FEC Masterminds Podcast

How do you take a bankrupt go-kart track and turn it into an 18% year-over-year growth machine? In this episode of the FEC Masterminds Podcast, Clint and Erik sit down with Dave from Grand Island Fun Center. Dave shares his journey of transitioning from a college student helping his dad at an auction to becoming a decade-long solo owner-operator. We go deep into the "outside perspective"...

How do you stand out in a brutally crowded market of nineteen competing adventure parks? You throw out the corporate playbook, buy a drop-fog machine, and lean heavily into aggressive guerrilla marketing. In this episode of the FEC Masterminds Podcast, Clint Novak and Erik Stottlemyer sit down with fellow mastermind member Ed, who is fresh off closing on his third family entertainment venue in Min...

Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes when the cameras are off? This week, Clint and Eric take a break from their usual guest format to swap stories from the trenches of the FEC world. From Eric’s 45-day stint living at the park (and his battle with a broken tractor at home!) to Clint’s dramatic border crossing struggles and deep dives into the Niagara Falls attraction scene, this episode is...

Is it possible to take a backyard Nerf battle and scale it into a massive, highly profitable 15,000-square-foot Family Entertainment Center? In this episode of the FEC Masterminds Podcast, Clint and Eric sit down with Richard from Dart'em Up in Austin, Texas to pull back the curtain on running a wildly successful, highly unique indoor Nerf battle arena. With nearly a decade in business—navigat...

In this episode of The FEC Masterminds Podcast , we head to Longmont, Colorado, to sit down with Adam Schubert, the founder of Winner’s Circle. Adam shares his unique journey from a 21-year Air Force pilot career to becoming a first-time Family Entertainment Center owner. We dive into how he and his wife, Leslie, transformed a 28,000-square-foot facility into a multi-faceted destination featuring...

Welcome to Episode 5 of the FEC Masterminds Podcast! In this episode, Clint and Eric head down to the Kissimmee area of Orlando, Florida, to chat with Keith Smith from the Ice Factory. Keith shares his unique journey from being a 90s figure skater and DJ to running a massive 21,000-square-foot single-sheet ice facility. Unlike traditional rinks that focus heavily on competitive hockey, Keith treat...

🚜 EPISODE 4: Eddie Richardson (Arena 5/9) In Episode 4 of The FEC Masterminds Podcast, Clint and Erik are joined by Eddie Richardson from Arena 5/9 Family Fun Zone. Arena 5/9 is known for hands-on, tactical, and interactive attractions, and they are gearing up to launch something entirely unique: 5/9 Excaventures. This brand-new attraction is an indoor sand arena where kids operate heavy-duty RC...

In Episode 3 of The FEC Masterminds Podcast, Clint and Erik sit down with Chris Camp from Fun Fore All in Cranberry Township, PA. Fun Fore All is a massive indoor/outdoor facility, but today we are focusing on one of their biggest capital investments: Boutique Bowling. If you have ever considered adding bowling to your existing footprint, this is a masterclass in the operational realities. We dive...

In Episode 2 of The FEC Masterminds Podcast, Clint and Erik sit down with Brent from Funopolis Family Fun Center in Commerce, GA. Funopolis is a massive indoor and outdoor facility, but today, we are diving deep into their most successful seasonal pivot: their incredible Halloween event. We get into the operational weeds of what it takes to pull off a large-scale seasonal overlay. From the nightma...

Welcome to the very first episode of The FEC Masterminds Podcast! Before we start bringing in guests from across the country, your hosts Clint Novak (Owner of Planet Novak) and Eric Stottlemyer (Owner of Adventure Park USA) are taking the mic to share their own industry origin stories. This is a podcast built by operators, for operators. We believe in sharing real numbers, trading the blueprints t...

We are looking forward to sharing our first episode with you soon!