2 years ago, I built a wild scavenger hunt date for my reddit Secret Santa Giftee and created a business! Now I travel around the country building intricate scavenger hunts for clients! I’m the Architect! AMA!

Me and my husband were the 2017 giftees! It's super fun. Since this has to have a question, have you done a bachelor party yet?

YOU GUYS WERE THE BEST!

Honestly that was so much fun!

I have done a bachelor party! It was Adventure no. 10. The Quest.

Each member of the part was intercepted throughout the week leading up to the big day with a hand delivered envelope with instructions and a riddle. They all arrived and there was a chest with 10 locks on it! Each member had a riddle for one of the locks. Once they got it open, It took them all throughout the town!

what if one of the riddles was too hard or one of the guys had an ego and couldn't solve it.

I always give people a lifeline. The person who hires me initially has my phone number just in case. I can discreetly text him help and make him look like the hero!

It preserves the magic of the adventure for the players and allows the person who hires me to look like a boss.

edit. I'm bad at typing....

That's.... Fucking brilliant! Man, how many hours went into that design?

it definitely took some time to attach the hasps to the chest and then choose the right locks and then set the passwords and then write out riddles!

but oh oh oh so much fun

Hi! These sound great! Were you able to quit your "day job" and do this as a full time living?

Short answer: Yes. I quit back in october.

Long answer: It's still Dicey. I made a calculated risk. I knew I would dip into savings as I built this. I've also CONSIDERABLY downsized my life/spending. Luckily there isn't very much overhead for the business.

I'm by no means making a killing, but I'm a the cusp of financial sustainability and it's super exciting.

How did that conversation go with your co-workers, that you were leaving to be a professional scavenger hunt designer?

They were all super supportive. I've been doing this as a side hustle for a while so everyone was aware. Most people tend to be pretty intrigued by the whole thing.

And who doesn't love cheering for someone who is desperately escaping from a soul crushing phone job to follow a dream?

What are your suggestions to someone to set up a fun scavenger hunt for their significant other? My wife loves this kind of stuff but I’m kind of intimidated by it. Also she did one for me once and it was so frustratingly hard I hated it and came home so grumpy. So I guess my question is, if I set one up how can I make it fun and interesting without just monotonously sending her around town to find 20 paper notes?

I make hunts like this as a hobby and I've found that rather than making all the clues require a walk or drive, it can be fun to leverage technology for some. Like, one answer is a Gmail address where the autoresponder sends a link to a website, or they call a Google voice number and the voicemail gives the next clue. A few months ago, I embedded a clue into a Snapchat geofilter that I set up over the recipient's apartment for a day (it cost like $7) and she was really into that.

Also, unlike OP, I'm no professional, but I've made a dozen or so puzzle hunts and find that balancing the clues so they're not impossiblly difficult is the hardest part. It helps to have someone beta test, but it's also helpful to pre-write some hints. I've found if you have to come up on the hints on the spot, the recipient feels like they're failing, whereas if you have prepared hints they read it more as, "I know I might not have given enough information so I prepared accordingly!" If you're using encryption systems like Morse code or Braille, you can also put together a decryption packet with Braille and Morse alphabets, hex code, semaphore or whatever else you're using, to give the recipient a nudge!

E: ravages of autocorrect

You're hired!

I feel legitimately so starstruck that you responded to me! You're living my dream and I'm rooting for you to become a billionaire off of boutique hunts! (And if you ever need a volunteer on the ground in SoCal, for real, I'm there!)

How about I pay you? I always need help. Email me. [email protected]

Let's talk.

I'm working on something and I think you'd really like to be a part of it.

You’re rad.

YOU'RE RAD

Hey we need an update or we will all bring forth pitchforks

EDIT: UPDATE! https://www.reddit.com/r/iama/comments/7vwil5/_/dtw1edy

The update has been there all along, it's buried at the bottom of this thread

Wait did that post really just lead to a job offer?

I do hire people for each adventure, but with u/Bonfire0fTheManatees I think he/she would be better served building a customized San Diego Adventure and getting paid every time someone does it.

I would loooooove to chat

He just said he’s barely able to sustain himself, I doubt he can hire someone.

Part of the budget is to hire people for the day. It's totally different than my flat rate I make. I can absolutely hire people for the day of and pay them well. Their roles are extremely important and I want to make sure they're well compensated.

What is the typical price range for your scavenger hunts?

Yeah, I would love to do this, but I would really like a ballpark on the cost. At the very least a "plan on at least this much" if it requires him to travel.

