dive into what it takes to build a game store into a sella...
2024-03-011h 11The Manaverse PodcastMVP140: He's Doing $500k/Year In Online Sales, So Why Open A Game Store?Welcome to another episode of the Manaverse podcast! I’m your host, Tom Traplin, and today, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Tyler Brotton, an ambitious entrepreneur charting a unique path in the gaming industry. From starting as an online card trader during the COVID-19 pandemic to his current venture of setting up a brick-and-mortar game store, Tyler shares the ups and downs of his journey, offering a treasure trove of insights for aspiring entrepreneurs.Tyler's journey is a testament to the entrepreneurial spirit, showcasing the blend of passion and practicality needed to succeed in th...
2023-12-0550 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP114: Is the FLGS Business Model Dead?Hey, welcome back to the Manaverse Podcast! I'm your host Tom Traplin and this is the podcast where we explore what it takes to build a successful friendly local game store.Before we jump into things, Q4 is coming and I'm looking for more game store owners to feature on the podcast, so if you get an email or phone call from me in the near future don't be too surprised. If you want a chance to tell the story of your game store and get featured on the podcast, I would love to talk to you...
2022-09-1411 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP095: GAMA EXPO 2021 ReviewGAMA EXPO 2021 has come and gone so let's talk about what went well and what could be improved on. Today, I'm breaking down my experience with the Expo and some of the difficulties I ran into while registering for the event, as well as talking about some of the advantages of the Spatial Chat system and how it can be made even better for next years Expo.If you want to be part of a community on your business journey to share ideas with and continue learning, you can become a member of the Manaverse Network by...
2021-04-0830 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP092: How To Run Magic Tournaments Online With Melee.ggSteve Port joins me on the podcast to discuss his latest project, Melee.gg and the future of Magic tournaments, online and offline. Learn how Melee.gg can allow your game store to run Magic tournaments more efficiently than ever, both in store and on Magic: Arena.Find out how the platform works, how you can run events with minimal staffing and still have a smooth tournament experience for your customers, and how the Melee.gg team is changing the way events are run.Melee.gg is a great way for game stores to run...
2021-01-0656 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP091: How I Would Improve Star City Games MarketingJoin me as I tell the story of interviewing for the position of marketing manager for Star City Games and my plan for improving the marketing strategy of one of the biggest Magic: the Gathering businesses in the world.Resources Mentionedsemrush.comanalytics.google.commailchimp.comactivecampaign.comGet your FREE ticket for the LGS Success Summit right here!
2020-11-0450 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP090: Knight Watch Games on the New Gamer Demographic of 2021 and BeyondBrenda and Paraic Mulgrew are the owners of the incredibly thematic Knight Watch Games in San Antonio. Knight Watch Games is a full service gaming center that specializes in board games, card games, miniatures, and role-playing and is beautifully decked out in Medieval fantasy decor.To quote one of their customers: THE OWNERS AND STAFF HAVE CULTIVATED A NIRVANA FOR GAMERS. A MORE OPEN AND WELCOMING PLACE YOU WILL NEVER FIND."Brenda and Paraic on a mission to show what a game store can be in 2020 and beyond and during the episode we dig into...
2020-10-071h 08The Manaverse PodcastMVP089: How Games Unlimited Raised $11,085 in Under 24 HoursKylie Prymus has been the owner of Games Unlimited in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania since 2015 but Games Unlimited is one of the original founding game stores in North America. Opening their doors for the first time in 1979, Games Unlimited has been serving the Pittsburgh community for decades, bringing people and games together the whole time. With a special focus on being community oriented, family friendly game experts, Kylie and the Games Unlimited crew help people find the perfect game for their needs and have built a thriving business while doing so. Topics/QuestionsHow Kylie got i...
2020-08-0652 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP088: The Mana Boardgame Tavern is Open For BusinessShannon Ebbitt is the co-owner with husband Vince, of the Mana Boardgame Tavern in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, a steampunk inspired venue offering a variety of adult beverages combined with a library of board games for their patrons to enjoy. The Mana Boardgame Tavern was conceived with the idea of bringing great games, great drinks, and great people, all together into a welcoming atmosphere. Add in a hefty amount of passionate geekdom and every night is game night.Main Topics ExploredThe Kickstarter campaign that started it allThe story of how the building they rented burned dow...
