We recently connected with Josh Rosenfeld and have shared our conversation below.
Josh, thanks for joining us. To start, can you take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers?
Sure thing; thanks for having me here! I design custom gifts that take everything you love about someone and turn it into a playable game. Since May 2022, my team at Odes Unboxed has helped over 100 folks give gifts that evoke warm fuzzies and happy tears. To start, we chat with the gifter and steep in the texture of their relationship with a loved one favorite memories, inside jokes, things they love most about each other. Then, we weave those into an adventure full of puzzles, pampering, and heartfelt expression. It’s like an escape room in a box made just for them. Often, gifters team up with us so that they thrive in what otherwise might be challenging moments. For example, “It’s Grandpa’s 85th birthday and he has everything; what can we possibly get him?” Or “It’s our 30th anniversary; how can we celebrate all the magic from 3 decades?” Or “I’m going to propose; how can I do so in a way that’s decadent AND heartfelt? Gifters often describe the act of making the gift as a gift itself. It gives them new eyes and a thrilling sense of fulfillment. Recipients often describe the gift as one of the best experiences of their life. They feel seen and heard, awestruck and cared for. And everyone involved (myself included) emerges from the end-to-end journey full of warm fuzzies.
That sounds really special. Tell us more about the gifts you create; what’s been the most meaningful one you’ve worked on?
As Valentine’s Day approached in 2023, my customers were interested in a grounded, heartfelt way to share the day. They wanted something that felt like snuggling into a hug, sipping hot tea, and reminiscing. Those conversations inspired an experience called Suite Heart. It was a couples retreat from home that blended the magic of an escape room, the wonder of a fairytale, and the thrill of an intimate date night. What I love most about the experience is that it’s co-created. Both partners share memories, inside jokes, and reflections ahead of time. Then, they sit back as the experience is crafted and sent to their home. When they ultimately venture into Suite Heart, they go on a journey of mutual discovery. They both get to enjoy giving and receiving, seeing and being seen.
Throughout the creative process, what do you find most rewarding?
The most rewarding aspect is the way the folks I design for become my collaborators and friends. Since each gift is heavily customized, I get to know the gifter quite well. They start as a co-conspirator, as we scheme on how to surprise and pamper their loved one. For a few precious weeks, I get a window into their lives. I hear about their earliest memories
together, the highs and lows they’ve traversed, the ways they’ve grown. Their courage and care moves me, and, through the process of collaborating, many folks become dear friends of mine. Once they’ve experienced the gift, we always reconnect. And that space after the gift is my favorite part. For example, for Mother’s Day in 2023, I set out with one customer to show his mom how much she meant to him. We created an at-home adventure that whisked her away to a cozy bookshop and showered her with specific stories of how she cared for and upheld he son. The gift was life-changing for them. She called her son right after finishing it and, in his words, she was a “pure puddle of emotional goo.” After a decade of trying, he finally broke through her intractable notion that she could have been a better mom. Hearing about moments like these moves me to tears. It’s why I pour myself into this work and it’s what I hope to offer each person I have the privilege of working with.
Tell us more about what inspires you. What’s the goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My mission is to help people step into their best selves. Each gift and game is designed to give people space to play, reconnect with what they hold most dear, and express what’s in their hearts. I want folks to feel the all-encompassing warmth of being seen. I also want them to feel the exquisite joy of helping someone else feel heard and understood. Over the next few months to years, my goal is to offer a gift for every occasion – from a playful game for a bachelor party to a whimsical treat on a friend’s birthday to a tender group hug on Mother’s Day to a joint baring of the soul on an anniversary. For the gifters I work with, a gift-giving occasion is a call to adventure. It’s a chance to show up, create something at the edge of their ability, sink into a yummy flow state, and connect with dear
ones in a way where 1 plus 1 becomes 3. And that’s what makes it magical and keeps it fresh – each new person who reaches out to me creates a gift that no one could give but them and no one could receive but their loved one.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.odesunboxed.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odes.unboxed/
Image Credits
Hannah Photography (specifically for the photo titled Wedding.png)