Patrick Bridgeman

Patrick Bridgeman was inspired by his entrepreneurial parents to start his own business. He founded The Game Room Club, a venue similar to Top Golf, but for gamers, where they can be entertained, educated, and establish a community through world-class, shareable, gaming-related experiences. "Providing for my family keeps me motivated to work on my business day-to-day."

A significant challenge Patrick faced was figuring out how to showcase his product and drive revenue without substantial funding. "I was able to overcome by lots of brainstorming and talking to potential users to get feedback."

Clinton | MB

Founder, The Game Room Club

Patrick received crucial help from Alexandra T. of HP, who assisted him in preparing his pitch for the 2024 HP x Sky's The Limit Fuel The Dream event. Her guidance and support were instrumental in helping Patrick secure second place in the competition, resulting in a $3,000 grant for his business. "As a result of her efforts I came in second in the competition and won a $3,000 grant for my business."

The funding from the competition has been used to support marketing efforts and purchase additional equipment for The Game Room Club, driving the business forward. Initially, Patrick wanted to seek outside equity funding, but he is currently bootstrapping his business. "Alexandra helped me to refine my pitch for the HP x Sky's The Limit Fuel The Dream Event where I came in second place."

Managing time between business and personal life has been a challenge for Patrick. "I'll be honest, I focus the majority of my time working on my business in hopes that I'll have more time for the other aspects later on."

Patrick also wants to thank Bo Ghirardelli, Sky’s the Limit’s Co-Founder, President & CEO, for being a constant encouraging voice and Anne Talavera, Sky’s the Limit’s Senior Community Manager, for her communications and updates.

Patrick advises new entrepreneurs to "never stop learning and don't be afraid to try things. It's ok to fail, just do it fast and get it out of the way so that you can learn what works."