I mentioned it in another answer but I charge a flat rate so I make the same thing whether your budget is $3,000 or $10,000. If I'm going to travel to you, i recommend having a minimum budget of $3,000. I usually undershoot it though. If you budget for 3K and the whole thing costs $2,723. You get charged $2,723.

Sounds fun but you could take a pretty great vacation for those prices. Hmm should I take my wife on a romantic ski trip, go to the beach, or go on a scavenger hunt in my home town.

Why not both?

Come vacation in san Diego and have one of the days be an Adventure exploring the city!

That sounds fantastic.

you're fantastic!

Lol man.. I get how this is a cool and unique idea, and people with a ton of spare money will probably want to do this.. But that price point pretty much eliminates middle class customers.

Very true. It's something I've grappled with big time.

(between you and me and literally everyone reading this) If i find a player who just absolutely deserves something like this, I make it happen.

You tell me your budget, and I make it work.

Some people truly, honestly absolutely deserve a day they'll never forget

Found this on the website:

HOW MUCH DOES THIS COST? 

After a free phone/email consultation we send the client a written proposal which breaks down the entire budget and details. We keep pricing very simple.

We have a flat rate and an adventure budget. The flat rate covers the fun. It pays for the weeks leading up as we build the adventure, the long hours spent hand writing or encoding clues, working with business owners, and polishing the adventure. 

The adventure budget covers how embellished you want the details to be. Do you want this thing to be on a train? a cruise? a remote vacation spot? Do you want actors involved or would you like it simple?

If you want your target to stop at a shop or restaurant and be greeted at the door and ushered in to shop or eat, we cover the amount beforehand and charge you what was spent at cost. The client pays a deposit to reserve the date and the balance is due after the adventure is over. 

We never go over budget and the client is always aware of the total cost. 

I feel like if you aren't up front with cost, you aren't going to do very well in the long run. How much is the flat rate? Explanation. The client is aware of total cost? Only if you call us.

Hey there!

The problem I've run into is when someone emails me saying "I'd like to buy an adventure, but I don't want to talk until I know the cost"

I give them the cost (usually recommend $3,000 if I am traveling to you) and then I never hear from them again.

But if i have a conversation where i tell you that I'm going to use your best friend's tattoos as the cipher to decode a message that sends you to a mirror maze where you're intercepted and handed another clue all while being tracked via a GPS thats been placed on you to ensure perfection, you might begin to understand why it costs so much.

TL;DR - never lead with your price. Lead with an explanation of what you do.

Did you know that it's also my birthday? We share the date with Sir Thomas Moore, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. It's a good day.

EDIT: Gold?! Honestly, it was a bit of a rough start to the day, but this is turning it around. Thanks, Architect! I hope you get lots of tasty cake today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We literally have the best birthday ever. It's just far enough from the holidays, It's after the superb owl (usually) and just before valentines day!

Do you create different themes or just generic hunts?

Wildest stories of hunts gone bad?

Thanks, and sounds like an awesome service!

Great question!

1. Everything is completely customized to the person/people on the adventure (as well as the city they're in). That being said, I do have certain plays/gambits I'll recycle because they're just too much fun.

2. For Adventure no 17: Margarita Madness, Players moved from Bar to Bar, adding a new addition along the way. Even though everyone knew it would involve a lot of bars, a bunch of them forgot to bring their state IDs and only brought their military IDs. Half the bars didn't let them in. I had to change the course of the entire adventure as it was running. There was a lot of fast rewriting of clues, calling of bars, and wax sealing envelopes in my car.

You should start each adventure telling the group you have only lost 6 or 7 people, during adventures. moment of silence

how every adventure starts

Casualty. Casualty. Casualty.

Now you have to carry your three friends with you the whole time. Where's the medic? He's dead, too.

you always take out the medic first.

Wow- why aren’t military IDs accepted for bars in some states? You would figure they have picture ID, birthdate and full name just as any other ID. Is it because they don’t have some of the same security features?

It was just certain bars in Pacific Beach. I understand both sides. The party told me that they'd never had this issue. I think it's just when PB gets busy, some bars get strict.

Yeah, I managed a bar at a big ten school. During big times like rush week and homecoming we got way more strict on what we allowed. Also, no 21st birthdays on half off nights.

21st birthdays on half off nights sounds like vomit city

I see you are taking the business model from the movie The Game. Please end an adventure with. A 70 story drop. :)

It's how I end all my adventures

I remember reading the reddit santa write-up, very impressive work. I truly hope you become a huge success. Also happy birthday! Have you had a major screw-up yet that ruined the whole thing?

Hey there!

