Local Threads

This episode was the first recording session of 2026 in the bitter cold of January. Got to appreciate a Massachusetts native to not give af about the weather to get things done. Speaking of getting things done, Josh Vicente does just that. Josh is a maker of all things cool and most people aren’t aware of the folks that make the cool shit behind the scenes.  The rad rocket that holds a bottle service waitress, the Patriots tv sets, or the cool clubs around the world, Josh and his company We Create Cool Things is doing that right here in Massachusetts. In addition to WeCreateCoolThings.com Josh has also started a company called Modern Meeple, a board game accessory company. Modern Meeple solves problems for gamers with solutions like the Gamey Susan which stores all your board game pieces in an easily sortable, accessible, and functional spinning tray. I picked one up and love it, makes for a smoother game play experience. Since we spoke Josh launched the Every Day Gaming bag on  backerkit asking for 15k in funding and raised nearly 200k and backed by nearly one thousand gaming enthusiasts. The bag built for Everyday Gaming. It holds small box games, TCG decks, dice, and daily essentials. It is compact but spacious, organized and vibrant (on the inside), durable, and ready to bring your games on the go. You may ask yourself how does one go from DJing to making EDG bags? That’s where Local Threads comes in, we get into the journey that is of the guy who creates cool things. Thanks again Josh for being on the pod. Reach out below if you would like to work with Josh or buy some gaming accessories. 

Where to find ----
https://www.instagram.com/modernmeeple/
https://www.instagram.com/wecreatecoolthings/
https://wecreatecoolthings.com/
https://www.modernmeeple.com/
https://www.backerkit.com/c/projects/modern-meeple/edg7-every-day-gaming-bag

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Local Threads is produced, edited, and hosted by Molly Rae
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Music by: Moby Gratis

Creators and Guests

Host
Molly Rae

What is Local Threads?

Local Threads is a storytelling podcast documenting the voices of New England's creative community. Artists, organizers, and culture makers who shape spaces, movements, and shared experiences.

molly:

Welcome to this week's episode of Local Threads. This week, I'm sitting down with Josh Vincente, founder of two companies. One, We Create Cool Things, and two, Modern Meatball. We Create Cool Things makes anything you can imagine that isn't available to the public. You've probably seen his work without even knowing it from nightclubs to Patriot TV sets.

molly:

Modern Meeple creates gaming accessories from tabletop game gear to everyday gaming bags reach recently launched on BakkerKit. Also, stay tuned to the end of the episode for a quick update on how that went. Naturally, one doesn't stumble upon this work. So let's get into the story of how Josh got into it. Stay tuned again for the update at the end of the episode.

molly:

You're Massachusetts, born

Josh:

and raised. Massachusetts. Yeah. Born and raised. Yeah.

molly:

Cool. How did you get into making things? Like, as a kid, were you really curious about making stuff?

Josh:

Yeah. I've, you know, I've always liked to work with my hands. I can tell you I where I am now, it wasn't where I expected to be.

molly:

Where'd you expect to be?

Josh:

I don't know. Honestly, like, not alive right at this point in my life.

molly:

You know? Wait. Wait. How old are you?

Josh:

I'll be 45 this year.

molly:

So, yeah, we're the same, like, generation, so I get it.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

Play hard early.

Josh:

Yeah. For sure. I I'm trying I mean, it's a long story. I so I was a DJ. Okay.

Josh:

I DJed all over the world.

molly:

What kind of music?

Josh:

I actually so I played everything. My my whole shtick was I would say music is my genre because I just played anything. Like, I I would do I do these Jamaican joyride cruises. I'd I'd do eighties parties. I'd, you know, house music, hip hop.

Josh:

I used to do the source in Worcester and do hip hop and reggae stuff in there. So I was all over the place. The only thing I didn't play was, like, rock and country stuff.

molly:

Yeah. Fair.

Josh:

Yeah. But

molly:

It's not gonna get the party going. Yeah. Yeah. Not the way you want it to. So,

Josh:

mean, I I did concerts. I, you know, I DJed for, like, Busta Rhymes and Ja Rule and all kinds of stuff.

molly:

So What?

Josh:

Yeah. Was So

molly:

this you're I'm so glad I didn't get, like, too much information when we talked before because this is, like, a genuine, like, I'm surprised. Is it you know, like, wasn't expecting I mean, you know, creative people have all these layers. Yeah. But, like, we skipped some steps, I think, here. So so you got into DJing.

molly:

Was that, like, the first thing you did?

Josh:

Yeah. So I remember in high school, like, I I'm not a dancer. I I was, like, a wallflower, but I vividly remember in just before high school going to, like, a seventh or eighth grade dance and, like, leaning against the wall. And I remember, like, looking up at the DJ and was like, man, this guy's controlling this whole all these kids dancing like he's it. And I wanted to I was like, I wanna do that.

Josh:

Yeah. You know? And I, you know, I would listen to BC boys and stuff and, you know, all the scratching, and I didn't understand how it was I used to take, like, tapes apart, like, and move them across the head. Like, I would take apart the Walkman, and I thought that's how they would make that sound.

molly:

I know that was always like a mystery to me too as a kid, but I mean, I didn't ever get that too far into it, but I was just like, I

Josh:

wonder how they do that. Yeah. So I didn't know, and then I remember, like, walking into a music store, and there was a turntable there, and I was like, oh, man. So I, you know, I bought this turntable, and it didn't work, but I didn't know you had to, like, had to go in a preamp and all this stuff. So I'm just, like, learning as I go, and I just would buy equipment.

Josh:

And then I started in high school. They had like a graphics department, and a friend of mine would draw up these fly I'd rent out like a post, a veterans post Mhmm. And throw parties in there. So a friend and I would drop the flyer. We'd give it to the art department.

Josh:

They would print me up flyers for free because they're teaching the kids how to print stuff, and I would just pass them out in the school and then throw I'd have, like, my friends be the bouncers or whatever. It was just ridiculous. Yeah. Now I think of it now. I'm like, this

molly:

is

Josh:

crazy.

molly:

And it's so good that there weren't cell phones back then. You know? Like Yeah. It's just one of those times where, like and I feel like I guess people will relate, but there's, like, younger people listen to podcasts. Like, y'all missed out and I'm sorry, but also it's okay to miss things.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

I feel like we need to get into that more. Like, you don't gotta be at everything and also if you weren't there, you don't need to know.

