Why You Should Switch to a Bookkeeper or Accountant Who Understands Escape Rooms
Hello, escape room owners!
Running an escape room business is anything but ordinary. Between creating mind-bending puzzles and resetting intricate props, managing your finances can feel like a riddle wrapped in a mystery. But here’s the twist: your accountant might not be equipped to solve the puzzle.
When I ran my own escape room, I often wondered, “What if I had someone who truly understood the challenges of this industry managing my finances? How much smoother could things have been?”
Let’s explore why partnering with a bookkeeper or accountant who specialises in escape rooms could unlock the key to your business’s success.
They know what makes your business tick
Escape rooms aren’t like your average small business. Your expenses and operations are as unique as the stories you craft for your players. From understanding room-level profitability to managing the peaks and troughs of seasonal bookings, a specialist accountant can help decode the financial complexity of your business.
Personal reflection: When I started tracking individual time slot profitability, I was stunned to find that some time slots were consistently losing money. By analysing these trends, I adjusted staffing levels to reduce costs during quieter times, which significantly improved overall profitability. If I’d had a bookkeeper with escape room expertise at the time, I could have spotted this much earlier and made changes sooner.
They simplify your finances
Your business might run like clockwork, but your finances don’t always follow suit. A generalist accountant may not grasp the nuances of tracking key metrics like occupancy rates, reset times, or even the ROI of your cleverly themed marketing campaigns.
Personal reflection: By leveraging my own data, I identified that specific marketing channels were consistently driving higher-value bookings. This allowed me to refine my marketing strategy and focus on initiatives that delivered the best returns. Still, having a bookkeeper familiar with escape rooms could have streamlined this process, saving me time and effort to focus on other parts of my business.
They help you grow
Thinking of expanding? Launching a new room? It’s not just about coming up with the next big theme. Expansion requires careful financial planning, from budgeting for set design and tech upgrades to securing the right funding.
Personal reflection: Even though I managed to build my second escape room for half the cost of my first, it took more than double the time. I hadn’t factored in the opportunity cost of paying more to build faster and start generating revenue sooner. A specialist bookkeeper could have highlighted these trade-offs and helped me make better decisions during the expansion.
They understand the value of your time
Managing your own finances can seem like the logical choice, especially if you’re good at it, but it’s not always the best use of your time.
Personal reflection: Even though I was super good at analysing my own financial data to improve my escape room business, it took up a lot of time. Looking back, it may have been better to delegate these tasks to someone who specialised in escape rooms. That way, I could have dedicated more time to designing new games and growing my business creatively.
Why it matters
Switching to a bookkeeper or accountant who understands escape rooms isn’t just about keeping the books in order—it’s about unlocking opportunities. With someone who truly gets the ins and outs of the industry, you gain clarity, confidence, and a roadmap for long-term success.
Personal reflection: I often wonder how different my journey would have been if I’d had the right financial guidance from the start. It’s why I’m passionate about helping other owners avoid the same mistakes.
Ready to make the switch?
If you’ve ever felt like your accountant just doesn’t “get” your business, you’re not alone. With my escape room expertise and financial know-how, I can help you navigate the numbers and unlock your business’s full potential. Let’s solve this puzzle together!
Chi / Sam
Your Escape Room Bookkeeper