Thank you so much! I've only had two that didn't go exactly how I was intending:

Adventure no. 11: The Elite. This was a corporate team offsite where halfway through, the party was split into 2 teams and it turned into a race. It was also the first time I'd incorporate a stop at a bar early on. My mistake was it was a little too complex + I threw them a big curveball halfway through + they were drinking. It wasn't disastrous. They all had a great time but I pride myself on days being perfect.

The other one was Adventure no 17: Margarita Madness (Can you see a recurring theme here?) Players moved from Bar to Bar, adding a new addition along the way. Even though everyone knew it would involve a lot of bars, a bunch of them forgot to bring their state IDs and only brought their military IDs. Half the bars didn't let them in. I had to change the course of the entire adventure as it was running. There was a lot of fast rewriting of clues, calling of bars, and wax sealing envelopes in my car.

Long story short, there are always variables, but I've done this long enough to where I can adapt and change things along the way. Knock on wood, no adventure has ever completely derailed.

This is really cool!

Here is a scavenger hunt I made for my local subreddit a few years ago.

What do you think?

Scavenger Hunt https://imgur.com/a/3Oasn

dude.....

This is SO FREAKING COOL. I absolutely loved the way to progressed the participants through the hunt. One of the toughest things I have to work around is how to leave something in a public place without having some rando mess with it. Leaving the telephone pole sign was brilliant

This is SO FREAKING COOL!

One of the toughest things I grapple with is how to leave stuff in a public place for a prolonged amount on time. Such a brilliant idea with the sign. I absolutely love this.

Thats all good and all but why not add black jack and hookers? 🤔

We can create our own scavenger hunts! With Blackjack! And Hookers!

In fact, forget the scavenger hunts!

We should start an even better business!

This is so cool! How long does it take you to plan a scavenger hunt? Do you have to do a lot of research beforehand?

I prefer to have AT LEAST 2-3 weeks lead time. Sometimes more (depending on if I need to book something super far in advance.

I like to space out my adventures 2 weeks a part so I can put 14 solid days of focus on to each one. Each day is completely mapped out on a spreadsheet so all my agents are clear on the timing and their roles.

If they have a dinner reservation at 6:00 pm. They'll be there +/- 15 minutes

I would like to apply for Ray’s job.

Ray crushed it. He also got paid to drink beer and play arcade games to blend in at the arcade bar while he waited

Have you created a hunt for Ron Swanson yet?

If I was to create an adventure for Ron, it would be out in the wilderness for 3 days, it would be solitary (He wouldn't want to have leslie tag along) and it would be extremely challenging.

Do you Geocache? If so what’s your username?

It’s a similar “sport” or game that involves scavenger hunts. Have you at least heard of it?

Honestly I dont... I really should! I did go geocaching with Sunny from the PodCacher podcast. It was so much fun! I've been in talks with them about potentially creating an intricate series of caches around San Diego.

I love the idea of Geocaching. Mine is similar in many was and different in two:

1. Geocaching is digital. using Gps where mine ends up being a little more wax sealed, cloak and daggars,

2. every once in a while, you locate where a cache should be, and some jabroni has stolen or ruined it (or it wasn't kept up). With mine, when you're sent to a park to find a statue, there's a 100% chance that there will be an envelope in the hand of the statue because it was place there 30 seconds before you arrived and someone is nearby watching and waiting to ensure you grab it and no one else does!

[deleted]

soooooo fun fact...

...

I've never seen it...

I've had people threaten physical harm to me for never seeing it. I'll see it eventually!

Very cool concept. You should try to go on Shark Tank!

I see on your website that the cost is variable. What's a ballpark cost for an adventure? Most Expensive and least expensive ones you've done so far?

Shark Tank would love this, for sure.

Thanks! Right now it's not scalable (since it's just me) but I am working on something that could be! It's being tested right meow and will hopefully get rolling by mid 2018!

I'd be curious to know, too. Even just, does it typically cost hundreds of dollars? Or thousands of dollars?

It costs thousands.

I know it can seem tough to comprehend, but there is an insane amount of time and resources that go into the adveture. It's also worth noting that a lot of the money that you pay me just covers cost for your meals when you're sent to a restaurant, your entry when you're sent to a museum/zoo/space needle/mirror maze.

I mentioned it in another answer but I charge a flat rate so I make the same thing whether your budget is $3,000 or $10,000.

If I'm going to travel to you, i recommend having a minimum budget of $3,000. I usually undershoot it though. If you budget for 3K and the whole thing costs $2,723. You get charged $2,723.

hope that answers it!

So, essentially, your pricing is a flat rate (presumably for time spent?) + expenses? Makes sense.

Bingo. I love it because there's no negotiation and complete transparency on cost. Hiring a guy from the internet to puppeteer a crazy day for you is weird enough. No need to bog it down with weird pricing.