2020-07-2839 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP087: Three Major Changes for Qualifying as a WPN Premium StoreWizards of the Coast made an announcement recently on the WPN site detailing the changes to the program and what it takes for local game stores to qualify for WPN Premium status.So let's dig into the announcement and talk about the three major changes to the program and some options for game store owners looking to become Premium.https://wpn.wizards.com/en/article/evolving-wpn-premium-covid-19-and-beyond
2020-07-1208 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP086: Now Is Not The Time To Open a Game Store, Do This InsteadIf you're in the planning stages of your future game store or were about to launch, you should put everything on hiatus right now. Hold off on opening your doors or making any major purchases in the near future because the circumstances in which you would be operating are changing, almost by the day.If you went through the effort of putting together a business plan, the very assumptions the plan is based on are now incorrect. A business plan presupposes a few things, like a somewhat stable economy, reliable infrastructure, and a reasonably consistent...
2020-04-1210 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP085: Resources and Advice For Staying In Business During The Covid-19 PandemicThe situation is changing day by day and for many game store owners, business is anything but the usual.Social distancing and isolation have made the traditional model for local game stores unfeasible if not impossible. Hosting events is no longer an option and likely won't be a long time.And for the stores in regions that are particular hard hit like California and New York, options are even more limited as they've been forced to close their doors entirely.But there is some good news. The industry as a whole is coming t...
2020-04-031h 02The Manaverse PodcastMVP084: Get In Front of More Customers with WeTabletopJoe Masilotti is on the show to talk about how WeTabletop can help game store owners get in front of more customers and fill up their events more consistently. WeTabletop allows players looking for games to connect with store owners hosting those games, and they're not just restricted to the usual suspects. Players can find nearly any table top game on the system.For game store owners, WeTabletop is a completely free way to reach more customers and sell more games. Due to the current circumstances surrounding Covid-19, WeTabletop is also offering store owners to...
2020-03-2939 minThe Manaverse PodcastCoronavirus Is Here, Now What?Is coronavirus worse than the flu? At this point it doesn't matter, the panic and fear is real. Governments are taking this seriously.Coronavirus is going to affect all retail but game stores are a unique business model and are very focused on face to face interaction. So what do local game store owners need to be concerned with over the coming weeks and months?Health ConcernsDo you have a plan in place for what happens when your team gets sick? What about you?What are you doing to reduce the spread of disease...
2020-03-1231 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP083: Justice Has Been ServedFor those who haven’t heard the tale, Pat’s Games was robbed a little over three years ago and the bad guys made off with over $60,000 worth of high value Magic cards. The story of the burglary went far and … Read More
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2019-04-231h 16The Manaverse PodcastMVP082: Pete Hoefling on Star City GamesSince the day I started the Manaverse Podcast I've wanted to interview certain people in particular. John Coviello and Gordan Johansen were high on my list, as well as Pat Johnson and Kelly Ackerman, KYT, Derium's, Card Kingdom, and many, … Read More
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2019-02-201h 20The Manaverse PodcastMVP081: Chatbots: What They Are And Why You Should CareOver the course of the last year, Chatbots have been making a lot of noise in the industry. They are either the cutting edge in marketing technology, poised to change the way people interact with businesses, or they're a fad … Read More
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2019-01-2031 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP080: How Gordon Johansen Sold $36,000 Worth Of Product In One Day Gordon Johansen is back on the Manaverse Podcast along with John Coviello and Wayne Mittlesteadt to talk about holiday sales and driving big numbers during the holiday season. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and the Christmas season are the … Read More
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2019-01-141h 17The Manaverse PodcastMVP079: The State Of The Games Industry2018 has been an interesting year for the games industry. We've seen a glut of excellent board games hit the market and more mainstream adoption of the gaming hobby by the 'mundanes' as John Coviello would say, but we've also … Read More
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2019-01-061h 35The Manaverse PodcastMVP078: The Death Of Magic OnlineThe days of Magic Online are numbered, at least in its current form. The question we explore today is "Will Wizard's of the Coast shut down Magic Online?" and how will this affect local game store owners. The short answer … Read More
