Sean Sickles of Clinton, Maine, has combined his passion for performance and board games to create The Unplugged Arcade, a mobile event entertainment business that travels across Maine and New England. As an emcee and game facilitator, Sean helps people connect through screen-free fun. Whether he’s at a library, festival, or company event, he brings an expertly curated collection of games and the energy of a seasoned performer to make game day a hit.
Inspired by his own childhood love of games, Sean launched The Unplugged Arcade to share that joy with families and communities who might not otherwise have access to such experiences. As his business evolved, it became a mission to offer entertaining, phone-free environments that encourage people to engage directly with one another.
While Sean brought years of performance and sales experience, he struggled with two key challenges: earning a livable income from his services and understanding how to manage the operational side of a business. He also needed help with marketing and reaching a broader customer base.
To get the support he needed, he connected with the Maine SBDC and began working with Business Advisor Christina Dodge. “Christina has jumped in with both feet to make sure I’m doing the right things and talking to the right people,” he said. “We come up with actionable tasks each time we meet…and we might play a game or two!”
Christina helped Sean identify new target markets, build stronger outreach strategies, and connect with organizations that could support his goals. Their work paid off, as Sean is now booking events across the state and continuing to grow.
He even hosted a game session for Christina’s office, tailoring the experience to different participants with remarkable ease and intuition. As Christina put it, “Sean has an innate ability to read a room and instantly understand and facilitate games and activities to unify a group and add fun!”
Now, Sean is focused on building a reliable schedule by securing recurring clients, a step that will help ensure financial stability as The Unplugged Arcade grows. He encourages other business owners to reach out for support: “It’s always good to bounce your ideas and concerns off a professional. Why not just see what they say?”
With a blend of creativity, connection, and entrepreneurial drive, Sean is redefining what it means to unplug and play.