It also helps me forecast my finances.

Hahaha. Are you saying "meow"?

I don't know what you're talking about

Not likely since it's easy to imitate and he has no IP.

Exactly! Anyone can do this. It's also not scalable. I'm doing great already and really don't need investment!

The advertising though

I'm a big fan of the advertising! But I'd rather advertise by telling my story through reddit and podcasts.

I would rather have you guys shoot holes in my business than Mark Cuban. Not sure if my fragile psyche could handle it.

Not likely, they doesn't usualy invest in service, mostly it's product.

You can easily scale a product with a minimum investment and increase incredibly the profit margins that way. That's what Shark Tank does well. A service doesn't have that advantage, you can scale it with more staff, but usually you will lose quality because it depends on the individual (in this case it's OP) and they aren't all as good as him. You always lose efficiency too with more staff, which again are lost profit.

Shark Tank would be great for PR I guess but his clients clearly require deep pockets, which isn't the same public as Shark Tank.

Bingo. Frankly, I've got a great thing going. i do plan on scaling, but very slowly. The magic in this comes from these spectacular days. I'm just not ready to have this be in someone else's hands.

What do you do when things go wrong? Not that I'm doubting you're abilities, but do you ever have to change something mid-adventure?

Love this

I carry an "oh shit!" box for every adventure. Inside this box i include things like:

Extra envelopes with the Player's initial written on it Extra Wax A lighter String tape double sided tape hydrophobic spray ruler exacto knife assortment of pens Blue flare lots of paper scissors key locks password locks

Plenty of other things! very rarely, I'll have to call an audible mid day and scrap a location to replace it with another. Most of the time these things just help make the experience more magical (I.e. one of the players mentions he would love rocky road Ice cream. At the next location, there's a cup of ice cream with a wax sealed envelope containing a note that says

"I got chu" -The Architect

Those moments make incredible memories

You sounds like a very fun guy hahah

it's a gift!

as someone who also has an "oh shit box" for my line of work, i've taken to calling it the "oh shit kit."

dude.

THAT'S SUCH A BETTER NAME

What's the price range for one of your scavenger hunts? I'm sure it varies based on the individual, but is there a ballpark estimate?

Yep! without getting too into the weeds, i usually recommend $3,000 budget but it's worth noting that everything is suuuuuuper flexible. If you have a smaller budget, I can use public places (san diego is chock full: Balboa park, Coronado Island, Beaches everywhere

That being said, if you want a hot air balloon ride or a dinner stop at a 5 star restaurant, I'd recommend having a higher budget!

hope that gives you a good idea!

That's completely fair. I was impressed at how much you built into the cost such as the tickets or dinner. The clues look pretty solid too. You clearly have a talent.

I really appreciate that! The goal is to have people finish an adventure and think "This was MORE than worth the money spent."

Everyone has been happy so far!

Have you done an adventure for someone who obviously didn't want to do it? How did that go?

I am assuming that since a considerable amount of money is involved, the person purchasing it would talk to the receiving party ahead of time. I am picturing a desperate proposal, the kind we see in the movies but without the movie ending.

Yep!

I did an adventure early on for someone's birthday where it became pretty clear that his friends who were acting as agents where WAY more excited about it than he was.

I've done enough to learn that most people would like some kind of special day, but it's important to make sure they get the day they want. I ask a ton of questions early on. some people would rather have a quiet solitary experience exploring their city. Others want to be thrust into a ridiculous world where their friends are all the villains in a battle between good and evil!

regarding the second part, yes. It's a balancing act to ensure that the player in the game isn't completely blindsided by the day but still has the element of surprise. Usually I'll do a teaser envelope dropped off days in advance to get them excited

I recently tried wax sealing some envelopes and completely failed. What’s your process?

What type of wax did you use? I've tried a bunch of different kinds from amazon and craft stores. I usually go with the stuff they carry at Michaels because I like the consistency more and it drips evenly.

Depending on the size of the stamper, I'll usually make a quarter sized pool of wax, following the edges as it drips. Then I'll press firmly down the the stamp, hold for a few seconds and peel it away from left to right (I don't recommend pulling straight back up).

Also, I've been doing this a long time. The first time i waxed envelopes it was a bit dicey.

I used the wax in the candles I had laying around the house.

They make sticks of wax for wax sealing. Get those.

Also, lick or breath on the bottom of the stamper before you press it down. The thin layer of moisture will keep it from sticking to the wax.

Exactly. There is a big big difference in wax candles meant for illumination and candles meant for sealing envelopes

Start here

1. When did you decide that this could turn into a business or a full time job (if it is one)?

2. What steps did you have to take to turn it into a business and was it difficult?

Thanks! And great story. Love it when people provide others with a memorable experience.