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2018-12-0634 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP077: Are Your Building A Business Or Are You Building A CommunityIn this super short episode of the Manaverse Podcast, we ask the question "are you focusing on the right things?" Specifically, are you building a business, or are you building a community? I'm going to give away the plot on … Read More
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2018-11-2211 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP076: Marketing Strategies That Drive SalesMatthew Vercant has worked for three game stores, done shipping fulfillment for various Kickstarters, managed shipping for Minion Games, and now owns Just Games Rochester. His background before entering the games industry was in publishing and teaching. He also just … Read More
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2018-11-122h 41The Manaverse PodcastMVP075: Starting A MovementDo you know what it takes to start a movement in your local game community? That's the essence of this episode of the Manaverse Podcast. Darcy and Daniel Leech, the owners of Mind Sculpt Games in Great Bend, Kansas, have … Read More
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2018-10-141h 06The Manaverse PodcastMVP074: When To Give Up And When To Push ThroughSometimes you reach a point in your business where you begin to question whether or not the whole endeavor is worth the effort. You face a crossroads where you can either choose to quit and walk away, or push through … Read More
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2018-09-1024 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP073: Round Table – The Rise Of D&D And The Impending Doom Of MagicThe first episode of the Round Table is back after 8 months. The whole gang returns to discuss the recent developments in the industry including the rise of D&D. Roleplaying popularity is surging and for the guys, driving sales in … Read More
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2018-08-221h 20The Manaverse PodcastMVP072: The Gamer’s Paradox And Dealing With BurnoutEveryone gets burnt out every once in a while. The question is what to do about it when it happens. Even gaming can become exhausting and stressful once you make it your profession, and that's the path a game store … Read More
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2018-08-1851 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP071: Round Table – Distribution… It’s Not Just The Games That Are Analog, It’s The IndustryJohn Coviello (Little Shop of Magic) and Gary Sproul (The Haunted Game Cafe) join me to discuss every retailer's favorite topic: dealing with distributors and figuring out your supply chain. If you want to run a game store, you need to … Read More
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2017-12-151h 02The Manaverse PodcastMVP070: Round Table – MTG Arena And Counterfeit GamesThe round table is back. John Coviello (Little Shop of Magic), Wayne Mittlesteadt (Dueling Grounds), and Gary Sproul (The Haunted Game Cafe) join me to discuss two things: Wotc's new digital offering MTG Arena and the impact of counterfeit games … Read More
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2017-09-201h 04The Manaverse PodcastMVP069: 3 Growth Hacks For Your Game Store That You Can Implement TodayLearn about the three growth hacks that you can implement in your game business today that can potentially lead to exponential growth. Discover how to build in a viral component into your events and your offers that will make your … Read More
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2017-09-1420 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP068: The Future Of MTG E-CommerceNate Petersen is the owner of Backstage Hobbies and Games, West Michigan's premier vintage Video Game, Board Game, and Trading Card Game store. This episode isn't just a feature on Nate's game store in Michigan. Nate is also the Director of … Read More
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2017-09-0558 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP067: The New Dueling GroundsWelcome to another episode of the Manaverse Podcast. Wayne Mittelstaedt is back on the podcast for a one on one interview and we're going deep into the trials and tribulations of a major business move. Wayne shares a ton of valuable … Read More
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2017-08-271h 19The Manaverse PodcastMVP066: How To Build A Winning TeamWelcome to another episode of the Manaverse Podcast. We've got a great show for you today because today the whole round table is here to talk about finding and hiring the right people so you can build a team that … Read More
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2017-08-171h 36The Manaverse PodcastMVP065: Personal Development And Tools For SuccessThis is the third episode in the series where we're exploring the question "If a game store wants to grow their game store business today, what should they do?" If you haven't listened to the previous episodes of this … Read More