Josh:

Yeah. There was no FOMO, I guess, because Yeah. And and I I feel like Relationships were stronger because

molly:

yes,

Josh:

that's that's how you you had to talk to people you communicate you had to you know now like printing up a flyer doesn't exist You know yeah, you'd send out a message or text or whatever But yeah. So I just started doing that, and then I, you know, I was 16 years old DJing in clubs, and and I was hanging out with, like, Roy Barbosa and the ninety four five Jim and ninety four five crew, and, like, I remember, like, I couldn't leave the booth because I wasn't old enough to even be in the clubs that I'm, like, DJing for all these people, which is wild. And I just I don't know. I I don't know how I I just then I did a concert for Bust of Rhymes, and I did a few for Ja Rule, and, you know, it just snowballed from there.

molly:

That's crazy.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

What made you stop? I think, you

Josh:

know, you get to an age where it's like, like, you know, I don't want to be this, you know, 40 year old guy DJing for a bunch of teenagers. You

molly:

know? That's true.

Josh:

But then I end I ended up making so what happened was I used to make mix CDs, and I used to make clothes. Which I should I I wonder if I still have some, but I used to make clothes for these these girls that would sell my CDs. Put my logo and make these dresses, and I used to have,

molly:

like Mhmm.

Josh:

You know, I have my logo, and, you know, I have, like, it's like, I love his guts and, like, it was just, like, this fun stuff, you know, I used to make. And I was at a club, and they were asking me how they could make the night, like, better or more visible. And I had this machine that would cut all vinyl, and I said, you know, why don't you put the you can put the logo on the windows, like, really big. And they're like, how do you do that? I was like, oh, I have a machine.

Josh:

I could print the vinyl. So I started doing that for them, and they would pay me an astronomical amount of money, like, more than I was making for DJing, and it took me a half an hour to do it. Yeah. And I was doing that twice a week, and then they were complaining about like this AV guy putting like TVs in the cabanas, and I was like, oh, I can do that because I used to make Like you ever seen like the Oscar Mayer Wiener mobile? Yes.

Josh:

I used to make stuff like that I worked for a company that did that so I was putting TVs in like cars Before I stuck them on the wall. Yeah, and I so I I did that. I was like, I'll put the TV up. So I put the TV up, and then that's what started this innovative business. I was like, oh, man.

Josh:

I can do this on the side. Yeah. As I was DJing, I also worked for a company, like an engineering company. And during I think it was, like, 06/00/2008 when, like, the, you know, the recession happened. No one's making money.

Josh:

So they didn't wanna lay anybody off, but I was like, I'm DJing. I don't have any kids. I can you can lay me off, and I can do this. But, you know, it was two weeks turned into months, and so then I was like, I need to do something else. So I started this company, and it just snowballed.

Josh:

That club that I was DJing at told he the guy who owned it was opening a restaurant, and he's like, so give me a quote for how to do this. And I remember my girlfriend at the time knew how to use Excel. I didn't have a clue, so she we were in my bedroom, like, making up a quote. Mhmm. And it was, like, $96,000 or something.

Josh:

Yeah. And I remember I gave the guy a quote. He wrote me a check for $96, and I was like, here we go. Yeah. And I I bought a van, and I just started, and then and I'm still doing it.

molly:

So you did have a studio in Boston, you said, but you got, like, priced out

Josh:

as one of I lived in Boston, but my my shop I had was in Millbury. Okay. So it was an, you know, an hour. I'm driving an hour. But then where I was living in Boston, they were selling the guy who owned it was old, and he died, and then his kids didn't

molly:

really wanted

Josh:

to just offload it, which they should've waited because they would've got way more. Yeah. And so I couldn't live there anymore, so I was like, I have to buy something. Mhmm. I can't.

Josh:

So I where I am now, the house I am now, there's a I have a 3,000 square foot shop that was on the property, you know.

molly:

I feel like we're glazing over DJ stuff too

Josh:

fast. Yeah.

molly:

So who was like your favorite musician to work with? I guess more most memorable. Could be good or bad, I guess.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I don't know because I didn't I didn't really work with anybody super long term.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

But definitely, some of them I was sort of more surprised of, like like, I thought Buster Rhymes would have been more down to earth, but he was sort of, you know Get out of my way. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Which, like, I understand yeah.

Josh:

I mean, I get it because I Yeah. Like, I'm not even like, nobody knows who I am, but I you know, when I was DJing, like, after I would do my set, like, I'll never forget I was I was trying to get out of, like, the crowd. So, like, I went up in the stands to watch, like, the rest of the show, and some girl saw me and started screaming. And then everyone Oh, no. Was like, oh, there he is.

Josh:

And then, you know, and then now you're, like, signing stuff.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

And it and I understand, like, how celebrity like, it can get to your head because you're just you you make you're, like

molly:

Gassed up too much.

Josh:

Yeah. And I yeah. And I I remember it. And then there was, a security guard there, and then he sorted all out. I remember I looked at him.

Josh:

I was like, I gotta go to work tomorrow morning. You know? And he's like, what do you mean? You know? And I was like, I have a full time job.

Josh:

Yeah. And I was just, I guess, me talking out loud, like, saying, like, these Yeah. People think Yeah. Like, I'm this big thing and I'm really not, like, you know, I'm doing this stuff and, you know, I'm with all these celebrities.

molly:

But To be fair though, your talent got you there.

Josh:

And For sure.

molly:

And also, we're all human. You know? Is better than anybody else, but I hate that stigma of, like, the craze of, like, celebrity culture. But what was your DJ name?

Josh:

It so it was Mystery. It was m r dash r e a. Because in high school, they you know, I was with, like, a crew of people that was in music, and they would call me Reason, and then it was just short for, like, you know, like, like, mister Jones or whatever, but it was Mystery, and that just stuck, and I just No.

molly:

I liked that. Yeah. That's dope. Yeah, actually.

Josh:

Yeah, so I you know I put out mixed CDs and tapes and had a website and sold clothes I used to have a studio and I produced stuff for artists which Man, I wish I still had that computer without music on it to remember but you know I would You know people would hire me to like you know produce their stuff and you know do their scratches and cuts on it or whatever I don't have any of that I don't even know where that would be but I have like some CDs laying around somewhere that I used to would sell for

molly:

I'll buy one of the

Josh:

books, actually. Mean, I have stacks, so, I mean, these are years old. You could have them.

molly:

Yeah. But, like, I just bought a CD burner because I've I've had my friends mail me all their CDs because I'm just, like, trying to get off renting music.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah.

molly:

Like, what do you mean I'm fucking renting music?

Josh:

Yeah. That's how it is nowadays. Yeah. No one owns anything anymore.

molly:

Yeah. So I'm trying to get back to that. So and paying for albums that I want instead of just, like I still have, like, the Apple Music or whatever, but it's really just for discovery. Okay. I'm I'm gonna go buy that somewhere, like, either on Bandcamp or a physical disc.

molly:

Like, cover art is so great.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

So that's that's crazy. Yeah. The lives we live, you know, like

Josh:

Yeah. And then I got into, like, with this company, I still I don't know if you've ever if you remember, like, Ocean Club and stuff in Quincy.

molly:

I'm not from here,

Josh:

so Okay. So but I I got into like, I would get like, I would build the I was building clubs. Like, I built clubs in the city. I needed all the lighting and the speakers and all that stuff, and I would manage the artists. So, like, when the artists come, I would get their riders, and I would make sure, like, you know, they got whatever they needed, and I would do all the lighting and stuff, like, while the show was going on, make sure all the stuff works.

