Have you ever dreamed of opening your own haunt? Do you have a great idea but don’t know exactly how to translate it into an actual haunted house? Are you ready to make a haunt but would feel safer with a guide? Well, I have the book for you: So You Want To Be A Haunt Entrepreneur? by Kelly Allen.
This book is for anyone interested in becoming a business entrepreneur and owning a haunted attraction. The chapters cover the following material:
- Writing an Effective Business Plan
- Developing a Haunt Theme and Storyline
- Establishing a Business Organization’s Team Members and Roles
- Safety, Fire Codes, and Security
- Advertising and Marketing
- Insurance Requirements for your Haunt
- Recruiting Fright Team Members
- A Comprehensive Resource Guide
So who is Kelly Allen and why should we trust what he has to say? Well Allen has taken the “leap of faith” into the owning and operating a haunt with Eureka Screams!, LLC and their attraction Raycliff Manor. Thus, this book is filled with examples, anecdotes, and lessons that Allen has experienced already.
So You Want To Be A Haunt Entrepreneur? is best served as a reference novel for someone starting a haunt. Think of this as a your comprehensive guide to all of the business oriented topics that relate to starting up in the haunted attraction industry. This book does not cover set designs, make-up tips, or prop making ideas (if you’re interested in that, check out The Complete Haunted House Book by Tim Harkleroad). Although the book is an interesting read for anyone interested in Haunts, I wouldn’t suggest it for a Summer Book list–no, this is meant to be read, re-read, and referenced thoroughly at each stage of the haunt-building process. Starting a haunted attraction is a scary endeavor, but also a thoroughly rewarding and exciting experience. My hope is that someone reading this article will go out and buy this book and use it to go into business for themselves. The business world is tough, and this book aims to make it easier.
The best part of this book is the examples. Allen has filled each chapter with the very examples that got Raycliff Manor started. If you’ve never written a business plan or have but want an example that works to follow, then this book is perfect. If you don’t know the difference between “General Aggregate per Event” and “Products & Completed Operations, Aggregate” when dealing with insurance, well this book explains it for you. Should you lease or buy your location, well this book can advise. Do you know how to write a press release or set up effective radio spots, well this book knows. Do you know the safety, fire codes, and security needs for a haunt, well this book sure as hell does!
The book does not lack much, but could benefit from an update in a second edition. The book was copy-written in 2005 with a final chapter added in 2006. The internet has evolved dramatically since 2006, and there are many new opportunities and mediums for advertising, support, and hiring. Furthermore, the book’s main focus is on the business aspect and although this can be applied universally across all haunts, it would be nice to have a mention of extreme haunts and immersive horror theater and how safety and insurance needs may change with these style haunts.
In summary, So You Want To Be A Haunt Entrepreneur? is an informative and useful reference book that will be an invaluable asset to anyone starting a haunted attraction on their own. Providing examples that work, advice from experience, and tips from a professional haunter, this novel should be in the collection of every hauntrepreneur.
