Thanksgiving Story About Gratitude, Grit, and the Journey That Got Us Here

What Happens When Gratitude, Grit, & a Remarkable Journey Come Together?

Thanksgiving is a natural moment to pause, breathe, and look back on the road that brought us to where we are today.

So I want to share a piece of my story, not because it’s remarkable, but because it reminds me how ordinary beginnings can lead to extraordinary chapters.

The Girl in the Datsun 180B

My first job out of high school wasn’t glamorous. I was 17, freshly licensed, and driving my little Datsun 180B to a suburban shopping mall where 300 other hopefuls were lined up for a handful of jobs at Chuck E. Cheese/

I waited two hours in that line.

By the time I slid into that American-diner-style booth for the interview, I was literally trembling.

I could see the queue stretching out the door behind the manager’s shoulder.

Yet something about that place—the smell of fresh pizza, the animatronics singing their hearts out—filled me with wonder.

Somehow, I got the job. And even though my co-workers teased me, I’d sing along with those animatronics while I served families their pizzas.

I wasn’t just there for a paycheck (though I desperately needed one to get through university). I loved the energy of hosting birthday parties, the joy on kids’ faces, and the excitement in the room.

That job taught me something: creating moments for people matters.

A Business Born From Scrappiness

Fast-forward a few years. The Dot-Com bubble had burst. Money was tight. And we were just beginning our laser tag business.

Back then, when weekend party cash came in, we’d race to the bank on Monday morning because every dollar mattered.

I still remember the day a local Chinese restaurant—fresh off winning the American Express Platinum Fine Dining Award—booked us for their Christmas party.

I looked at that booking and thought, “We’ve made it.” Not because we were big.

But because a real business had trusted us to deliver real fun.

Why We Obsess About Gameplay

From day one, we’ve believed this: You might get someone to try laser tag once...

But you only earn a second booking if the gameplay, the equipment, the service, and the whole experience wow them. The player is the hero of the mission.

That philosophy hasn’t changed.

It’s the backbone of every innovation we’ve created for Battlefield Sports

The Team That Makes It All Possible

Today, we have seven full-timers and a handful of casuals at HQ.

Some of the most passionate, hardworking people I’ve ever met.

Our products are strong.

But our team? That’s our superpower.

Why I’m Grateful This Thanksgiving

Battlefield Sports has been leading innovation in our industry for years.

I’m proud of that. But what really moves me is something much simpler:

When I see a family using our gear and having the time of their lives…

When a mum chooses our equipment for her child’s birthday party…

When a corporate team trusts us with their big day…

It hits me every time: Real people chose us to help create their memories.

And that is a privilege.

I wake up on Monday excited to go to work. And when that’s true, you don’t really “have a job.”

You have a calling. From a Chuck E. Cheese server singing along with animatronics… to owning a company whose products help create those same magical moments for others…

I never take it for granted.

We’re blessed to live in a country where a path like this is possible.

And I’m thankful, deeply thankful, that this has been mine.

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