Josh:

So, like, I've got oh But yeah, that's so I worked with I mean I've and I've got video used to video everything I used to have another company called Venue Monsters and we used to go in and like film stuff and pass out stickers and all kinds of Yeah, it was it was weird. What's your sign? Aries.

molly:

Okay. What day?

Josh:

The eighteenth. April 18.

molly:

Yeah. Metrax.

Josh:

Yeah. So

molly:

My husband's at Aries. I was like, you're either a Sagittarius or Aries or a Gemini. One of those.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

First of all, you made, like, a rocket ship?

Josh:

Oh, yeah. I made so that was for a club. They so what clubs do I haven't built one for a club in a while, but when people order bottle service Mhmm. You know, it's it's like they want it to be an event. Yeah.

Josh:

So I built a

molly:

rock more buck better be for a thousand dollar bottle of Blue Sky.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I built, like, it was it was called the bottle rocket. Yeah.

Josh:

And a a bottle girl would sit on it, and then, like, the bouncer guys would carry it like a coffin, but they'd carry it on their shoulders. Yeah. And it, you know, it lit up and flashlights, and then they would that's how the bottle would get delivered to the table.

molly:

What's the weirdest thing that you've made?

Josh:

I mean, I I haven't made anything, like, weird.

molly:

Okay. Well, like, I guess, coolest then. I always go to weird.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

Is that weird?

Josh:

But I mean, I built, like, I built probably four studios for the Patriots, like,

molly:

full on. I saw those. Yeah. Those were great.

Josh:

And I built a

molly:

Don't judge my studio.

Josh:

No. Yeah. Hey. Hey. This you know, they got money.

molly:

You know? So

Josh:

I built a caricature of Steve Aoki, like a

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

Head of his that they carry around.

molly:

And then did his team hire you for that? Or

Josh:

No. It's an it's usually never the usually, the it's never direct. There's usually, like, a marketing company

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

That hires you. The Patriots is direct, but they, you know, they don't really know what they're doing. So they're like, we need

molly:

Oh, cut

Josh:

that this. Well, they I mean, they they just they know how to film what they're filming, but they don't know design? Yeah. Well, because people know how stuff's built. They're just like, we need three different sections.

Josh:

We want we want to shoot like this, shoot like this, shoot like this, design of something.

molly:

And then

Josh:

you just and then they're like, this looks great, you build it.

molly:

Man, I should have asked you for some tips.

Josh:

But, yeah, I mean, I've built all kinds of weird I wouldn't say weird, but just different Yeah. Things, you know, that people I mean, I built a chandelier out of jeans for

molly:

jeans store. Do you have a picture of that?

Josh:

I do. Yeah. Yeah. You got pictures.

molly:

Yeah. Because I'm really curious. And and are your customers, Massachusetts or are they all over?

Josh:

They're usually Massachusetts, but I've built I've built a club in a restaurant in the Cayman Islands. I've done a store in The Caymans. Yeah. I've done I've done stuff, like, for the this is for the Patriots, but, like, in Minnesota, I've done like, I built a set for them in Minnesota.

molly:

Are you hiring?

Josh:

Yeah. I it it's a lot of people ask that. I I remember I years ago, I ran an ad. I made, like, a video just, like, showing a bunch of stuff that I built, and I ran an ad on Instagram, like, thinking I would get more work. And all I got was like, are you hiring?

molly:

Can I

Josh:

work for you? You know, it didn't go as I wanted to, but it's tough because it's such an up and down business Yeah. That it's tough to stay steady. Like, you know, I can build a job and make a good amount of money, and I can live off of that for a few months. So I'm not, like but if I had a team of people I had to pay and worry about, it'd be a lot different, a lot more stressful.

molly:

And it's a lot easier working by yourself too.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. And I've just like, the way I build stuff now is I design it so I can put it together, take it apart by myself, you know, for the most part. So I just

molly:

that's how Did you go to school for, like, design or anything? Or just

Josh:

I went to high school, and that's it. Yeah. And I just for it. Yeah. I think when I was doing the clubs and restaurants, it was all, like, lighting and sound, and it it it sort of got, you know, cameras and TVs, and it was sort of boring.

Josh:

It was like, you know, I'd run the wires and I'd hook the wires up, and there was no, like, thought to it really. And then I don't know if you know Tanya Nayak. She does, like, the great Christmas light fight and restaurant impossible. I did a lot of work for her husband who owns a lot of restaurants that I that I built, and I just was sort of planting the seed. Was like, hey.

Josh:

I can build this. I could build that. So then I just, you know, I got hired to build something small and then bigger, then I would just keep, like, bugging people. And then Yeah. Before you know it, I'm on Restaurant Impossible billing stuff.

Josh:

That's so cool. Yeah. You know?

molly:

So You're so humble. You're like, oh, well, you know, I just make cool shit

Josh:

out of

molly:

woods or whatever at my shop.

Josh:

Yeah. I mean, I've done a lot of cool stuff for a lot of but I you know, I'm not like you know, I'm not on TV. Like, I don't have a show and I'm not you know? So I don't feel like I'm really I mean, I guess I'm

molly:

just a normal person. The people behind the scenes never get any credit.

Josh:

For sure.

molly:

This is where That's This is where you get to to brag.

Josh:

That's how it works. Because, yeah, you built like, would build something and then, you know, the stars of the show would, put the last nail in, you know. Yeah.

molly:

I'm I'm the one

Josh:

who built that whole thing, but nobody knows that. Yeah. You know? So it it is true.

molly:

Do you get any credits on the end?

Josh:

I don't even think you get credits. Yeah. I think, you know, I just sign a

molly:

With the set designer and

Josh:

they get credit? Yeah. They're just, you know, I I maybe. But Yeah. Even, you know, like, who who watch looks at the credits?

Josh:

You know?

molly:

Only the people in it.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I was in it. I still didn't look. So because I just know you know, I thought that maybe it would give me other opportunities, but I don't think it really does because the way that shot people don't

molly:

Yeah. There's no branding.

Josh:

There's no branding. Nobody knows, you know.

molly:

So I mean, you're in the the people who need to know know. Yeah. I guess, like the the set designers and stuff. Have you worked on any movies at all?

