Turning fun into profit: Paul Baillie on Shift Arcade’s growth

What does it really take to build a profitable arcade business from scratch and scale it into a franchise? In this episode of Side Hustle to Small Business, Sanjay sits down with Paul Baillie, Co-Founder of Shift Arcade, to unpack the journey of building a modern arcade brand through bootstrapping, smart growth, and strategic franchising.   Paul shares how Shift Arcade went from a simple idea into a thriving entertainment business, the realities of funding a startup without outside investors, and the lessons learned while preparing to franchise. This conversation is packed with practical insights for entrepreneurs looking to turn passion-driven ideas into scalable businesses.   Topics include: Building an arcade business from the ground up Bootstrapping versus raising capital Creating memorable customer experiences Preparing your business model for franchising   Chapters 00:00 Introduction 2:45 Building Shift Arcade 9:41 Overcoming nerves 12:18 Expanding the business 19:19 Advice for other entrepreneurs 21:02 Closing and contact   Learn more about Shift Arcade at https://shiftarcade.com/   At Hiscox, we believe in supporting entrepreneurs who bring bold ideas and strong communities to life. Explore resources and coverage options to help protect and grow your business at Hiscox.com.   #franchising #bootstrapping #startupjourney