Episode Summary
Bob Cooney sits down with Blaise Witnish from Funlab, one of the key executives behind entertainment brands like Holey Moley Golf Club, Strike Bowling, Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, La Di Darts, and Hijinx Hotel.
In this lively conversation, Blaise reveals how Funlab turns each venue into a destination precinct by combining immersive experiences, great staff culture, and smart operations. From integrating Zero Latency VR into multi-attraction venues to applying airline-style utilization strategies and dynamic pricing, this episode is loaded with practical wisdom for operators.
Key Highlights
Location Strategy & Trade Areas
- Why two venues just a few kilometres apart can both succeed when their trade areas and drive patterns differ.
- The importance of understanding local traffic, access routes, and catchment dynamics before committing to a site.
- Blaise recommends Placer.ai for location analysis and notes that many brokers already have access, so smaller operators can still use its data through their agents.
Building Precincts That Drive Repeat Visits
- Funlab venues combine multiple brands under one roof to create “entertainment ecosystems.”
- Guests can move between mini golf, bowling, arcades, darts, challenge rooms, and VR, each with its own entry and atmosphere.
- Zero Latency VR functions as a premium anchor attraction, a destination experience that increases spend across other activities.
Make It Visible
- When guests can see and hear the fun, they’re far more likely to buy.
- Funlab’s venues feature open viewing windows and live gameplay screens, doubling walk-up conversion rates.
- “If guests can’t see it, they won’t buy it.”
The “Taster” Model
- Offering 5-10 minute demo sessions creates a 95% conversion rate.
- Once people try VR and feel comfortable, they almost always choose to continue and pay.
- It removes fear and reframes the purchase as continuing an experience rather than buying one.
Utilization Is Everything
- Blaise compares VR operations to airline seat management, every missed session is wasted revenue.
- Funlab managers set daily shift goals to fill every slot, using Shift Management Documents (SMDs) to track performance.
- “You’re paying rent every 45 minutes, you can’t afford to let a session leave half full.”
Service Is Selling
- Blaise’s philosophy: “Service is selling.”
- Inform, don’t push, like suggesting a combo or highlighting a chef’s special.
- Hire people who naturally love serving others and bring positive energy.
- Recruitment focuses on “energy givers” rather than traditional salespeople.
- “People make experiences. Great staff turn stunning spaces into repeat visits.”
Dynamic Pricing: “Peak the Peaks, Pack the Gaps”
- Protect the value of premium times (Friday nights, weekends).
- Use off-peak discounts (30-40%) to attract students, schools, and local groups on slower days.
- The aim: keep high-value peaks and fill quiet hours with new audiences.
- “It’s about accessibility without losing your premium position.”
Programming by Daypart
- Different times attract different audiences, schools during the day, families in the afternoon, couples and adults at night.
- Match your content, pricing, and marketing to each time block.
- Daypart strategy ensures consistent revenue throughout the week.
STEM & School Partnerships
- Turn VR into a learning experience: invite teachers, offer short engineering or teamwork-based missions, and include a brief tech walkthrough.
- Builds recurring weekday revenue with local schools, and introduces new audiences to VR.
- “Kids learn best through play. Teachers see that immediately.”
Expanding to the U.S.
- Funlab’s first major American project, Hijinx Hotel, opens at Irvine Spectrum Center in California.
- Combines challenge rooms, storytelling, and immersive design for intergenerational appeal, from kids to grandparents.
- Blaise sees this as the next phase in competitive socializing and immersive entertainment.
Resources & Mentions
Funlab Brands
Holey Moley Golf Club · Strike Bowling · Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq · La Di Darts · Hijinx Hotel · B. Lucky & Sons · Red Herring Escape Rooms · Juke’s Karaoke
fun-lab.com
Tools & Platforms
- Placer.ai – location and trade-area analytics (footfall, visitor patterns, dwell times)
- ESRI Business Analyst / ArcGIS – demographic and drive-time mapping (alternative for detailed catchment data)
- Shift Management Docs (SMDs) – internal tool for daily utilization tracking
- Dynamic Pricing i monitor peaks/off-peaks like yield management in airlines
People Mentioned
- Tim Ruse – CEO, Zero Latency
- Michael Schreiber – CEO, Funlab
- Randy White – White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group
Takeaways
- If you’re an operator, think like an airline: fill every seat, every session.
- Visibility, accessibility, and service mindset are your best marketing tools.
- Peak the peaks, pack the gaps – and create spaces where people want to come back.