Josh:

I haven't done a movie. I just did a commercial for Home Depot. That was also Minnesota, but I haven't done any movies. I'd I'd love to do like be on a movie set and do like, you know, be in the art department and make Yeah. Stuff, but I haven't I've never really ventured out into that yet everything I've done has been For commercial companies and one off stuff you know one shoot things or props or whatever, but Yeah, I mean if anybody needs any movie stuff done on them.

Josh:

Yeah. I'll make you whatever.

molly:

Check out the show notes.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah.

molly:

It's still crazy to me that you just like got into this the way you did because don't you have like a CNC machine? Yeah. And that's not like you don't just read the manual.

Josh:

Yeah. So You learn that. Well, so what's funny is I used to work for a kitchen company Mhmm. And I ran their CNC. Oh.

Josh:

I didn't do that for years. And then I was sort of afraid to get back into it because, like, someone else would draw it. I would just run the program and cut out whatever they programmed. So, like, I knew that there was some programming aspect that I could do, so I was sort of afraid to do that. And it's it's a big investment.

Josh:

Yeah. But the first machine I bought, you have to you buy the parts and you have to build it. So I went that route because I was I figured if I'm building this thing, if it breaks, I can fix it. Yeah. When I worked for that kitchen company, they would fly some guy from Germany to come.

Josh:

Yeah. And I was like, I you know, it was I remember it was just it was an astronomical amount of money. So I did that first, and it worked out great. Then when I started my board game business that got busy, and then that machine wasn't fast enough so I Spent a ridiculous amount of money on a big fast one that was like you they just drop it off in you know I hook up the power and yeah So this new machine I have is just rips through material

molly:

so you have more than one CNC machine

Josh:

Yes, and I have I also have like a what's called a c o two laser That's basically the same thing as a CNC machine doesn't have spinning, like, what's called a spindle on it, but it has a laser that Yeah. That which is how I did that chandelier, that jean one. I use I cut all the material with the laser.

molly:

So does it, like, burn burn the edges a little, or is it pretty clean?

Josh:

It's it's really clean. It's just it's all your feeds and speeds and power Yeah. Depends. You don't want it to burn, so you gotta you you basically want it to move fast enough and have enough power that it just cuts it. If you're burning edges, and you're you're going too slow or the power's too high, so you you have dial that in.

molly:

Yeah. And how long did you work at that kitchen place?

Josh:

Jeez. I don't know. I was probably, I don't know, five or six years.

molly:

But still, you were running the machine. You weren't you weren't doing design. You weren't doing programming.

Josh:

So to

molly:

go from that to, like I don't think people need to underline, highlight, put this in all caps. That's not easy to do.

Josh:

Just kinda wanna do I'm a Yeah. Yeah. I like I don't wanna like, I started off as a sander. Yeah. Like sanding counter like, just going, I guess, all, like, sanding countertops.

Josh:

Yeah. But I I'm not, like, a good enough is kind of

molly:

person. Same.

Josh:

So, yeah, I'm just like, oh, what is this? How do I learn? And I know, you wanna make more money, do cooler stuff, and that's how I got So I ran the CNC for probably only a couple years. Yeah. Oh, not the whole time, but but I was also in high school.

Josh:

Like, I would leave school, and then I'd I'd work there after high school. Yeah. And then once I I don't even think I worked there when I got out of high school. I can't remember. I'm too old now.

molly:

I'm around the same age. Yeah. We're not we're so young right now.

Josh:

It's doesn't

molly:

seem like it, but Now, so your board game company, is it still is it under the same name or is it another name?

Josh:

It's called Modern Meeple.

molly:

Modern Meeple?

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

Okay. And you make trays?

Josh:

Yeah. I make, like I invented this, like, organization system that there are it's basically hex trays that they all and they sit on, a spinning base. It doesn't have to live in there, but that's the main, like, design of it. You know, I make a bigger and larger one, but it's designed to, like, go in the center of the table. Mhmm.

Josh:

You put all the resources resources in it, which a lot of games have like

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

You know, different items.

molly:

Yeah,

Josh:

whatever. And it spins, so like you can grab your pieces over there. I can grab mine instead of what happens usually is people are standing up, grabbing, or you have a resource banker that

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

Hands you the stuff, you know.

molly:

I need to order one because I'm in a big board game house.

Josh:

I'm gonna send you some. I can I'll send you I got thousands of them.

molly:

Because yeah. They those that that would be because you have that shit all over the table Yes. And you're just trying to have fun. It's so messy. I can't

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

You're trying to learn the rules. What's this thing? It's like having it organized. Yeah. Great.

molly:

It's so when did you get the idea for that? Do you play board games?

Josh:

I do now. Oh. I yeah. I didn't I didn't know so it's funny, like, the kitchen company I used to work for, my buddy Leland, I've been friends with him for years, and, you know, we hang out here and there. And he was like, I have a board game group.

Josh:

You should come over and play some games. I think you'd like it. So mind you, I've known this man for twenty five years, and he's never mentioned board games.

molly:

Didn't want to tell you.

Josh:

He was waiting for

molly:

the right time?

Josh:

Yeah. Yes. Yeah. He was he was gatekeeping. Yeah.

Josh:

So he brought a game over just to like get me to introduce me to, like, board games, and it took, like, ten hours to play this game. It was it it was too much too

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

Soon. So I my friends didn't like it, but I under like, I appreciated to me, I was like, how did somebody think of all these, rules and if you do this, it does that and Yeah. You know, I I I appreciate that. So they do a thing called LEOCON, which it's in Leominster and, you know, they put those like a convention in Leominster together.

molly:

Wait. Mass? Pennsylvania?

Josh:

No. It's not.

molly:

Because there's one in Pennsylvania too, right, that's like a board game convention. It's like Oh, there's

Josh:

pass unplugged. Yeah. Yeah. I was there. I was there.

Josh:

I've I've been doing that one for a few years. This is just a friends thing. Okay. And so there's like, I don't know, 15 of us that play. So I've never again, I didn't know what board games were.

Josh:

Yeah. I knew Monopoly and whatever, but I didn't know, like, how crazy it

molly:

gets. Yeah.

Josh:

So I walked in Richard's house, and he has, like, a split ranch, and all his stuff's downstairs. And I walked down the stairs, and I was just like,

molly:

what? I

Josh:

mean, he's got that there's games everywhere.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

Calyxes that wrap the wall. He's got figures and all kinds of stuff. And then I played Quacks of Quedlingburg. I don't if you've ever played

molly:

No. What the hell is that?

Josh:

So that's like

molly:

a thought I knew all about

Josh:

board So you're like witches, you're you're making potions, and you're collecting you have like a pot in front of you. Everyone has like their own own board in front of them, and it's it's just like a big pot that spirals, and You're getting points, you're buying ingredients.

molly:

Yeah, so

Josh:

there's and they're all the colors of the rainbow. Mhmm. And you put these in your bag, and you're blind taking them out, and there's white ones So you're putting them in, and you're trying to you're trying to make the spiral as long as you can.

molly:

I wanna get this game.

