Welcome to the Manaverse Podcast
The Manaverse Podcast is where we explore what it takes to build a successful friendly local game store! Since 2015, I’ve been interviewing a wide variety of game store owners and industry professionals doing some really interesting things in the world of trading cards, minis, games, and more.
If you want to learn how some of the best game retailers in North America have built their businesses and local communities up from the ground floor, you’ve come to the right place!
MVP078: The Death Of Magic Online
The 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 is "yes", the long answer is "it's...
MVP077: Are Your Building A Business Or Are You Building A Community
In 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 this one and take a potentially...
MVP076: Marketing Strategies That Drive Sales
Matthew 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...
MVP075: Starting A Movement
Do 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 returned from the front lines to share how they...
MVP074: When To Give Up And When To Push Through
Sometimes 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 the tough times in hopes that good times are on the...
MVP073: Round Table – The Rise Of D&D And The Impending Doom Of Magic
The 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 store despite being offered on...
MVP072: The Gamer’s Paradox And Dealing With Burnout
Everyone 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 owner must walk. So in this return episode of the...
MVP071: Round Table – Distribution… It’s Not Just The Games That Are Analog, It’s The Industry
John 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 have games to sell and the only...
MVP070: Round Table – MTG Arena And Counterfeit Games
The 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 on the industry. In...
MVP069: 3 Growth Hacks For Your Game Store That You Can Implement Today
Learn 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 customers want to bring their friends...