Folks like @itsrossthompson.bsky.social & @miniktty.bsky.social work tirelessly to bring visibility & access to the jobs market in tabletop. A task more valuable than ever right now. Thanks to Ross for joining the pod to share about this work & provide some great tips for navigating the job hunt.

I wanna make coffee mugs, and water bottles, and tshirts, and stickers, and tote bags, and crew neck sweatshirts (it’s sweata weatha), and laptop cases, and magnets…… Maybe we should listen to what Andrew, from @manyworldstavern.bsky.social has to say about sidelines first.

Holy Smokes we’re in season 3 and kicking things off with a banger interview. @downtowntbrown.bsky.social, designer of Votes for Women, is an exceptionally thoughtful human. This conversation really hit @dannibelow.bsky.social & myself hard. Couldn’t think of a better way to start the new season 🎙️

Not that you needed another reason to buy, share, and play Flip 7 every chance you get…but here’s one more! Big thanks to David Blanchard for joining Unboxed to share how The Op team is building mega fandom for their hot little card game 🔥

OMG I love the IG account that does this for record covers. The next evolution of legos I didn’t know I needed 🤩

@unboxedpod.bsky.social firsts: @dannibelow.bsky.social and I just wrapped up recording an upcoming interview that left us both in tears. I cannot believe how lucky we are to get to have and share these conversations.

It seems kind of daunting right now to think about spending money and time planning a marketing event. Who even has the budget for that? Big thanks to Ben Green for joining @unboxedpod.bsky.social to share how planning an event like this might still create wins for you this year!

I really like this philosophical framing America is run like a bad failing business, Singapore run like an effective business But it’s sure worth pursuing the indigenous values of “society as a household” … to scale

@mpco.bsky.social sets the bar high bringing beautiful art and great gameplay together and making it accessible to audiences with excellent graphic design. Learn more about how he does it on the latest episode of Unboxed 🎙️ Thanks for joining the conversation Matt!

Let’s talk about something fun! Like meeting your superhero at a convention. Cosplay and talent have high emotional impacts for fans and can be a great addition to your in person and online activations. Thanks to @geeksagogo.bsky.social for sharing how to make the most of these partnerships!

Trump just opened up a procedural avenue for Dems to force votes on the tariffs he announced yesterday. A quick explainer-

Those trying to understand the tariffs as economic policy are dangerously naive. No, the tariffs are a tool to collapse our democracy. A means to compel loyalty from every business that will need to petition Trump for relief. 1/ A 🧵 to explain his plan and how we fight back.

Tariffs are a poor persons tax. The average American cannot afford to have most of the products they purchase and consume manufactured locally. Why? Because our cost of living is exponentially higher than countries we import goods from.

Literally The Stackhouse Filibuster West Wing episode happening IRL

Content collaboration has netted some of the most fun and engaging ideas we’ve put out. @danistandring.bsky.social is a boss at owning the collaborative process and it shows in her engagement and community building. So lucky to have her on Unboxed 🎙️ to share that knowledge!

Yes, it’s still important to talk about the impact of COVID on the next generation’s minds. While our country’s education is pushed around as a political chess piece, don’t forget there are incredible people like this still fighting for our future. www.the74million.org/article/kipp...

We are certified silly gooses 100% of the time 🪿 Also, in full seriousness, this was a fantastic Bonus Round with super insightful observations from Ross. Give it a listen! 🎧

Never a dull moment at the Unboxed Studio! ICYMI: here’s the latest bonus round episode with @moregamesplease.bsky.social 🎧 + we’ve got another awesome guest visiting the studio this week!

Not only does @moregamesplease.bsky.social take excellent photos, he speaks beautifully about his philosophy on the role of the photograph in marketing too. Thanks for joining the discussion Ross!

When you re-cap it like that we had a pretty great week at GAMA! Our presentation decks are also linked here for those wanting to see that info again :)

Thanks for an incredible FUN GAMA Expo! I loved sharing ☕️ coffee and 🗣️ conversations and 💡 ideas with folks. And special thanks to my Unboxed partner in crime @dannibelow.bsky.social for making it easy to love the work we do.

I’m always so grateful for Jack’s thoughtful reflections on games. Thanks for returning to where it all began to help share something new :)

If you ever wanted a laugh track, that’s what 60% of this episode is 😂 Join us in our giggles, share your own hobbies, and start Woobling! (But in all seriousness, hobbies are good for your mental health and work battery!! 🔋)

Yes! Crocheting makes me better at my job. I’m sure of it! And music, and movies, and books, and F1, and golf…all of it ⛳️

Gosh I love IV Studio’s games! And no wonder. They have me and their fans in mind from day one when they start building new games. Thanks Zac for peeling back the curtain here on how you put games and fans first in product design!