Josh:

Yeah. It's a great gateway game. It's easy to teach. It's just risk reward. You're just pulling out of the bay, and you're just you can pull as many as you want, but as soon as you get two white ones, your cauldron boils over, then you get no points So for that that's what it is.

Josh:

Now there's like I said, there's ingredients. There's red, yellow, orange, all the colors of the rainbow ingredients, and there's a little card, and they all do something different. So the red one maybe lets you skip a space. Yeah. The black one says, like, if you have a blue and green behind it, you know, you get two extra points.

Josh:

So they all do something different. And I was playing that game with them and they were all over the table and somebody's, like, taking their phone and taking pictures of the thing. Some what's this do? Can you pass me that? And I was like, I don't you guys have something that, like, spins and we can just grab this stuff?

Josh:

Because I just want to play the game.

molly:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Josh:

And they were like, no. You should make something. And that that's that's how I came up with the Gamey Susan, and it just just shoot from there, like, took off. And That's awesome. Yeah.

Josh:

That's how I

molly:

Is it patented?

Josh:

It's designed it has a it's not utility because the hexes are already but the design of it Mhmm. Is, but people still copy.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

And it's just, you know, the three d print world. They just don't care. They'll they copy everybody's.

molly:

And yours is wood?

Josh:

Yeah, mine's wood. It's not three. It's all machined. You know, we're the only ones that have this material, so like, you know, at the end of the day, like, it's, know, if you want plastic stuff, like, just a different yeah. You know, my it's more luxury.

Josh:

Yeah. So it is what it is. But, you know, we do that, and I have other stuff, dice rollers, and I have a bag that I'm coming out with.

molly:

Oh, let's see it. You have it? I wanna see. This is the bag. Sorry, audio listeners.

molly:

Oh, that's cool.

Josh:

Yeah. So it holds a playmat. You can put a water bottle in here. It's designed for, like, smaller games. I like Japanese, like games, and they all they make them all small and they use every inch of the box and whatever.

Josh:

Oh, interesting. That's what it's for. Know, you can hold whatever. You know, I got little games in here from like Galen's games. I've got Oink makes small games.

Josh:

And it's cool. It's yeah, it's a great bag. It's waterproof. All the zippers are waterproof. You know, I got like Button Shy.

Josh:

They make these little wallet games if you know Button Shy. No. But that's what this is designed for. There's a lot of companies that make

molly:

It's for magic. Magic.

Josh:

You could do yeah, magic. Boxes that fit here. Yeah, magic. You can you know this extends so you could roll up a hoodie in here if you get hot and cinch it down There's a lot of different. This is like This is magnet so you don't have to go put this over your shoulder every time.

Josh:

You can just pull this, and this magnets back on. So you don't have to always go like this. You just pull

molly:

outsource this?

Josh:

Yeah. So this everything I do everything I have now, I make it at my shop. Mhmm. This, I didn't make. I had a gentleman in The Philippines made me about 30 of these.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

So he he depending on how well these do, he's like, I can make you

molly:

small batches.

Josh:

Yeah. He's like, but I can't do thousands of.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

So I'm gonna have to figure out. I'm gonna have to go to China or something or Philippines or I'm trying to talk with him. I'd like to keep it with with him.

molly:

Yeah. You

Josh:

know? But he's like, I've tried to hire people, but you're not gonna get the quality if I don't do it. So Yeah. It's one of those that's what I'm trying to figure out now, but it depends on the demand. Mhmm.

Josh:

So I'm gonna do like a a crowdfunding campaign for it, and how many people order is gonna tell me, do I go to him and have him make them, or do I, you know, try to outsource it and make Yeah. Thousands of them, you know so That's where I'm at with this because there's a lot of companies that make Big bags that are huge, and yeah, I think they're ridiculous, and there's no There's no thought process. They're just like let's make a square box with zippers and handles on it so again This is more of a premium product. You

molly:

know yes

Josh:

the materials are much better the zippers are better you know so That's where I'm at with that.

molly:

Are you going to Pax East?

Josh:

I've done Pax East for a few years. I feel like it's really expensive.

molly:

Yeah. To get a booth or hold on.

Josh:

Yeah. They open this. A booth is so PAX Unplugged is half the cost of what PAX East is, and PAX Unplugged is a 100% board games. Yeah. Pax East is 90% video games and 10% board games, but they charge you twice as much money because they're like, oh, well, the this many more people go.

Josh:

But it's like, they don't most of them don't care about the board game stuff.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

And the first year I'd went there, I didn't do very well. The second year, I crushed it. Third year last year, I didn't do well at all. But I think it's dying. I feel like that that convention's dying because, like, Nintendo's not going anymore.

Josh:

Sony's not going anymore. So, I mean, I remember the booths, like you've been to Paxies before? No. No. Okay.

Josh:

So you I've

molly:

been to Gamescom.

Josh:

Oh, good.

molly:

Yeah. I'm pretty sure Paxies any Pax would probably not be the same.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's big, but, like, you couldn't see down you couldn't see wall to wall at the convention because these big companies here, the booths were so large. Yeah.

Josh:

Now you can see straight across. You know, they're just not showing up. And I just don't think the draw and it's expensive, you know, for even for the you know, it's people want a three or four day pass or whatever how long it is. It's, you know, it's a few $100, and people and it's in Boston. Yeah.

Josh:

You know? So I I'm waffling if I'm gonna be there or not. Mhmm.

molly:

I was thinking about going just for I haven't been to a PAX before.

Josh:

Are you more of a board gamer or a video game?

molly:

I like everything.

Josh:

Yeah. I mean, if you like video games, like

molly:

Yeah. I play the shit out

Josh:

of it. Yeah. There's a lot of indie games there, companies now, you know, so I mean, it's cool. But you don't need like, for me, like, you don't need a Yeah. Multi day pass to go through it.

Josh:

No. You know?

molly:

I couldn't do that. Like Some people I don't I can't do anything for that many days. Like, what are you working on right now? Anything secret? I guess maybe

Josh:

I don't really have any see like, the bag right now is the is the big thing. Right now, I'm just working on, like, the marketing and getting it out there and getting people to sign up for the, the email list to get notified of when the crowdfunding will start. But I've been working on this for a year. Like, last year, I flew all over United States. I was meeting with board gamers showing in the bag.

Josh:

I was recording their reactions. Mhmm. So I did a video about that. I'm just starting to figure out how to the problem is I'm by myself. Yeah.

