Q&A Interview with Russ Hapke from The Gaming Geeks

Share:

I recently caught up with Russ, who is the co-founder and co-owner of The Gaming Geeks. Last year, I teamed up with the craftsmen duo to recreate an artifact from my book series, The Chronicles of Avilésor.

I love collaborating with small businesses, especially since The Gaming Geeks are local. We’ve done several events together in northwest Indiana over the past couple of years… and will likely be vendors together for many more as we continue to grow as creative entrepreneurs!

In this interview, Russ shares insights into his business, the unique challenges that creative entrepreneurs face, the steps involved with our recent collaboration, and more. Check it out!

Tell us about your business and what you do.

---

As The Gaming Geeks, our mission is to create pieces that help set the mood. Whether it be in tabletop gaming pieces, or hand-sculpted containers, poster art, or what have you, our first thought is always, “What would we like to see in a game room?”

Pictured below: Dan (left) and Russ (right), the founders, owners, and craftsmen behind The Gaming Geeks

What inspired you to start a creative business?

---

How is being a creative entrepreneur different from other small business owners who resell products they didn’t make or design themselves?

---

Although we don’t begrudge someone who has found a niche reselling products, it’s just never been for us. We like the whole process, from the initial design… to figuring out how to make it a reality.

That being said, it’s a heck of a thing… putting yourself out there; putting your ideas out there and wondering if people will like what you’ve created. So far, we’ve been quite fortunate.

What unique challenges do you face as a creative entrepreneur?

---

The toughest bit to be sure: putting yourself out there – your work, your ideas, your labor. The next bit, for us at least, was to be able to create pieces with what we had on hand.

We didn’t start out with a large budget or backers. Not a lot of machinery bits or tools. We started small and continually re-invested (and still do) into our business.

Both of us are very creative, so coming up with ideas has never been that great of a challenge; rather how to bring those ideas to the table in a timely and professional manner that we could create again and again. We’re still learning, and to keep yourself in the mindset to continually learn would probably be the third bit.

Pictured below: Sara A. Noë (left) cosplaying as the protagonist from the Chronicles of Avilésor and Russ (right) in their booths at the 2023 Oktoberfest in Michigan City, IN

What steps did you take to recreate an artifact from the Chronicles of Avilésor book series?

---

1. We used Photoshop to create mock ups that replicated the author’s custom symbol on the front and the hand-carved names of the two characters on the back.
   
2. Once the 2D mock ups were approved after several back-and-forth drafts, Dan recreated the designs in a 3D modeling system. He experimented with different sizes, curvatures, widths, and line depths to achieve the ideal combination.
   
3. The masters were brought to life using a 3D printer. The first test masters had some undesirable lines cutting across them, but after readjusting the plates, we were able to produce viable masters.
   
4. We cast the molds using high-grade silicon. We followed the side seams with clay below, blocked the hole for the cord, and then poured the rubber.
   
5. After the molds had cured, we removed the clay on the back, applied a release agent, and poured the second half. Finally, we conditioned the mold and injected the resin with syringes to work out any air bubbles that might ruin the cast.
   
6. From there, we had molds that were ready for resin pours whenever the author was ready to order another batch! The resin we used had a natural heft and was able to imitate the look of ivory, which is what the original pendants were made of in the books.

What were the most satisfying and difficult parts of the collaboration?

---

How does it feel to bring fictional elements to life in a tangible form?

---

In a word… satisfying. And then you move on… and then, when you’ve brought numerous works from ideas to tangible form, a different sense of satisfaction comes over you.

What advice do you have for other creatives who are interested in turning their passion into a business?

---

Start… get frustrated… breathe… and learn.

Don’t stretch yourself too thin to begin. Start small and work up if you’ve not run a business before now. Try different things. Don’t be afraid to fuck up, and you will. And once you’ve done that, get over it and try again.

Additional links & articles

---

Did you enjoy this Q&A? Read more:

• Visit The Gaming Geeks website. You can also follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
  
• Check out this earlier post I wrote that explores the Amínyte pendant collaboration in greater detail.
  
• Watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video about the phases of the collaboration from ideation to completion. (This video is reserved for my Level 2 and 3 Patreon subscribers, but if you aren’t a patron, you can sign up for a FREE seven-day trial.)
  
• Purchase a Kit and/or Rayven Amínyte pendant from my website.
  
• Read a similar Q&A-style interview with Harmony Todd, the founder and candlesmith behind Old Soul Artisan.
  
• Read about my collaboration with Harmony to create a unique candle fragrance inspired by the Chronicles of Avilésor. (Note: the candle was originally named “Avilésor” when it launched in 2020, but it was rebranded to “Ghost Realm” in early 2022.)