For nearly three decades, Jerry Benson worked in manufacturing, overseeing daily operations and managing production teams. While he developed valuable skills in these roles, he found himself looking for a new venture. Something focused on hospitality and excitement. After visiting Escapology with his daughter, Benson began to see the 100-plus-unit escape room franchise as a compelling investment opportunity. 

Benson opened his first location in the Wisconsin Dells area in late 2024 and found quick success. In less than six months, he reached critical operational milestones that allowed him to step back from the business and oversee operations rather than execute them each day, and his experience in this phase made the business's scalability immediately clear to him. So, less than a year later, he entered into a multi-unit development agreement with Escapology, committing to growth in the Milwaukee market as well. Now, Benson has a second unit under construction in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, and is continuing his Wisconsin expansion with a secured lease in the Brookfield area. 

Benson took the time to chat with 1851 Franchise to discuss all of this and more. Here’s what he had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Jerry Benson: I was a supervisor in manufacturing for about 27 years, which gave me a lot of leadership experience. Transitioning to franchising was a big change, but I was able to apply many of the tools and skills I took from that industry to the escape room world, and it has been incredibly handy. My wife is also a very successful business owner who owns a real estate company with a couple of partners. Watching her success inspired me; I had always poured my heart into my manufacturing job, and this felt like the right new opportunity for me to step into business ownership.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Benson: Before franchising, I spent nearly three decades in manufacturing management. The pivot toward franchising actually started when I experienced an Escapology location in Verona with my daughter. I thought it was really cool, and I began researching the brand and watching the industry for probably a year before we officially jumped in. 

I researched Escapology and looked at neighboring escape rooms until I felt very comfortable that there was a high volume of traffic capable of supporting this kind of venture. Eventually, my wife looked at me and said, "Either we've got to move forward in the franchise process, or you've got to stop talking about it." So, I said, "All right, let's do it." 

After 27 years in one place, it was simply time for a change.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Benson: Coming from manufacturing, it’s a completely different atmosphere. Not everybody is always happy to come into a manufacturing facility every day. In franchising with Escapology, it’s a total shift. You see all these people who are genuinely excited to walk through your doors. It is a highly rewarding experience to build something from the ground up, maintain a five-star image, and see guests leave happy.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Benson: The quality of the escape rooms is what stands out. The fit, the finish, and the overall quality of our rooms are top-level. While brand recognition definitely helps, we see a massive amount of first-time escape room players who come to our location, do one room, and instantly book another one. I’ve even had guests play six rooms in a single day. The growth and development I’ve seen since we signed our franchise agreement in April 2024 has been phenomenal.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Benson: We opened our first location in the Wisconsin Dells in December 2024. By August 2025, we hit a major milestone where I was able to comfortably take a step back and let our manager run daily operations, which gave us the confidence to scale. In October, we signed a multi-unit agreement for the Milwaukee area. We are currently working on our second location in Wisconsin, with our third location lease also very close to being finalized.

1851: How will your approach in Milwaukee differ from your first location in Wisconsin Dells?

Benson: The Milwaukee venue will be slightly bigger. While the Dells has seven rooms, our second location will feature eight rooms and a couple of different game selections. The biggest difference will be the traffic. The Dells is highly seasonal. It’s extremely busy in the summer but quiet at certain points of the year. Milwaukee will offer more consistent, steady traffic all year round, which will make staffing and operations a bit easier. Otherwise, our core approach remains exactly the same: focus on excellent guest hospitality and show the customers a great time so they want to come back.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Benson: If you are on the fence and considering it, just take the dive and do it. It’s a great product, the system is growing rapidly, and I have absolutely no regrets. We feel like we definitely made a good decision.

About Escapology

Escapology is the world's largest escape room franchise and a leading immersive entertainment brand, offering premium, always-private escape room experiences for families, friends, corporate groups and special events. Founded in 2014, Escapology features more than 20 original and licensed game experiences, including partnerships with globally recognized entertainment brands, combining cinematic storytelling, immersive environments and challenging puzzles. With locations across North America and around the world, Escapology continues to redefine the escape room industry through innovation, hospitality and unforgettable guest experiences. 

For more information, visit Escapology.com.