Josh:

So, like,

molly:

And they'll just take it. You know? Yeah. Yeah. Nice idea.

molly:

I'm gonna

Josh:

do that. Yeah. Like, I I get like, I've already a couple board game people. They're like, so and so is gonna copy you immediately, and I'm like, know that. You like that's if you come with a good idea, everyone copies everything you do.

molly:

It's

Josh:

just which is sad because I could never just rip something off. Like, yeah, like, I did this, you know?

molly:

Same as well. I'll never probably be a millionaire, but

Josh:

Yeah. No. You you just gotta you just gotta think of stuff and, you know, my mind is always thinking, like, how can I make this better or whatever, you know? So and I'm going to Gamma this year.

molly:

What is

Josh:

that? So Gamma is it's a convention for people that are in the space, like as publishers, game store owners, like Barnes and Noble would be there, Target, you know, and they you bring your stuff to get into retail. Oh. So people, you know, Barnes and would be like, I want 20,000 of these, you know, whatever stuff like that.

molly:

There just to see what's going on. Yeah. Where is it at?

Josh:

It's in Louisville, Kentucky. Okay. So that's so that'll be, you know, exciting. Hopefully, I can because

molly:

I'm

Josh:

now right now, I just do direct to customer Mhmm. With that.

molly:

And you still have stock if somebody wanted to DM you and buy it?

Josh:

Oh, yeah. So Yeah. I make I run parts every day.

molly:

Also, let's talk about your Instagram because you you said it got taken over by an OF model.

Josh:

Yeah. So It got hacked. Yeah. I got hacked. So my, yeah, my innovative so my social media for my the innovative stuff is We Create Cool Things.

Josh:

So my website is wecreatecoolthings.com. My TikTok, my Instagram is all We Create Cool Things. And I I was able to get that name back because they they changed the name, which was only the the only silver lining in that is that I could get get that back. But they just want, you know, I had, you know, I don't know, probably 15,000 subscribers. I've been doing it for fifteen years.

Josh:

Yeah. You know? So It sucks. Yeah. It sucks.

Josh:

Yeah. And I know how it happened.

molly:

Like, I had make it awkward, you know? Like, you yeah. People reaching out to you, like People messaging me.

Josh:

Yeah. And I was trying to chain, like, I would change the password and then I would get in and then it would then I couldn't get in. So they were seeing everything I was doing. And then they finally made the email like, you say, like, forgot password, they changed the email and then they changed the phone number that I completely lost. Like, I was chasing it for days.

Josh:

Like, I'm like, I don't understand how they can see everything I'm doing. So, yeah. So now, you know, I only got like three followers and 10 pictures on my my but my TikTok, I still got I got like 16,000 on my TikTok, which

molly:

is Yeah. That's good.

Josh:

Has a lot of stuff. And my TikTok has more of, like, I sort of show me making stuff, like, the process.

molly:

Yeah. And plus, I've bought personally from indie game publishers direct, so I feel like that's a better place for you to sell stuff anyway. Like,

Josh:

Yeah. For the Modern Meeple stuff, right now, it's all direct to customers. So I still have all that. Mhmm. I did lose my Discord because it was the same email that I had Wow.

Josh:

The Modern Meeple did, but I didn't really use it, so I'm not really if they took, like, my TikTok and Instagram, I'd be super but now I've like triple authenticated everything and made you know so

molly:

yeah, no

Josh:

one can really see

molly:

I gotta do that not that anybody

Josh:

yeah, you still mind He I didn't think anybody would be like who's gonna take my stuff? But they don't care. They just they want they want someone already has followers. Now they're pushed they got free

molly:

15,000 so it's cool. So, yeah, in the show notes, there'll be all your contact information, so where people can buy the board game stuff and also

Josh:

If you need something made.

molly:

Yeah. And what if people wanna buy a CD?

Josh:

I I mean, I just I haven't DJed in so long. Yeah. Like, I haven't I mean, I'm I've got a box

molly:

some in throw one in with the the bag.

Josh:

Yeah. Somebody buys one. Yeah. Yeah. The

molly:

price is

Josh:

what is this?

molly:

They don't even have Yeah. CD player.

Josh:

Yeah. I'm the

molly:

only motherfucker that's one.

Josh:

Hey. I mean, hey. I mean, I have I'll I'll send you one. My buddy, Lewis, he he still he tries to get me in back in a DJing all the time. You know?

molly:

Did you have fun doing it?

Josh:

I loved it. Yeah. Yeah. I've that like, I I thought that's what, what, like, was gonna be my lifetime thing.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

But I think the problem at the time and I didn't real like, I was so focused on the skill of it. Mhmm. I didn't realize that I had to have sort of like a shtick, you know, like

molly:

Oh, yeah.

Josh:

Like, Steve Yogus got the cakes and Yeah. You know, Daft Punk has the mask, and Deadmau5 has his you know, I was just me, and I didn't realize that. So

molly:

But how ridiculous is that you need something?

Josh:

You know

molly:

what I mean? Yeah. Even, like I like this DJ Rez. She has these spiral, like, light up glasses, and it's just like, yeah, I have a fucking thing,

Josh:

I guess. That's it. You have to yeah. And I I was just I just wanted to be good, you know, and I was very good at it. But

molly:

You ever just wanna go to a club and walk up there and just turn it out and leave?

Josh:

Me, I I and I haven't I haven't been to a club in Seoul. No. I wouldn't even.

molly:

I can't.

Josh:

I do and I just like, never I didn't like the clubs. Like, I didn't get caught up in the scene of it. Yeah. I don't like people being around me, I loved being in the booth and like seeing it all and like watching it all, but I didn't

molly:

That's probably the best place in the club.

Josh:

Yeah. I thought it was I I loved it.

molly:

I mean, I lived in Vegas for a while, so I can't say I didn't get caught up in the club scene, but not now. You couldn't catch

Josh:

me in the club now. Too

molly:

lazy. Unless I'm overseas, that's different. I feel like that's a pass. Like, I went to some clubs in Tokyo, not that well. It's been within this decade.

molly:

Mhmm. But even still, I was like, Yeah. Yeah. Need a chair.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Josh:

Yeah. It's different different when you get older.

molly:

I just wanna look around. I'm more of, like, checking out who's there, what are they doing.

Josh:

Yeah. That's the I'm like I'm like, what lighting do they have? What are they using for speakers? Like, I just like analyze everything. So I never really enjoy, you know, being there and just living in the moment.

molly:

So I'm always Plus, what if the DJ sucks? He was probably just wanting

Josh:

Oh, I've yeah. I've been planning it. I'm like, how'd this guy get here? Yeah. I'm like, this he does this guy couldn't mix, you know, sneaking two cups of water together, and it's just yeah.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

So So what's the difference? I watch a lot of TV, and there's always somebody with a DJ, and they just have a laptop, and they're not really doing anything. They have the turntables. Are they, like, DJing? Are they premixing?

molly:

Yes.