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2017-08-0843 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP064: Round Table – The Games Industry Is ChangingThe round table is back! John Coviello and Gary Sproul join me to discuss the recent changes in the gaming industry and their impact on the business. We go over Game Workshop changing their policy about online shopping carts, minimum … Read More
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2017-07-231h 08The Manaverse PodcastMVP063: How To Craft An Exceptional ExperienceOne of the most common threads among the game stores that have been featured on this podcast is that they provide their customers with an exceptional experience. Each transaction in your business fundamentally comes down to how your customer feels … Read More
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2017-07-0122 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP062: Marketing Your Game StoreHow would you like to wake up every day, knowing that your game store is steadily growing. Events are pulling in larger and larger numbers of people. The number of sales is going up, along with the size of each … Read More
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2017-05-2924 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP061: Building Mind Sculpt Games From The Ground UpIn today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast we're talking about Great Bend's newest game store, Mind Sculpt Games. So new it doesn't exist yet. Usually, I interview game store owners that have been in business for a few years and have … Read More
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2017-05-1653 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP060: The GameBoard – How To Make Your Customer The Hero With Lynn PotyenIn today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast, our special guest is the most excellent Lynn Potyen. Lynn is the owner of the The GameBoard in Sheboygan, WI and in the words of the Geek and Sundry article she was recently … Read More
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2017-05-0159 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP059: Guardian Games and Fostering a Magic Community with Gene JooGuardian Games, the Grandest Game Store in Portland is the subject of this episode of the Manaverse Podcast. Gene Joo is the special guest today, he's the Magic Department Manager of Guardian Games in Portland, and he shares the strategies that he's … Read More
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2017-04-1948 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP058: Business is War – Mark Koh on MegaCorpMegacorp was created and designed by Mark G. Koh, a serial tech founder with a lifelong love of card games and business. Growing up in Singapore, southeast Asia, Mark discovered tabletop games at an early age of 8- beginning with … Read More
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2017-01-301h 26The Manaverse PodcastMVP057: Round Table – Breakout Games, Surprise Winners, Unexpected Stinkers, And The Lessons Of 2016 Round TableIn this episode of the Manaverse Podcast, the hosts of the show look back on 2016 and do a postmortem report. It's always a good idea to look back on what went right and what went wrong. You can learn some … Read More
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2017-01-0944 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP056: November In Review, Plus A Special AnnouncementThe round table hosts of the Manaverse Podcast come together to discuss the past month. We live in exciting times and November has been an interesting for the guys. John Coviello, Wayne Mittlesteadt, Gary Sproul, and Tom Traplin share their … Read More
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2016-12-141h 38The Manaverse PodcastMVP055: Round Table – How To Move/Renovate Your Local Game Store Without Going Insane Every owner of a profitable game store will eventually face a difficult decision. Do you move your store or do you expand? Well, lucky for you this episode of the Manaverse Podcast covers both! Gary Sproul from the Haunted … Read More
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2016-12-0650 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP054: Round Table – Why Game Stores FailIn today's show the hosts of the Manaverse Podcast discuss the reasons why game stores fail. Some percentage of businesses fail. The question is how do you make sure that your game store isn't one of them? The sad truth is … Read More
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2016-10-181h 12The Manaverse PodcastMVP053: The Problem With Pucatrade The problems with Pucatrade are the subject of the show today, specifically the release of the Future Site update and the effects of its crumbling economy. After a fundraising campaign and many months of development time, Pucatrade's newest incarnation has … Read More
