Featured Alumni Business: Gamesmith, LLC
Name Of Business:
Gamesmith, LLC
Tagline:
Doing good, one game at a time
Vision:
At Gamesmith, we are dedicated to the idea that games can not only enhance problem solving abilities but can also serve as a vehicle to bring people together. As a result, we are committed to publishing games which enable people to connect: with challenges, new situations, and each other.
Alumni Name and Contact Information:
Todd Silverstein, 650.533.2907; operations@thegamesmith.com
Located:
Salem, OR
Founder’s Past Life/Business:
I’ve bounced around a bit since graduating from Babson, but spent the majority of my time working in the government services sector prior to entering the games industry. The formula of: “good people/nice and competent co-workers, engaging work, bad life” eventually took its toll, and I transitioned into an MBA program in order to pursue a career which included “good life” in the mix. I entered Willamette’s Atkinson school of Business just over two years ago and expect to graduate this December.
How The Idea Began:
Everyone involved with Gamesmith loves games. We used to work so we could pay our bills and, in our spare time, play games with friends and family. So the idea of having our own game company has been with us for a long time. How it actually came about is a lengthier story than I can get into here, but it was essentially a story of right time, right place, right people. If you are realllllly interested in the details of how the company began though, please read the blog entry entitled “Primordial Soup” on our website.
Favorite Thing About The Business:
I get to play games and call it work.
Worst Thing About The Business:
It’s incredibly easy to lose myself in the work for days at a time and to stress about the tiniest of details. This is not the formula for a good or healthy life.