Josh:

So it depends on the DJ. Like, a lot of DJs nowadays have what's called a set and it's everything's predetermined. They are

molly:

That's boring?

Josh:

Yeah. Super. I never that's the thing. I never had a set. I did everything live.

Josh:

Again, because I was just so focused on, like, the art of it.

molly:

Yeah. I just feel like it's boring if you've already got it like, I think Grimes, the when she fucked her shit up not that long ago, it was, like, viral.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

And if you're not doing it live, what the fuck am I paying to see you for?

Josh:

Yeah. Well, it just I think it's sort of it comes down to like, when I build something, the customer doesn't know how I built it or I got there. They just care about the end result.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

So I feel like, you know, people going to clubs, they don't care how they get it to sound like that. They just Yeah. Know? So it's just a different But I would be boring. Like, I couldn't if I was the DJ, would be boring to me.

Josh:

Like, I never did wedding. People ask me to do weddings. They ask me to do stuff. Like, if I wasn't having fun, like, I didn't wanna do it. Yeah.

Josh:

So, like, I didn't understand, like, having a set, like, it would just be boring, like, you're it's the same thing over and over again. Like, we a, you don't get better, you don't, like, learn new things like that. I would discover, like I'm like, oh, I could mix this together because I blended two songs or did something that I didn't think of, but it sounded really good at the time. So then I would like, you know, work on that mix or those two things together. And, you know, I I used to DJ and I I got DJ for Puma for years, and I would use this in store where I was DJing to, like, label all my stuff and try new things and whatever.

Josh:

Then when I went to the club, like, would it would you know, I'd be ready to just bang out some crazy stuff.

molly:

Yeah. Do you ever I mean, do you have any of that equipment to, like, just play with

Josh:

at all? I I have so the shop I had in Millbury, I actually I built that place out, and I actually built a DJ booth. I have, like, a had a wall. So it was 18 subwoofers and

molly:

speakers, and I,

Josh:

yeah, and I had lights in there.

molly:

Your neighborhood, I hate to see you coming.

Josh:

Yeah. But it was fun. Like, I actually used people used to come in

molly:

Oh, that's cool.

Josh:

And be like, because I didn't know there was a club in here. It was just and I was like, it's not. I'm just I'm just vibing with myself, just playing stuff. You know? But in the shop I have now, it's, you know, it's completely different.

Josh:

It's not Yeah. Layered. And and so I haven't again, my buddy Lewis is like, you gotta you

molly:

gotta Well, just even if if you have fun doing it. But what do you what do you do now for fun?

Josh:

Nothing. I work my life away trying to yeah. Get to

molly:

But you're an Aries and you like I do like There's a level of I need to figure this out or I can't rest.

Josh:

Yeah. I'm thing? Yeah. Like, I wanna like, my goal is to you know, I have a daughter. She's two, and, like, I wanna homeschool her and, like, spend as much time as I can with her.

Josh:

So, like, my ultimate goal is to, like I'd love to make this company big enough where another like a big like an asthma day or something is like we want to buy you out. Here's x amount of dollars and I'm like I'm out.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

I can just live happily ever after so to speak. So I mean that's currently What I'm doing now and you know some some jobs, you know I'll make like I have a game store in Texas that wants me to build out their game store So I'm talking with them, so I'll you know build a game store I'll continue to make the meeple stuff and then like I don't know, KFC will be like, oh, we want this big chicken tenders thing, you know, and I'll build that, you know, so I'm sort of bouncing back and forth between the two. But like, you know, I like I have a few motorcycles. I love riding motorcycles. I have four wheelers like anything with a motor on it.

molly:

I'm So you're out in the country riding four wheelers? Yeah.

Josh:

Not as much as I used to, but yeah, I used to all the time. Like, I I would deal I would just, you know, on a random Tuesday, take the trailer and go to New Hampshire and rip around. I just don't have as much time as I

molly:

used to. Yeah. Having a Yeah. Daughter.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I love playing pickleball. Like, pickleball is my Oh, no.

Josh:

Yeah. So fun.

molly:

I don't know about you now. No. Playing pickleball.

Josh:

Yeah. I love pickleball.

molly:

Do you have your own shoes and bag and racket? Like, you have a whole, like, outfit and

Josh:

I have several outfits. Yeah. Yeah. Yep. I don't play as much as I used to.

Josh:

I played a lot. I got introduced to it. So I have two girls. I lost my first daughter, Ava.

molly:

Oh, I'm

Josh:

so And then my Jared at the time was like, hey, you should play pickleball, get you out of the house or whatever. Yeah. And I was like, oh, I don't what is that? I didn't know. And I remember the first time I played, I broke my rib because I was just

molly:

Everybody said like, the doctors say, like, it has been the number one cause of injuries. It's been pickleball.

Josh:

Yeah. I could just I was just a try hard, and I was just yeah. I didn't you know, don't understand a game, and I was just running, and I, like, just stumbled over my feet, and I, like, land. Like, the the paddles are hard.

molly:

Yeah. Sticking up like this, and

Josh:

I and I broke my rip. Unpickable. I'm just kidding.

molly:

I'm just kidding. Yeah.

Josh:

I I loved it because, you know, at the time, like

molly:

No. It was necessary.

Josh:

Yeah. I got my mind off of it. And then but your, you know, I was, like, sweating to death and out of breath Yeah. And I was getting exercise but didn't feel like it.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

Yeah. You know? So, like, you know, I have, like, a small gym at home.

molly:

No. I think it's funny because I people would harass the shit out of me about playing pickleball. And once somebody wants me to do something, I just have this inversion of, like, no. I'm not I'm not doing it.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. But it's I mean, I I love it. And, again, I I used to play every day. Now I I play, you know, once a month if I'm lucky.

molly:

What about board games?

Josh:

Board games, I it's sporadic. You know, again, I don't have time for much of anything nowadays, but my friends do, like, Fridays. They they they do game nights. Mhmm. Dick whose house I went over who has like the leocons, he does like a leocon twice a year.

molly:

And those are just his friends?

Josh:

Yeah. But it gets like he has he has Three tables.

molly:

Mhmm

Josh:

In the one the main room, then he has a side room which he has another table, and then he has Two more upstairs, and they'll all be running

molly:

with That's cool.

Josh:

People playing on them. That's cool.

molly:

Same game, different games?

Josh:

All different games.

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

Yeah. Everyone sort of picks their because everyone ends a little times different. Some sometimes he's like, alright. Hey. I'm I'm playing, you know, I don't know, sees on paper who wants to play or People like you know what I'll do that and he sort of gets groups are interested in games to put you know

molly:

that's cool

Josh:

pre sign up so to speak

molly:

That's a good idea if people want something to I don't know, start to do and they don't really know what how to get people to get together. It's board games are so easy to get to convince people to come over. Board games and pizza or whatever.