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2016-10-0327 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP052: Optimizing Your Product MixIn today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast Wayne hosts John and I at Dueling Grounds in Toronto and we discuss the variety of ways a game store owner can build their shop's inventory. We go over the product mix matrix … Read More
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2016-09-281h 11The Manaverse PodcastMVP051: Round Table – Top 5 Favourite GamesTom's Top 5 Magic Settlers of Catan Betrayal at House on the Hill Hearthstone DBZ Card Game John's Top 5 Shadows Over Brimstone Takenoko Malifaux the Miniatures GameMansions of Madness Call of Cthulhu Wayne's Top 5 Magic Dungeons and Dragons … Read More
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2016-09-101h 26The Manaverse PodcastMVP050: Ecommerce for Game Store OwnersAccording to an article by Bloomberg last year, ecommerce sales beat out traditional brick and mortar sales during Black Friday. The trend is now obvious and ecommerce sales are going to become more and more important as time goes on. … Read More
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2016-08-131h 22The Manaverse PodcastMVP049: Gary Sproul on the Haunted Game CafeGary Sproul describes the terrifying history of the Haunted Game Cafe Today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast involves a deep dive into the murky fog and buried past of Gary Sproul. Gary is the ghostly proprietor of the Haunted Game … Read More
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2016-08-061h 02The Manaverse PodcastMVP048: Round Table – Does your game store need a website?Many game store owners think their Facebook page is all they need to compete online and reach new customers. Tom Traplin, John Coviello, and Gary Sproul come together on this episode of the Manaverse Podcast to discuss the question: Does … Read More
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2016-07-271h 29The Manaverse PodcastMVP047: GeekyGami’s with Allen Hicks // Nerdish Haven has evolved!GeekyGami's has appeared! The story continues. Allen Hicks comes onto the Manaverse Podcast today to share with us the latest update to the tale of Nerdish Haven in Coffeyville, Kansas. Nerdish Haven was the fledgling local game store we've been following … Read More
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2016-07-1951 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP046: Round Table – Game CafesThe game cafe and how to build one from scratch In this episode of the Manaverse Podcast, I'm joined by my co-hosts John Coviello and Wayne Mittlesteadt as well as a special guest, Gary Sproul. Gary is the owner of … Read More
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2016-07-081h 15The Manaverse PodcastMVP045: Round Table – Creating a Business Plan That Works Have you written a business plan for your game store? In this round table episode of the Manaverse Podcast Tom, Wayne and John discuss the importance of planning out your business. Sometimes that means sitting down and writing an actual, … Read More
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2016-06-2257 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP044: Round Table – Will Magic Digital Next Make Magic an E-SportIs Magic Digital Next Wizard's Answer To Hearthstone? In this round table episode of the Manaverse Podcast Tom, Wayne and John discuss the future of Magic: the Gathering. We also discuss how it may impact local game stores. With Wizard's announcement of … Read More
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2016-06-141h 08The Manaverse PodcastMVP043: Round Table – Will Local Game Stores Survive? The end of the local game store? In this round table episode of the Manaverse Podcast Tom, Wayne and John discuss an article recently written by past guest of the show, Gary Ray. You can find Gary's interview on the … Read More
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2016-05-1148 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP042: Round Table – Wizards of the Coast Sued By MTG JudgesThe Wizards Lawsuit In today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast Tom, Wayne and John discuss the details and ramifications of the recent announcement that WotC is being sued by four judges in California. The class action lawsuit claims that MTG … Read More
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2016-05-0159 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP041: Travis Parry and The Nerd StoreTravis Parry and the tale of The Nerd Store Today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast features Travis Parry, someone you may recognize from the round table editions of the show. As the only co-host that hadn't been interviewed one on … Read More
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2016-04-221h 02The Manaverse PodcastMVP040: Round Table – How To Run Great Events That Grow Your Game StoreHow to run great events that grow your game store Running events is one of the most effective ways to grow the community for your game store. If you do a good job organizing each one and provide a good … Read More
