Chamber Insider Blog

Thank you to Exit Plan , an Escape Room Adventure for answering a few of our questions.
Congratulations on being named a finalist for Loudoun Destination Business of the Year! 

The 24th Annual Loudoun Small Business Awards will be on November 1, 2018 – Tickets/More Info Here

1. Tell us your story of how your company got to where it is today? (300 words or less).

EXIT Plan started very humbly with one escape room and one employee.After completing a few escape rooms in the DC area, It became immediately clear that an entertainment venue of this type was missing Loudoun. We began to grow as soon as we opened and through grass roots advertising and door to door engagements, we understood that the Loudoun public wanted more. This success led us to build a second room followed by increasing our leased space and creating two more rooms. In less than a year we went from one room and one employee to four rooms and upwards of 15 employees at any given time. We grew our business by concentrating on the customer and their experience and by relying on our personal skill sets to better our workplace and the environment for our employees.

2. What would it mean to you and your company to win a Small Business Award?

Winning a Small Business Award would bring recognition and realization that all of the hard work by the owners and the employees has paid off.

3. If you weren’t running your own business/working at this business, what would you be doing?

I have an extensive background in the military and in law enforcement. If not running my own business I would probably return to some law enforcement agency.

4. What book are you reading right now? / What is your favorite book?

I am reading Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee.My favorite book has always been A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle.

5. If you have 24-hours off, and your family was out of town, what would you do?

Catch up on some sleep and possibly go see a movie I might have missed.

6. What is the smallest thing that has made the largest impact on your business?

Attention to the smallest of details in our rooms. Some of the items that we obsess about are unnoticeable to the public; however, in the context of the whole, the experience that those details provide has returned rave reviews and guaranteed return customers.

7. What did you want to be when you grew up as a child? / What was a childhood dream that you had?

I wanted to be a fighter pilot in the Navy.I guess becoming a Navy SEAL would have to do.

8. Who is the one person that has influenced you the most in your career?

My dad, Tex Hardy, his work ethic was the strongest of any one I have ever seen. He worked hard at everything he did and did so right up to his passing.

9. What is your favorite thing about running a business in Loudoun County?

Meeting and interacting with all of our awesome customers.We see hundreds of new faces every week. Leaving them happy and amazed at what we do provides the energy to keep us moving forward.

10. If you’re not in the office where can we find you?

Watching our son play lacrosse.

11. What is your favorite weekend activity in Loudoun County?

Visiting all of the breweries, wineries and new restaurants that are popping up every week. Loudoun offers an endless amount of options when it comes to libations and food.