Josh:

I don't think, like, like, I have friends and I'm like, oh, you wanna play a game? They're, like, so uninterested, but I don't think I think the majority of people who haven't played board games were like me. Like, you you think it's monopoly

molly:

Yeah.

Josh:

You know, telestrations and and, you know, you know, deck of cards to play, you know, poker. Like, I didn't realize the like, there's a lit for any interest that you have, whether it's cars or cats or dragons or there's a game or several games that have to do with it. Yeah. But yeah. I mean, if any if if people need recommendations, just shoot me a message at Modern Meatball.

Josh:

I'll be like, hey. What do you like? And I'm like, you should try this game, you know. And start small because it's very easy to play a game that's very intimidating, and it's Yeah. So much.

Josh:

There's a game called Blood on the Clock Tower, which is a social deduction game co op, and I hate it Yeah. Because you have to, like, lie to them.

molly:

Oh, yeah. See, there's there's one, like, wolves.

Josh:

Yes. Very similar. Yeah.

molly:

I know exactly. I don't like doing that either.

Josh:

Yeah. That's a dumbed down version of blood on the clock tower.

molly:

Oh, so blood on a clock tower is complicated.

Josh:

Yeah. You have, like, someone has to run it, and it's Yeah. You need you want a lot of people because there's a lot of characters, and it's yeah. And you have to there's a lot to follow. The wolves one you're talking about is not as complicated.

molly:

Yeah. And it's boring. I I was just like, if you have, like, 40 people maybe, but, like

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

With the 40 people trying to it's like herding cats. Yeah. Yeah. Nobody's gonna wanna do that. Yeah.

molly:

Like, we I'm not convinced that game's fun.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. I don't people love Blood and Clock Tower. I just don't like lying to to my friends.

molly:

I know. I can't.

Josh:

Yeah. It's just weird. It just makes me feel weird. That's why I don't like it.

molly:

Yeah. Like, you win if you're you're a good liar.

Josh:

Yeah. Like, why is that good? Exactly.

molly:

That's how

Josh:

it is. That's the game. That's that's it.

molly:

It does feel weird.

Josh:

And some people love it. Like, my like, I have friends that are wouldn't wouldn't lie to anybody, but they

molly:

they get in the opportunity.

Josh:

Yeah someone they're not you know so so you know it's to each their own.

molly:

You ever played dungeons and dragons or that's where you draw the line?

Josh:

No, I would so I'd love to play like I've never played it, but I have like my buddy Leland He plays every Tuesday with a group of friends. I'm like let me just I just wanna come over and see how it's he's like, oh, people would feel comfortable. Like, I

molly:

was like, do I have

Josh:

to get beat in? It's like a gang. Like, I just I just wanna, like, see.

molly:

It's so true. People are so precious about their, like, campaigns.

Josh:

Yeah. But I've never played. I've I'd I'd like to try it, but I've never

molly:

I've never

Josh:

done it.

molly:

I guess if I was, like, in the middle of it, like and that's my crew. It would be weird if somebody was, like, in the background.

Josh:

But they're all the same people that we play games with. It's not like I

molly:

know. But D and D Yeah. You're you're playing some new character. You never know. You might see people differently.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But never never never played it.

molly:

Yeah. I've never played it either just because I'm like, if if I'm in just regular clothes, like, should we I don't know. Do I need a suit of armor? Because I feel like I wouldn't really believe what the fuck's going on.

Josh:

Yeah.

molly:

And I wanna believe it. Is it immersive? Because some I don't know. Maybe I'm just old or I've seen too much. Yeah.

molly:

Nothing really gets me going.

Josh:

Yeah. Maybe just you need to, like, really be full into it. Yeah. I don't yeah. Yeah.

Josh:

I have no opinion on because I've never played it, so I wouldn't know, like, what level of

molly:

I get jealous of the people that have, like, their whole basement is like a tavern, you know, and that's, like, their d and d. I need to find somebody that's done that. Well, you can build

Josh:

one. I can build it. Yeah. Sure. I'll make

molly:

it Actually.

Josh:

I'll make it ta as tavernous as you want it.

molly:

Maybe I need to get you to build a tavern in my basement. Yeah. For 96,000. Yeah. It's gonna be dangerous knowing that I know somebody that can make anything I can think of pretty much.

molly:

Yeah. But I'm broke, so just to know that going in.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah.

molly:

Is there anything else that you wanna promote?

Josh:

There's any companies that need, you know, from mobile marketing to, you know, hard builds or trade show booths or

molly:

What about events? Like Yeah. Temporary stuff.

Josh:

Yeah. Do. Yeah. I do they stopped last year, but I did for REI, I would set up a that was through a company called eight Stratton. Again, it's usually never the company that hires you.

Josh:

It's always like a event coordinator or marketing company that would hire me. I would do they they're called activations. Okay. And I would do activations for REI or trying to think other companies I've done before. I've done, like, Grey Goose, F'n Vodka.

Josh:

If you can't buy it in the store, like, they that's what people they come to me, and I build it. You know, that's the niche I'm in. That's exciting.

molly:

Yeah. So That's really cool.

Josh:

Yeah. It's wecreatecoolthings.com. Info at we create cool things if you need something. That's it all my social media for modern meeple is at modern meeple you know tik tok Instagram Blue Sky all that Facebook and then for the we create cool things is again We create cool things calm my Instagram tik tok is all we create cool things so you can see Stuff I've made almost everything I build like I've never done it You know I've made something similar but the whole point of why a comedy would come to me is because nobody else has it Yeah, and that's something that

molly:

That's a really good niche to be in.

Josh:

Yeah. Yeah. It's it's the finding the work is the most difficult because there's no, like, there's no you know, if I was a wedding photographer, I would go to a wedding trade show and have a little booth and advertise my photography.

molly:

Yeah. Exactly. Where do the people that make the booths

Josh:

go? Yeah. That's the thing. It's there is there it doesn't exist. So it's it's it's you know, I'm I'm just sort of known and I've I've been fortunate enough with the, you know, the phone rings and people call me because, know, so and so said you could do x y z.

Josh:

I don't think people they don't think of having stuff custom made because they just don't think there's people out there that do that. You know? So

molly:

Curtain fell off. It's fine. Janky. Welcome to my janky I hope you enjoyed this week's episode. Now for the update on Modern Meeple's backer kit for the everyday gaming bag.

molly:

They raised nearly 200,000 with just a 15 k ask. So go check the show notes on where to find out more and congratulate your fellow New Englander on their success. Until next time. Bye.