We were lucky to catch up with Lindsey Aiello recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lindsey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

Preferences was shown to my friend group as a homemade game, ripping up pieces of paper and creating it ourselves. For months we played it at gatherings, staying up all night laughing until we cried. After multiple times of playing, I had an opportunity to introduce it to my family. It was Thanksgiving of ’21, and we were looking for an easy game that we could all play. After some brainstorming, Preferences popped into my head and we got to making it.

Each of us wrote down the funniest things we could think of and threw all the pieces together. After hours of playing, my family fell in love, and I went to bed that night with my mind racing. I knew I had to turn Preferences into a real product. The next morning I shared my idea with the family and everyone jumped in with ideas.

My cousin shared an idea of needing to include a notepad (that I later turned into a whiteboard) so that people couldn’t change their ranking and cheat. I thought about including whiteboard cards, along with pre-set ones, so that people can make their own cards and tailor the game to the group they are playing with. Everyone’s excitement and love for the game was fuel to the fire that was already brewing from the night before. After the holiday weekend, my family left, and I got to work.

I had never created a game before so I did what I thought was best. I ordered some blank cards on Amazon, tried to create a notepad (that again would be turned into a whiteboard) and rounded up some friends to play-test at the park. After months of gathering ideas from friends and family, I thought it was time to create a prototype.

I hired a brand designer, found a prototyping company, and ordered the first game of Preferences. Through trial and error, I found that the box would need some adjusting, and those whiteboard cards I mentioned above? Yeah, they’d have to go. Because these two adjustments were quite dramatic, I thought it would be best to redesign the box and create another prototype. So with the help of my designer, that is exactly what we did. Once the second prototype came in, it felt more like the real deal.

I kept taking it places to get content of people playing, and after a couple more months, it was time to order the actual product. I had been in communication with a few manufacturers over about a 6 month period, gathering quotes and figuring out who I’d like to work with. After narrowing it down to our manufacturer, it was time to order the games! I had never done this before, and there are many moving pieces, but once we got the final designs over, it was go time. It took about 2 months to get the games to the front door of my parent’s house, where I have them now. During that time I launched a pre-order where friends, family, and some random people bought the game at 50% off. And when the games actually arrived, I was able to ship them out to all my awaiting customers. One of the most exciting pieces of this long journey!

Since then, it has definitely been a bumpy road. I always tell people, the initial part of creating Preferences has been the easiest. The hardest is what I’m working on now – the sales, marketing, brand, and distribution of the game. Even though it is difficult, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Working on this game and creating a product that has a deeper mission is giving my own life more purpose. That is what keeps me motivated to continue pushing myself to create everyone’s new favorite party game!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am the CEO and founder of a party game called Preferences where people get to know each other through their likes and dislikes. It’s a simple party game that on the surface is fun and silly, but once you peel back the layers offers a creative way to strengthen relationships and connect with others. Before I started this business I was working at a tech start-up in San Diego, where I’m from. I grew up with an inner knowing that I would be a part of something bigger, I just had no idea what it was. So when this opportunity with Preferences came up, I ran with it. Even though the challenges of creating a brand and owning a business are very prevalent in my life, it feels as though it is what I am meant to do. I love being a part of a bigger mission of bringing people together and creating more joy in the world. I am being pushed in many ways to not only make the lives of others better, but my own as well.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Something I have had to unlearn is the fact that you cannot do anything alone. I feel like I’ve been under the impression that entrepreneurs and business owners have it all figured out and have gotten to where they are on their own. I’m not quite sure where I picked up on this notion, but it is absolutely untrue! Something I’ve had to learn is that help does not make you look weak, and no one is able to have success without many different people by their side. I have had to put my pride aside and learn to not only ask for help but receive it. There are so many things I don’t know, and by asking for help from others and seeking mentorship, I have been able to learn and grow in so many different ways that would have been impossible before.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I have never had to manufacture a product in my life, and had no idea where to start. But there was something I did along this journey that I believe made it a bit easier and I’d like to share it!

My product is a card game, and when you look up board game manufacturers, there is actually a list of tons to choose from, so finding a manufacturer wasn’t the problem. The problem was the fact that I had never done this before. I didn’t know what to ask for, what a dieline was, or what the dimensions of the box should be. So, instead of choosing a random manufacturer, I found one I thought I could trust by looking up who manufactured Cards Against Humanity (CAH), and started there. Because this company is based in the states, and not China, the communication was a bit easier, and I was able to ask beginner questions that might have not translated well when asked overseas.

And it turned out that Ad Magic, CAH’s manufacturer, has a sister company that focused on prototypes. So I was able to speak with someone to learn about dielines and product creation before ever going to an actual manufacturer. It turned out that Ad Magic was a bit too expensive, so I ended up not moving forward with them, however, I was able to take the knowledge I gained from their sister company, Print Play Games, to Long Pack, which is the manufacturer I ended up with. I knew what to ask for, knew the lingo, and it mad the process much smoother when I was ready to order the games.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://preferencesgame.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/preferences.thegame/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsey-aiello/

Image Credits

Asher St. Studio