2025 Conference Details
September 15-17, 2025
The Westin Memphis Beale Street Hotel
Memphis, TN
Presentations
2025 Conference Presentations will be given by the Puzzol Creative ownership team:
Mallory Lynch
Puzzol Creative
Co-Founder & CPO
Keith Edwards
Puzzol Creative
Co-Founder & COO
Stephen Lynch
Puzzol Creative
Co-Founder & CTO
Stephen Lynch (Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer)
Tuesday, September 16th - 9:30AM
When we got into this business, there was no manual to follow. Just jump in, build a few rooms, open for business, and then make money, right?
As it turns out, there’s more to building a successful escape room company than that.
In this presentation, Stephen will introduce the dual-company model that is critical for long-term escape room growth and profitability
and will unpack how to implement it in your own business.
As it turns out, there’s more to building a successful escape room company than that.
In this presentation, Stephen will introduce the dual-company model that is critical for long-term escape room growth and profitability
and will unpack how to implement it in your own business.
Keith Edwards (Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer)
Tuesday, September 16th - 2:00PM
There is nothing quite like the experience of doing a bad escape room. It can leave you frustrated, angry, and questioning your love of the industry.
Keith believes that one of the main causes for this outcome is the lack of fun that was included in the design of the game.
In this presentation, he’ll talk about ways to keep customer enjoyment at the front of mind in the room writing process
to ensure that you’re creating experiences that customers love.
Keith believes that one of the main causes for this outcome is the lack of fun that was included in the design of the game.
In this presentation, he’ll talk about ways to keep customer enjoyment at the front of mind in the room writing process
to ensure that you’re creating experiences that customers love.
Mallory Lynch (Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & Chief People Officer)
Wednesday, September 17th - 9:30AM
Part-time staffing is a competitive world that seems to never end. It can feel like your team is a revolving door and you are always hiring to fill in gaps.
How can you compete with Target or McDonalds? The good news is the job you are offering is FUN and highly marketable.
In this presentation, Mallory will dive into the elements we’ve used over the past 10 years to create and market a culture
that people want to be a part of and see a development plan they can grow in.
How can you compete with Target or McDonalds? The good news is the job you are offering is FUN and highly marketable.
In this presentation, Mallory will dive into the elements we’ve used over the past 10 years to create and market a culture
that people want to be a part of and see a development plan they can grow in.
Puzzol Creative Lead Team
Wednesday, September 17th - 2:00PM
Join members of the Puzzol Lead Team as they discuss some of the most difficult and persistent challenges in the industry today.
In first half of this presentation, we will focus on issues we’ve identified through our experience with our own companies
as well as working with consulting clients. And in the second half, we will open the floor to the audience for questions and discussion.
In first half of this presentation, we will focus on issues we’ve identified through our experience with our own companies
as well as working with consulting clients. And in the second half, we will open the floor to the audience for questions and discussion.
Workshops
2025 Conference Workshops will be presented by members of the Puzzol Creative team:
Mallory Lynch
Puzzol Creative
Co-Founder & CPO
Keith Edwards
Puzzol Creative
Co-Founder & COO
Stephen Lynch
Puzzol Creative
Co-Founder & CTO
Heather Fjord
Puzzol Creative
Game Development Manager
Brianna Walsh
Puzzol Creative
Low Voltage Manager
Alexander Drown
Puzzol Creative
Digital & Special Effects Manager
Maddy Champman
Puzzol Creative
Operations Director
Bella Chapman
Puzzol Creative
Art Team Manager
Tuesday, September 16th:
11:00AM - Business Tools That Will Improve Your Decision Making And Profits
Stephen Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CTO
DESCRIPTION:
You can’t manage what you can’t measure. Knowing which metrics matter in your business and how to calculate them is the first step to making good decisions that will lead to profitability. In this returning workshop, you will learn how to use three custom-made analytical financial tools for evaluating your escape room business…and get to take them home with you.
11:00AM - How To Hire Game Masters That Will Work (And How To Fire When They Don’t)
Mallory Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CPO
DESCRIPTION:
Staffing can be difficult and takes up an enormous amount of time and energy. In this workshop we will look at how to create a system for finding candidates, interviewing, offering the job, and onboarding them in a way that works for you! We will also go over when and how to let an employee go vs. when more training may be needed. You’ll be more able to hire and fire with confidence after this session!