Howdy!

I'll start with 2 because it leads into 1.

1. in short, I got super lucky, I had decided build the first adventure for my reddit giftee because he happened to live 21 minutes away from me. While i was working on it, i got excited and told anyone who would listen. I recruited a bunch of friends to help along the way. One of my friends agreed to wake up early and hand deliver the century old suitcase to my giftee. He tagged along through the next location too. Once my giftee and his girlfriend got to the zoo, I knew I had a few hours before their next stop.
   

I took my friend out to breakfast to thank him. He said. "this is awesome. You're going to make a business out of this. Give me a name, I'll build you a website."

At that moment, I came up with Constructed Adventures. When I met my giftee at the end, I told him about it. When he posted to reddit, he linked the website and everything blew up overnight! As far as the business side. I have business savvy friends who held my and the whole way through the LLC and bank accounts and stuff. Now on to part 1.

1. I did this as a side hustle for about 2 years while I worked a phone job full time. Basically I would go to work, come home, build an adventure, scout locations one weekend, and run it the next.

rinse and repeat.

Anyway, I moved to San Diego for a new phone job and was MISERABLE. I finally hit a breaking point where I realized I'd rather be poor and doing this than rich talking on the phone all day.

one week before I quit, I got featured at the tail end of the Teach for America Episode of How I built this.

If there is any takeaway from this, it's find something you love, do it as a side hustle, save your money, and take the leap once its big enough.

I've always wanted to have something set up for my marriage that involves a scavenger hunt! Have you had any couples ask you for this kind of request, maybe at the end there's a ring or it's a birthday party with birthday gifts all throughout the day!!!?

My favorite Adventure I've ever done was Adventure no. 9: The Proposal.

TBH. If i could just do marriage proposals, I would. I also help coach soon to be proposers to make sure they haven't forgotten anything!

What number are you on The Blacklist?

😬

Scavenger hunts? Treasure chests? Wax seals? Oh my god, can I be you when I grow up?

This is the most elaborate thing I've ever created. I'd be incredibly flattered to know your thoughts on a concept like this.

And if you ever need help on an adventure in Toronto, I'd love to volunteer!

ARE YOU SHITTING ME?

Thats the coolest thing I've ever seen! Please email me at Chris@constructedadventures with the subject "city series"

I have a project that I'm working on and I would like to talk to you about it

How much planing do you do for prep work? Does it take days or months? When you customize your hunt per clientele, do you research city history to make it more entertaining?

Hey there!

There is a ton of prep work. i usually need 2-3 weeks! After the initial call I have the client fill out a 2 page survey about whoever the player is in the game.

After that I work with them to come up with something that the player would want! (some adventures are super challenging, some are more serendipitous)

I utilize the strengths of the players and also cool places in their city to create something spectacular.

Happy birthday! Do you have any unrealized Hunts that you would just love for someone to hire you for? Also, have you ever seen The Game, and if so, do you think that's something you could see yourself possibly one day expanding into?

PS- You are my hero. I'm so happy this is a thing.

Hey there!

Absolutely! I have a Business Bucket List of sorts. It's not necessarily a full fledged day, more or less themes. Here's some of them:

-an adventure on a train with multiple stops -an adventure on a cruise -to be interviewed on Elle (a guy can dream) -An adventure that revolves around a mini tape recorder and finding tapes -and adventure that fully utilizes hydrophobic spray and stencils. I tested it out last adventure and it was super fun -An adventure in another country. - a legit buried treasure hunt in the wilderness. -a client with a massive budget

I'm sure there are more!

Have you ever considered combining a physical scavenger hunt with a digital one using something like ShareTwist.com? Seems like you could maybe expand your business to do scavenger hunts that could apply to huge digital audiences! Optionally, you could enforce location as well for certain clues.

It's definitely something I've given thought to.

Right now I'm super happy doing my thing. I think a lot of people make the mistake to constantly grow. I don't need to make a ton of money. I just need to make experiences.

It will be fun to look into new ideas and possibilities, but at the moment I'm just building adventures.

What your personal favourite scavenger hunt you have created for someone?

Adventure no. 8: The Treasure Hunter will always have a special place in my heart mostly because the Players were fantastic and hilarious.

I also absolutely loved doing Adventure no. 21: 50/50 split. It was this fun company retreat where they raced around coronado island

Could you create a scavenger hunt where you try to find different kinds of dog shit?

Lol, off to a great start. Honest answer: probably, but it wouldn't be fun for anyone...except the dogs.