Today we’d like to introduce you to Myles Nye.
Hi Myles, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
We started the company because of our expertise in game design: setting up playful experiences where meaningful connections happen, sparking joy and gratitude. In time, we became experts in event planning. Since founding the company in 2009, we’ve run hundreds of games for thousands of clients who love the intelligent fun we provide in California and beyond.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Since COVID-19 I’ve used the phrase “It’s been a time” a lot because it’s more polite than some of the things I wish I could say. Our slogan for years was “Games without screens” and then we started running team-building games on Zoom. And you know what? We had a fun time doing it. I always left those games with a spring in my step: our remote games are energizing Zooms, as opposed to so many that are energy-sapping.
We continue to run virtual games and we probably always will but our core competency is getting people together in person, whether that’s in a park, on the beach, or simply in some green space near the company HQ – or an indoor get-together, for a quick ice breaker in a conference room, or a wild happy hour competition that gets everyone roaring with excitement.
The struggles continue: we’ve never had so many events rescheduled or postponed as they have since this pandemic began. But we understand that, when you’re playing a game or running an event, the unexpected can happen and you have to be flexible. It has, as I say, been a time.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We’re best known for the corporate events we plan. People hire us when a two-day retreat is happening, a weeklong conference, or a quarterly happy hour. We deliver games that make events more awesome. Our games are suitable for all types of bodies, so professionals can rest easy that they won’t be put in a situation where they’re forced to be athletic, though being comfortable in your body may help for some of the games.
But we are also purveyors of jelly bean taste-test puzzles, lateral-thinking rock-and-roll music quiz crafters, escape room designers, trivia wizards, and ringmasters of foolishness. We’re most proud of our special Halloween offering “The Heritage Scare,” an interactive haunted-house-themed games festival we ran in LA’s Historic Downtown West Adams District in 2016 and 2017, and what sets us apart from others is that we also contribute challenges to CBS’s hit reality series “Survivor.”
Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
Books by Bernie DeKoven are great for those who love to look at the deeper meanings in games and recently I’ve been enjoying “Linchpin” by Seth Godin. The Applied Improv Network and Thiagi’s monthly games letters are resources I quite appreciate, and the Reality Escape Podcast and Morty app are required for fans of escape rooms.
Contact Info:
- Website: wiseguys.events
- Instagram: @wiseguysevents
- Facebook: @wiseguysevents
- Twitter: @wiseguysgames
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8PreERlNo3WbZFydr1gmGQ
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wise-guys-events-los-angeles?osq=wise+guys+events
