Meet Amanda Albrecht | Co-Owner, Shine On Collective
We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Albrecht and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Amanda, what do you attribute your success to?
Girl Power! Just kidding (kinda). If I’m forced to choose just one, I’d say the most important success factor thus far has been obtaining a deep understanding of our clients’ objectives and preferences so we can provide solutions that really resonate with their vision. By actively involving them in the creative process, we not only meet their expectations but often exceed them. Our customer-centric approach has led to positive word-of-mouth, repeat business, and a strong reputation. An ability to deliver tailored solutions that fit various budgets, timelines, groups and venues has helped us win new clients and build our portfolio. Whether it’s an escape room themed wedding, murder mystery dinner, or immersive tabletop game, we enjoy collaborating with our clients to create something completely unique just for them! Building something different for each new project means living outside of our comfort zone and consistently growing our skill set. Will we ever standardize our offerings in the future in order to scale up the business? Maybe. I envision Shine On growing like a tree, with multiple branches…commercialized puzzle game products, plug-and-play activities that can be personalized for a variety of celebrations and events, while continuing to grow our core business of customized immersive experiences. Sky’s the limit. Success factors, just like everything else in business, will evolve over time!
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Shine On Collective is a female-owned business, led by three equal partners: Marlee Delia Honton (Artistic Director), Anna Mavromati Duncan (Narrative Director), and myself (Production Director). Before the 2020 pandemic, Shine On Collective was a small, LA based theater troupe. Marlee and Anna were creating live immersive performances for intimate audiences. And I was working as a catering director for a corporate lunch and event company. When the pandemic hit, live shows and corporate lunch buffets were no longer safe, so as the world as we knew it shut down, I joined Marlee and Anna to assist with a new project. In 2020, the three of us created “Welcome Home”, our first at-home immersive experience, which we launched in partnership with a local restaurant, Side Kitch. Marlee and Anna wanted the experience to still feel like an event, even if people were stuck at home in their living rooms, so we had live actors delivering hot dinners along with the game in character, to really turn the “immersiveness” up a notch. For the first time, a mystery story, intricate puzzles, hand-crafted materials, art, and a touch of technology were woven into a tabletop box game. We’re very proud of the Welcome Home experience.
Shine On’s core mission has revolved around amplifying female-driven narratives, delving into the rich tapestry of women’s experiences and addressing challenges they encounter. However, we eagerly explore diverse genres and new ways to present our stories. Some of our work has centered around serious subjects like stalking and violence against women — “Welcome Home”, is a gripping thriller-style narrative where players are immersed into a chilling small town mystery. And some not so serious ones, like a sci-fi game where players are tasked with following an intergalactic circus to save a missing alien from her evil ringmaster. Definitely a wide array of storytelling!
Through positive word of mouth, referrals from other artists, and a lovely write-up in the LA Times about our Welcome Home game, we began designing more custom experiences for bars and restaurants who were looking for ways to stand out in the over-saturated food delivery world of 2020-2021. Since then, we have branched out to designing many types of experiences, all of which incorporate storytelling and puzzles. Each new project we take on is different from the last, but the one constant is that we get to create fun and memorable experiences for others. If any readers are interested, Welcome Home can still be purchased online at www.welcomehomeexperience.com (ships nationwide).
How we seamlessly blend together theater/storytelling with puzzles and gamification, personalized content, (and a bit of tech) is one thing that sets us apart. We aim to create truly unique entertainment. Over the past three years, we’ve designed several immersive story driven “escape room in a box” games. We’ve also worked on many live events with and without actors, as well as private party scavenger hunts and murder mysteries. Our work can be commissioned for any sized group or occasion, and personalized for a special, one-of-a-kind experience.
One lesson I’ve learned about owning a small business, is the importance of productive collaboration; playing to each of our specific strengths while maintaining an environment of open and honest communication amongst partners.
Like most women, we sometimes find it challenging balancing our Shine On projects with our other jobs and life events (marriage, children, illness), but we are friends as well as business partners and support each other through it all!
We’re really excited to see more immersive entertainment hitting mainstream audiences lately. It just goes to show that the opportunities for our team to create and showcase new storytelling experiences are endless. Can’t wait to see where this fulfilling journey with Marlee, Anna and our wonderful network of talented partners can go in the future!
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I solicited input from Marlee and Anna to collectively answer this one. Obviously, we would need to include a couple escape room experiences in our itinerary like The Nest at Hatch Escapes (narrative podcast meets escape room) and Stash House in downtown LA (very highly rated). If we went to the East Side, we’d visit The Huntington Gardens (great for all ages) and The Magic Castle at night (adults only). We’d spend 1-2 days around Venice Beach/Marina Del Rey area riding the bike path, strolling the canals, and take a duffy boat picnic around the marina. Maybe bike up to the Santa Monica Pier and grab a drink at Big Deans. Drive up the coast to one of the Malibu beaches…or to Malibu Wines…tough decision! We’d hit up The Roguelike Tavern in Burbank for some immersive bar fun and cocktails. And for dining and sweet treats, we love Locanda Positano in Marina Del Rey, Din Tai Fung in Century City, Agnes in Pasadena, SusieCakes (any location) and B-Sweet Dessert Bar (West LA). My list of restaurants would go on forever, so I’ll leave it at that!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Aside from my fabulous business partners, Marlee and Anna, I’d also like to shout out a few of our go-to creative partners who have helped bring many of our projects to life — Kate Kohler (sound designer), Christina Mavromati and Celia Sutton (graphic designers & artists). Thank you for being so lovely to work with, ladies! I would also like to shout out the very talented Tommy Honton, Marlee’s husband and our biggest supporter — thanks for testing ALL of our games and always having our back!
Website: https://www.shineoncollective.com/
Other: https://www.welcomehomeexperience.com/ https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2021-01-21/immersive-theater-troupe-game-puzzle-in-a-box-shine-on
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