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2016-04-151h 25The Manaverse PodcastMVP039: MiniWarGaming.com – From LGS To YouTubeIn the grim darkness of the deep internet, there is only war… The featured guest for today’s episode of the Manaverse Podcast is Matthew Glanfield. Matt is the co-owner of the popular YouTube channel MiniWarGaming and the website miniwargaming.com. There … Read More
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2016-04-1040 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP038: Round Table – The GAMA Trade ShowWelcome to the first edition of the Manaverse Podcast round table! In addition to the usual one on one interviews that you know and love, I've brought on a cavalcade of courageous co-hosts, a torrent of talent, an avalanche of entrepreneurial … Read More
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2016-04-011h 22The Manaverse PodcastMVP037: Tom Traplin and the Manaverse Podcast are back!The triumphant return of the Manaverse Podcast is here! No, this isn't a cruel April's Fools joke. The Manaverse Podcast is back! This episode of podcast is a short bite size update, a way for me to reintroduce myself to … Read More
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2016-04-0122 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP036: Checkmate with Black Knight GamesThe featured guest on today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast is Jay Mason-Grant. Jay is the owner of Black Knight Games in Hamilton, Ontario. Jay has a pretty interesting origin story for how he got into the business, and yet … Read More
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2015-10-301h 08The Manaverse PodcastMVP035: Player 2 Press Start – KW Vintage GamesKW Vintage Games - from retro to cardboard Joaquim Mendes is quite the character. Our guest today is the owner of one of the most unique shops in Kitchener, Ontario. Within the walls of his relatively small store is virtually … Read More
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2015-10-231h 13The Manaverse PodcastMVP034: The Nerd Haven Update – 5x The HavenNerd Haven v2.0 Welcome to a slightly delayed edition of the Manaverse Podcast. Today’s podcast is an update with a previous guest. Roughly six months ago Aaron Tillman started up Nerd Haven with $500 and a laptop. Now, he’s expanded … Read More
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2015-10-171h 05The Manaverse PodcastMVP033: Face To Face Toronto – How To Run Massive Magic Tournaments And Other LGS Secrets With Kelly Ackerman Part 2Face to Face Toronto - The Duelist Welcome to part 2 of the Kelly Ackerman/Face To Face Toronto interview. Today Kelly and I talk about the big mistakes, the big wins, and a bunch of tools and resources you can … Read More
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2015-10-091h 03The Manaverse PodcastMVP032: How To Run Massive Magic Tournaments And Other LGS Secrets With Kelly Ackerman Of Face To Face Toronto Part 1Welcome to another episode of the Manaverse Podcast. We’re continuing the Face To Face Games series today, this time we’re back in Toronto with Kelly Ackerman. Kelly is the co-owner of the newest iteration of the Face To Face business, … Read More
The post MVP032: How To Run Massive Magic Tournaments And Other LGS Secrets With Kelly Ackerman Of Face To Face Toronto Part 1 appeared first on Manaverse Saga.
2015-10-021h 17The Manaverse PodcastMVP031: Captain Canada Talks Being On The Pro Tour, Content Creation, And Building ManaDeprived.comIn this edition of the Manaverse Podcast and over the next few weeks, I am excited feature one of the most well known names in Canadian Magic. This particular episode our guest has competed on the Pro Tour twice, created and … Read More
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2015-09-251h 14The Manaverse PodcastMVP030: The Methods Card Kingdom and Mox Boarding House Use To Reach Hundreds Of Customers Each WeekWelcome to the 30th episode of the Manaverse Podcast. I’ve got a great show for you today, our featured guest is the creative content manager for one of the premier LGSs in North America. Perhaps you’ve heard of them, Card … Read More
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2015-09-181h 43The Manaverse PodcastMVP029: Rainy Day Games And Building An LGS That Stands The Test Of Time Part 2Today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast is part two of the Steve Ellis interview and yes, that's a time travelling DeLorean in the feature image. Steve is the co-owner of Rainy Day Games in Aloha, Oregon in case you missed … Read More
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2015-09-1159 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP028: Rainy Day Games And Building An LGS That Stands The Test Of Time Part 1Today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast features Steve Ellis, the co-owner of Rainy Day Games in Aloha, Oregon. Steve had so much insight into the world of game store ownership that I once again had to split the episode into … Read More
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2015-09-041h 19The Manaverse PodcastMVP027: Meeples Games, Welcome To The Thunderdome!Today on the Manaverse Podcast we're talking to Laura Schneider. Laura's the co-owner of Meeples Games and she's going to walk us through how she built her awesome game store /cafe/thunderdome. We go over how Laura spent an entire year … Read More