Who says there’s only one way to open a box?

We’ve got stickers now!

dannibelow.bsky.social and I are heading back to @gamaofficial.bsky.social Expo at the end of February and we've got a couple of great new presentations on deck! Who wants to join whatever cult we make up this time??

Thinking of diving into the world of licensed gaming? johnnyoneal.bsky.social and his team at brotherwisegames.bsky.social navigate the ins and out of relationships and product building for a beloved IP gracefully. Catch the interview on our latest episode of Unboxed!

Board games on NPR's @the1a.org! Great job @downtowntbrown.bsky.social @slausondesigns.bsky.social

These are gorgeous!

It's no easy feat to serve a massive fandom well with licensed products. Thanks to johnnyoneal.bsky.social for sitting down with us to reflect on the journey and experience that's led to their partnership with Brandon Sanderson for the Cosmere RPG and beyond!

Tell us what merch you love! We might make some…and also…we’re just curious 🧐

So excited to be able to announce that @keymastergames.bsky.social is launching a better than ever PARKS game! I got to work on the rulebook and let me tell you that everything in this game is GORGEOUS!! Definitely pre-order this beauty!

Feeling burned by social media? Now, more than ever, creators and audiences can find comfort in authenticity and community. "One way to forge a connection is to provide a stream of content - a way customers can connect with your brand beyond just buying something." - Unboxed, S1E9

Spotlight on the cartographer who worked on Tolkien's Middle Earth and D&D's Forgotten Realms As that person constantly flipping back to the maps when traveling along in a story or game, thank you for your passion Karen

POV: It's New Year's resolution time, and you have amazing new project ideas swirling in your head. The possibilities are endless! Today's 💿Bonus Round 💿 guest, @bananachangames.bsky.social, shares how taking the time to project plan will help make your great game ideas a reality.

Thank you for an incredible podcasting year! and especially thank you to my partner in crime, @dannibelow.bsky.social , without whom, this crazy dream could not exist🎙️

Flip 7 has been so easy to get to the table over and over again. And with all different groups of people too. It has great table tension and a great onboarding experience just like Matthew said! The benchmark for games that invite new people to the table is super clear here.

With the holiday season running rampant, we thought: What better time to talk about the overlap of toys and games? 🎁 "Toyetic" is a buzzword that popped up recently. If you're curious what it means, give this episode a listen! 🤔 (Also: Find out what my and Jen's formative childhood toys were 👀)

S2 Episode 3 is live and it's about toys (who doesn't like toys!?) This is a fitting last episode of the year. It might have been my favorite episode to record to date. Nostaglia will do that to you. And maybe that's why Toyetic games are coming back with a vengeance 🧐

Lovely #PAXUnplugged2024 weekend connecting with Keymaster fans, Unboxed listeners, and former Satellite Game Store customers. Three branches of the same tree 🌳 Plus the best times with friends and picking up a couple games to enjoy over break. Ready to crush the end of 2024 👊

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃

Time for the latest 💿 Bonus Round 💿 mini-episode! Today we have @senfoonglim.bsky.social, game designer & podcaster extraordinaire. We asked him to reflect on 1⃣ why he enjoys the co-design process 2⃣ how co-designing benefits the finished product unboxedboardgamepodcast.podbean.com/e/bonus-roun...

@dannibelow.bsky.social and my’s podcast, Unboxed, launches a new episode series today - Bonus Round! It’s snappy and laser focused on an industry leader who’s winning big at something. Our first is Joe Wiggins, COO at Allplay. He shares how 2 box sizes have shaped their catalog’s rapid growth.

Felt inspired to listen to Songs About Jane today. I have good memories from the year this released.

Kick off the new year with some pod learning 🤓 Episode 10 of Unboxed is available to download. Let's set up media relationships that will return big wins for you all year long. unboxedboardgamepodcast.podbean.com/e/episode-10...

Great to spend the last days of 2023 in a gaming weekend with friends. Being reminded of the peace, love, and joy board games brings to my family! Ready to spread that around in 2024. Here we go…

Unboxed: Episode 9 is live now! 🎉 We reflect on major campaigns both outside & inside the game industry to inspire content marketing strategies. 📦Question to unbox📦 Can you share content that made you feel connected to a product or brand? unboxedmarketingpodcast.podbean.com/e/episode-9-...

Next episode of Unboxed is edited and goes live tomorrow. Wrapping an edit of a new episode is the best feeling…largely because it’s very hard to listen to myself so I’m grateful when it’s over 😬