11:00AM - Design Harmony: Tailoring Digital Assets to Enhance Your Immersion Factor
Alexander Drown, Puzzol Creative Digital & Special Effects Manager
DESCRIPTION:
Nothing takes you out of the immersion of an escape room faster than opening a box and finding a piece of laminated paper. In this workshop, we’ll explore how thematic graphic design can elevate user experience and immersion using the right typography, color schemes, and print materials. You’ll also learn how to use layout and design to subtly include hints and instructions into your printed puzzles to reduce customer frustration and increase satisfaction.
11:00AM - Fixing A Subpar Product: How to Edit Your Games to Increase Enjoyment, Extend Lifespan, and Create Repeat Players
Heather Fjord, Puzzol Creative Game Development Manager
DESCRIPTION: Increase your player return rate by auditing your current games and including an editing step in your game writing process. In this workshop, you’ll learn tips and tricks for looking at your games with a critical eye and more importantly, how to fix the issues that are decreasing player satisfaction.
3:00PM - Tech Boot Camp 1: The Building Blocks of Escape Room Tech
Brianna Walsh, Puzzol Creative Low Voltage Manager
DESCRIPTION:
If you know nothing about escape room tech but want to become a master, this is the workshop for you. In this introduction to tech components, we will learn how about power supplies, wiring, input devices, controllers, and output devices that can be used to build your own escape room props.
3:00PM - Set Design 1: Using Paint, Color, and Texture To Build A Believable World
Bella Chapman, Puzzol Creative Art Manager
DESCRIPTION:
In this workshop, we will learn how to use color, texture, and design to enhance the environment, puzzles, and props in your rooms. You will have the opportunity to experiment hands-on with various painting methods.
3:00PM - Training Policies and Procedures for Creating Awesome Game Masters
Maddy Chapman, Puzzol Creative Operations Director
DESCRIPTION:
In this workshop, we will explore a range of training materials and strategies designed to ensure that both new hires and current employees are well-equipped to excel in their roles and drive the success of your business.
3:00PM - Exposing the Myths, Tricks, and Pitfalls of Social Media Marketing
Keith Edwards, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & COO
DESCRIPTION:
In this workshop, we’ll break through the fear of social media and help you confidently dive into it head first while providing criteria for what makes good and engaging content and outlining plans for growing your pages and your brand.
4:15PM - Tech Boot Camp 2: Using Tech Building Blocks to Build Incredible Props and Show Moments
Brianna Walsh, Puzzol Creative Low Voltage Manager
DESCRIPTION:
In this workshop, we will put together various tech components to create complex and sophisticated props. You will learn how to build your own relay-based control systems that will save you money and produce unique effects that will wow your customers.
4:15PM - Set Design 2: Using Resin, Plaster, and More to Build Stand-Out Props and Sets
Bella Chapman, Puzzol Creative Art Manager
DESCRIPTION:
In this workshop, we will discuss and demonstrate various techniques and processes to create more immersive props and set designs. You will learn how to use resin casting to create your own unique props, plaster to create realistic set design elements like a tree, and more!
4:15PM - From Clues to Dynamic Puzzles: Tools for Adapting Difficulty for the Masses
Heather Fjord, Puzzol Creative Game Development Manager
DESCRIPTION:
Even when your games are logical, not all groups will “get it”, and that’s okay! In this workshop, you’ll learn how to use your clue system and develop adaptive puzzles (without just throwing an extra lockbox in the room) to maintain clever, satisfying game play for both enthusiasts and newbies.
4:15PM - The Best Year Ever: Planning Out Your Annual Calendar to Maximize Every Moment
Keith Edwards, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & COO
Mallory Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CPO
Stephen Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CTO
DESCRIPTION:
Everyone gets the same 365 days each year, but how they choose to use them leads to dramatically different outcomes. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to maximize your calendar in strategic ways that will increase sales, productivity, and efficiency during the seasonality of the year.
Wednesday, September 18th:
11:00AM - From Pixels to Props: Using 3D Printing to Create and Upgrade Your Props
Alec Lazarini, Puzzol Creative Additive Design Manager
Alexander Drown, Puzzol Creative Digital & Special Effects Manager
DESCRIPTION:
Custom-made props can be expensive and fragile, and they can go out of stock at any time. Wouldn’t you rather have control over every element of your escape rooms? In this workshop you’ll learn techniques to create props that align with your escape room’s theme, enhancing both functionality and storytelling. You’ll learn the essentials of 3D modeling, how to prepare files for printing, and tips for selecting materials that are both durable and visually striking.