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2015-08-281h 09The Manaverse PodcastMVP026: Derium’s CCGs Part TwoThis week's episode of the Manaverse Podcast is part two of the Derium's CCGs interview. If you haven't checked out part one, you should do that first. I'll wait. Hey, glad you're back. This is the episode where the guys and … Read More
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2015-08-211h 13The Manaverse PodcastMVP025: Derium’s CCGs Part OneThis week's episode of the Manaverse Podcast is a special one. Not only is it the 25th episode, it's also a two parter. The featured business for the next two episodes of the podcast has a popular channel on Youtube, … Read More
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2015-08-141h 08The Manaverse PodcastMVP024: Bampot Tea, The Trendiest Board Game Cafe In TorontoToday’s show features Alex Moore. Alex is the chef and board game manager at Bampot, a board game cafe in Toronto. Bampot, or the full version: Bampot: Bohemian House of Tea and Board Games is a trendy place that offers loose … Read More
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2015-08-071h 03The Manaverse PodcastMVP023: Nerdish Haven – The Story Of How To Start An LGS With $500 And A LaptopToday's episode of the Manaverse Podcast features Aaron Tillman. He’s the proud owner of Nerdish Haven in Coffeyville Kansas. In this episode we explore an LGS in the very first days of it’s existence. That’s because Nerdish Haven opened it doors … Read More
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2015-07-311h 09The Manaverse PodcastMVP022: How Your LGS Can Crush It With Player ProgressionToday's episode of the Manaverse Podcast is a little different from the usual show. In this shorter than average episode I talk about the different stages in a Magic player's career and how each stage relates to an LGS owner's business. We … Read More
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2015-07-2423 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP021: The Crazy Squirrel Game Store Is Plotting World DominationJennifer Ward comes onto the Manaverse Podcast this week to share with us the future: A world dominated by crazy squirrels. Ok, that's not true, but she has come to share with everybody what makes Crazy Squirrel Game Store in … Read More
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2015-07-171h 22The Manaverse PodcastMVP020: Black Diamond Games, Gary Ray, and the Magic BubbleGary Ray on the Magic: the Gathering bubble On today's episode, my featured guest is Gary Ray, the store owner of Black Diamond Games in Concord, California. Gary is a purveyor of board games, card games, and all things … Read More
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2015-07-101h 10The Manaverse PodcastMVP019: Games of Berkeley, California’s Premier FLGSErik Bigglestone and Games of Berkeley are the focus of this week's episode of the Manaverse Podcast. Erik shares his experience as part of a gaming family and the story of how he came to be the owning manager of … Read More
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2015-07-031h 30The Manaverse PodcastMVP018: Pat’s Games And The Castle That Magic BuiltToday's episode of the Manaverse Podcast features a woman whose store is literally a castle. Pat Johnson comes on the show to talk about her aptly named store Pat's Games. Pat has a fairly unique business. Most local game stores put … Read More
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2015-06-261h 28The Manaverse PodcastMVP017: Pistols at Dawn! Wayne Mittlestead on Dueling GroundsWayne Mittlestead comes onto the Manaverse Podcast today to talk about life, love, and happiness as an entrepreneur... sort of. Wayne built Dueling Grounds in Toronto, Ontario from the ground up. With 11 years of experience Wayne has a lot to … Read More
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2015-06-191h 25The Manaverse PodcastMVP016: Redcap’s Corner with Benn Roe and Adam FriedmanHave you ever wondered what might happen if you opened a friendly local game store with a $20 000 credit card limit? Benn Roe and Adam Friedman come on to the Manaverse Podcast and share how it worked out for them. … Read More
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2015-06-121h 05The Manaverse PodcastMVP015: Exploring The Little Shop Of Magic With John CovielloThis content is for members only
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2015-06-051h 03The Manaverse PodcastMVP014: How To Get Your Game Idea Published While Playing Magic On The High SeasThe featured guest on today's podcast is Steve Port, perhaps you've heard of him? If not him, chances are one of his products has certainly crossed your path. Here's a brief list of the things Steve has added to the … Read More
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2015-05-291h 27The Manaverse PodcastMVP013: Metal Galaxy, A Ninja Star In SpacePascal Espinosa joins us on the Manaverse Podcast today. Pascal is the owner of Metal Galaxy in Calgary, Alberta where Magic is currently thriving. Not only does Metal Galaxy have a past podcast guest (MVP008) in their backyard with Gordan Johansen`s Sentry Box, Pascal also … Read More
