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Gamer Turns Hobby Into Business

Published July 23, 2019

Scott Harvarth of Manitowoc had a goal when he turned to Kickstarter in June 2018 to raise money for his business, Angry Games, Inc.

“Initially, my goal was $6,000, but my secret goal was to raise $10,000, maybe $12,000, to launch the book I was writing.  I wanted to do a small run; about half the books would go to those who pledged and the others would be sold,” Harvath explained.

After hitting the go button on Kickstarter, things went crazy.  Within the first few hours, the campaign had already topped $20,000 and it just kept going up.  By the end of the 30-day campaign, he had raised $90,000.  

In the process, he learned about community and how a strong group of followers can lead to success.

Harvath, who holds degrees in engineering and accounting, does not seem like a typical gamer.  About 30 years ago, he discovered role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. After getting his degree in 2012, he wore two hats – small business accountant by day and a dedicated gamer by night.  

He never planned to have his hobby become a business.

“I was actually opposed to doing it as a business,” he commented.  “No matter how much you enjoy something, when it becomes a business, there is a day it becomes work.  I didn’t want to turn a hobby into work.”

His hobby included a website that he started about 12 years ago.  The “Angry Man” blog, a name humorously chosen to mock some gamers who were known for their online rants, offered advice on how to master role-playing games.  As he blogged, gamers took note and the number of those following grew.

He said, “In 2014, I was suddenly contacted by a professional game designer who had worked on a number of the products I used.  They said they were starting a new product and wanted my help. I thought they had confused me with someone else.”

They assured him that they did want his opinion and that his name kept coming up as a person they should talk to.  Shortly after, he was contacted by another company and they asked if he wanted to attend a press party.

He recalled, “I said, ‘I don’t know who you think I am – I’m a small-time blogger.’ They said they knew exactly who I was.”

Without realizing it, his number of followers had grown into the tens of thousands.  Then came a turning point.

Harvath was encouraged to write a book that highlighted his gaming advice.  He had looked into crowdfunding and was planning a Kickstarter campaign when his employer said it would be a conflict of interest due to the accounting office selling financial products that were regulated.  He had a choice – quit his job or put his plans on hold.  

“I left the accounting job,” he said.

He was living on Long Island, New York at the time, and without that job, could barely survive.  He realized he needed to move to a place where he could support himself.

Harvath stated, “I went to fans and said I was going to shut down the website because I was going to need to work two jobs.  Hundreds of followers got back to me and said, ‘Why don’t you let us support you?’”

That led to an option for a subscription-based service, and the successful Kickstarter campaign.  He had relocated first to Chicago, and then, after meeting his girlfriend, to Manitowoc. In the process, the business has begun taking form, and he is writing and designing a new role-playing game that a larger company is interested in.  His business is a full-time job, 

“Ultimately, three years ago when I set out to do this, my goal was to publish a game like Dungeons and Dragons (he explained that this title includes an entire genre of games).  I knew this would have to be my end goal,” he noted. “One of the reasons I decided to do the book project was to learn everything I needed to know about publishing before creating the game.”

And, just like the surprise of finding himself as one of the best-known role-game bloggers in the country, he has also learned that turning a hobby into a business actually feels more like fun than work.

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and Past District Director for SCORE, Wisconsin.

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Green Bay Press-Gazette

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