11:00AM - Creating Junkies: Building Products and Programs That Turn Customers Into Fanatics
Keith Edwards, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & COO
DESCRIPTION:
Creating repeat customers continues to be the name of the game, and in this workshop we’ll look at ways you can create customer loyalty programs that harness your customers’ excitement for your business to turn them into repeat players who cannot stop talking about your product.
11:00AM - Go For Launch: Know When To Start, When To Expand, and When To Buy Or Sell
Stephen Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CTO
DESCRIPTION:
Making the decision to start a business, open a new location, acquire a business, or to sell your own can be both exciting and terrifying. How do you know if you’re ready? In this workshop, we will learn how to assess these opportunities through multiple lenses, including startup capital, cash flow forecasting, operational readiness, human capital, and business valuations.
11:00AM - Escape Room CPR: Keeping Your Rooms Alive with Proper Maintenance
Madison Funk, Puzzol Creative / The Escape Room – Maintenance Manager
Brianna Walsh, Puzzol Creative Low Voltage Manager
DESCRIPTION:
Customers have a unique ability to discover how to break things in ways you could have never imagined. In this workshop, we will discuss different methods and systems that you can implement for preventative and proactive maintenance.
3:00PM - Room Writing Workshop 1: Developing the Storyline and Game Flow for an Unforgettable Adventure
Heather Fjord, Puzzol Creative Game Development Manager
Keith Edwards, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & COO
DESCRIPTION:
Join us in the writing room! We’ll go through the full process we use when we sit down to write a brand new escape room. This first section will focus on story, set and space specifications, and overall game flow.
3:00PM - Tech 201: Using Show Control To Create Magic With Your Escape Room Props
Stephen Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CTO
DESCRIPTION:
We believe the future of escape room tech is Show Control. In this workshop, you will learn how to transform your escape rooms from reliance on de-centralized prop controllers to an inexpensive, custom-built show control system that will take your rooms to the next level.
3:00PM - Benefits Unlocked: Introducing Health Care, 401k and Other Products Into Your Business
Mallory Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CPO
DESCRIPTION:
Did you know there are several benefits available to you as a small business owner that will create a staying culture? It’s true! And you can offer them at little to no cost to you. In this workshop, you will learn the ins and outs of offering a complete benefits package that will help your staff members stay longer and grow with your company as a career. We will cover health benefits, 401k options, life insurance, PTO, counseling, discounts, and more!
3:00PM - PuzzolCon Camp Presents PCC Escape Rooms!
The amazing young minds from PuzzolCon Camp will show off their new 10 minute escape room. If you want to see what the next generation of escape room developers have created, come play!
4:15PM - Room Writing Workshop 2: Puzzle Writing Brainstorming, Development, and Fine Tuning
Heather Fjord, Puzzol Creative Game Development Manager
Keith Edwards, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & COO
DESCRIPTION:
Join us in the writing room! In this second segment, we’ll pick up with the same theme and storyline from Workshop 1 and dive into the puzzle writing process. We’ll demonstrate how we develop and then workshop puzzles as a team to create innovative and fun puzzle moments.
4:15PM - Level Up: How To Identify And Train Staff Into Managers That Can Take Your Place
Mallory Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CPO
DESCRIPTION:
If you’re tired of being strapped to the business every time the doors are open and can’t seem to find anyone you can trust to take your place, this is for you. In this workshop, we will talk about identifying staff members that can grow, creating a job description and pay that’s attractive, implementing a training process that can elevate them, having tough learning conversations, and how to slowly hand over the reins to a manager you can trust. It’s time to invest in getting your free time back!
4:15PM - The Art of Atmosphere: Transforming Your Escape Rooms with Professional Lighting & Audio
Alexander Drown, Puzzol Creative Digital & Special Effects Manager
Brianna Walsh, Puzzol Creative Low Voltage Manager
Stephen Lynch, Puzzol Creative Co-Founder & CTO
DESCRIPTION:
Fluorescent lights don’t belong in a pirate ship! In this workshop, you’ll discover the ways to use lighting and audio to heighten immersion, evoke emotion, and guide players’ attention. You’ll learn how to design lighting schemes that match your narrative, layer sounds to create tension, and synchronize these elements to amplify your puzzles and story beats.
4:15PM - PuzzolCon Camp Presents PCC Escape Rooms!
Round 2 of the amazing young minds from PuzzolCon Camp showing off their new 10 minute escape room. If you want to see what the next generation of escape room developers have created, come play!