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2015-05-221h 34The Manaverse PodcastMVP012: Building a Massive Magic Community at the Dragon’s LairChris Fedor comes onto the Manaverse Podcast to talk about the pinnacle of geek culture in Austin, Texas, the Dragon's Lair. We chat briefly about the history of the Dragon's Lair and how it grew from a small business in a … Read More
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2015-05-1557 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP011: The Advantage Of Selling Magic Cards Over The Internet With CardAdvantage.caThe 11th episode of the Manaverse Podcast features Peter Sonegra, one of two owners of cardadvantage.ca. Card Advantage is a rapidly growing online retailer of everybody's favourite game, Magic: the Gathering, but it wasn't always this way. Peter and his partner … Read More
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2015-05-081h 24The Manaverse PodcastMVP010: Battling the Minotaur Inside Labyrinth GamesThe double digit episode of the Manaverse Podcast is here. Today I talk with Kathleen Donahue and Judy Thomas. Kathleen owns Labyrinth Games & Puzzles in Washington, DC and Judy handles the Magic side.. "Labyrinth Games is a family-friendly, community-focused store featuring … Read More
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2015-05-011h 03The Manaverse PodcastMVP009: Rock The Dragon With Jenn HainesThis content is for members only
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2015-04-231h 04The Manaverse PodcastMVP008: Gordon Johansen Talks About Building The 13 000 Square Foot Mecca Of GamingGordon Johansen is one of the old guards in gaming, with 35 years of experience in the games business Gordon has seen it all. Gordon and his store, the Sentry Box has seen fads come and go, weathered multiple recessions and has … Read More
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2015-04-171h 19The Manaverse PodcastMVP007: How Perseverance And Determination Can Build The Foundation For A Successful LGS With Gabe Escobedo and Game Haven STLGame Haven STL takes the G in LGS very seriously. In today's episode of the Manaverse Podcast, I talk with our featured guest Gabe Escobedo about Game Haven STL. Gabe is a study in conviction. We quickly find out that … Read More
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2015-04-1050 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP006: The Power Of The Acronym, JBC And Just By Chance GamesIn today's episode, we have a conversation with Larissa Loomes. Larissa is one of three owners of my friendly local game shop Just by Chance Games (or JBC as I know it) in Waterloo, Ontario. We talk in depth about … Read More
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2015-04-0356 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP005: The 411 On 401 GamesIn this episode, we talk with Zoran Dobrijevic. He's the general manager of 401 Games in Toronto, Ontario. Zoran is the Magic specialist for one of the largest game stores in Ontario. Using a unique strategy that most game stores dismiss, 401 Games grew from … Read More
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2015-03-271h 07The Manaverse PodcastMVP004.5: Special PucaTrade EditionIn this special edition of the Manaverse Podcast we talk with Eric Freytag, the visionary behind PucaTrade.com. PucaTrade is the premier online trading platform for Magic: the Gathering cards. PucaTrade lowers the barrier to playing your favourite decks by making … Read More
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2015-03-221h 07The Manaverse PodcastMVP004: Michael Russo Introduces The Universe Of Universe GamesMichael has a history with games, an affinity you could say. From game design to retail to publishing, Michael has had experience with nearly every aspect of the industry and offers his insights into what makes a great game and … Read More
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2015-03-201h 22The Manaverse PodcastMVP003: Adventurer’s Wanted, Quarter AvailableIn this episode, we chat with Jacob Alden Stanley. He's the owner of Adventurer's Quarter in Denver, Colorado. We chat about what makes AQ a solid business. Hint: listening to what your customers are telling you is a good first step. As … Read More
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2015-03-1335 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP002: Meet Dan Hoffman, the Canton of Canton GamesIn this episode, we chat with Dan Hoffman. He's the owner of Canton Games in Baltimore, Maryland. If you are working in a job that you don't like, this episode may just convince you to try your hand at running … Read More
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2015-03-0451 minThe Manaverse PodcastMVP001: A World Far, Far Away With Brad Ashton HaisteIn this episode of the Manaverse Podcast, we talk with Brad Ashton Haiste. He's the owner of Worlds Away in London, Ontario. Worlds Away is the premier LGS in London and has a thriving, passionate community of players. Brad has … Read More
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2015-03-0454 min