Today we’d like to introduce you to John Pittman.
Working for HP for more than 14 years, John led the engineering team developing handheld and mobile devices. Traveling the world working with a large team, he discovered this style of laser tag in Beijing, China while doing a corporate outing outside the city. Outdoor laser tag in a style that he hadn’t seen in the U.S. On the flight back from China, John decided this would be a great new business to bring to the Houston area and 3 months later started Battlefield Houston as a mobile laser tag business.
After 4 years, the indoor location was created and the expansion continues. Developing amazing game play that’s different from the old style of laser tag, players plant or defuse bombs, dominate areas of the battlefield, rescue the hostage and so much more. Utilizing his engineering experience developing props and designing software to create one of the most unique experiences in laser tag.
Has it been a smooth road?
Leaving the corporate world had some benefits and put me in control of my own destiny. However, there was always issues. After starting the business, I took a job in San Francisco as a VP Engineering so that I could stay in the country while the business was starting up. Flying into San Francisco each Monday morning and taking the red-eye flight back on Thursday night, I ran the engineering team during the week and the business over the weekend. For the first year of the business I traveled every week, but I was in the U.S. so I designed the business to be handled from anywhere.
After a year in the business, I knew I had to take the plunge and really dedicate myself to this startup. I worked more hours and definitely worked harder than any hours I spent at HP. My weekends were spent working the business and creating a great experience with Battlefield Houston, and the weekdays were marketing the business, finding customers and creating growth.
It took over two years to get the indoor location open. From finding a location, getting funding, and designing the battlefield, there was nothing but complications and rejections. Looking back now, it was all worth it. A constant fight to make the dream come true.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Battlefield Houston is a new style of laser tag. Creating mission based games designed for teams, it eliminates the “hero mode” of the classic style of laser tag and forces players to work together to meet their objectives. With missions like “Rescue the Hostage”, “Domination”, “Sniper”, “Search and Destroy” and more on the largest tactical laser tag battlefield in the United States, players really get addicted to the competitive style.
Our mobile team still travels around the greater Houston area for birthday events, corporate events, youth groups, and festivals. Our games are designed to work in rain or shine, and indoor or outdoor. It is one of the most unique ways of playing the game.
Both experiences are unique in the laser tag industry. Many people compare it to paintball without the big expense. Although our minimum age is 8 years old, our average age is in the late teens. Just when you think you have outgrown laser tag, you should definitely give Battlefield Houston a try.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Houston is by far the best city to start a business. Houston offers an economy that has some great stability. I started my business in 2008 and started the indoor location in 2012. Both times were the most difficult times in our economy to start businesses and to talk to banks about funding a new business idea. Houstonians are also very comfortable with traveling. If you start a business on the South side and it is unique, customers will make the drive.
If someone is starting their own business, I would spend a lot of time trying to talk them out of it. It is a fight to make it happen and it can really stress every portion of your life. If you can survive all of that, Houston is a great place to get it started.
Pricing:
- 30 Minutes of Game Time: $13.50 (2 – 3 Missions)
- 60 Minutes of Game Time: $21.50 (5 – 6 Missions)
- Birthday parties start at $155 for 10 Players
Contact Info:
- Address: 11755 W. Little York, Ste 202, Houston, TX 77041
- Website: www.BattlefieldHouston.com
- Phone: 713 447 7772
- Email: Info@BattlefieldHouston.com
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/houstonlasertag
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