#713 – Mikkel Bertelsen | 2022 Survivor Champion and Mega Game Board Inventor – Klask

Sevan Matossian (00:00):

Bam. We’re live. I want to hear you say it. So maybe I get the pronunciation with the proper cultural chutzpah.

Mikkel Bertelsen (00:08):

<laugh>. It’s, uh, Miel Baden. Miel. Yeah. Kind of like an, uh, not nickel, but miel.

Sevan Matossian (00:16):

Miel. Nickel. Nickel. Like pickle pickle. Nickel, nickel,

Mikkel Bertelsen (00:21):

<laugh>. Yeah, exactly.

Sevan Matossian (00:22):

Nickel. I love a good pickle nickel. Uh, welcome to the show. Thanks for doing this, brother.

Mikkel Bertelsen (00:28):

Thank you very much for inviting me. Uh, yeah, it’s really exciting.

Sevan Matossian (00:33):

I have a, I have a tough name too. My name is Savon, like the number seven, but Savon.

Mikkel Bertelsen (00:37):

Yeah. What’s that? Uh, um, where are you from?

Sevan Matossian (00:40):

Uh, our, my both my parents are Armenian.

Mikkel Bertelsen (00:43):

Oh, okay. Okay. That’s where the name is from Ish.

Sevan Matossian (00:45):

Yeah. And there’s a, um, lake in Armenia, uh, called Lake Seon.

Mikkel Bertelsen (00:50):

Ah, okay.

Sevan Matossian (00:52):

And that is how I ended up as me. Um, before we start, uh, we have a bunch of live viewers. I wanna show them, um, this, uh, this game that you have invented, created, innovated, uh, put your heart and soul into here. Here we go. Here we go. Here we go.

Mikkel Bertelsen (01:13):

Yes.

Sevan Matossian (01:17):

The name of the game is Clak.

Mikkel Bertelsen (01:20):

Yes.

Sevan Matossian (01:22):

And, uh, nickel, uh, created this game. How many years ago?

Mikkel Bertelsen (01:26):

Uh, eight years ago now.

Sevan Matossian (01:28):

Wow. Um, does it seem like eight years, or does it seem like yesterday?

Mikkel Bertelsen (01:32):

It seems like eight years.

Sevan Matossian (01:34):

It does. <laugh>.

Mikkel Bertelsen (01:36):

<laugh>.

Sevan Matossian (01:38):

Um, and it’s kind of interesting because you’re still introducing it to the world, right?

Mikkel Bertelsen (01:45):

Uh, yes. We kind of have introduced it to most of the world. We are now selling it in 42 countries. Wow. Yeah. And we have sold now 800,000 pieces, 800,000 copies.

Sevan Matossian (02:00):

Oh my goodness.

Mikkel Bertelsen (02:02):

Yeah. Yeah. That’s a lot.

Sevan Matossian (02:03):

Um, nickel, is it the same distributor, um, out of Italy that’s always been the same distributor for you?

Mikkel Bertelsen (02:10):

Uh, out of Italy.

Sevan Matossian (02:14):

Oh, so you have different, so you have different distributors all over?

Mikkel Bertelsen (02:17):

Yeah, we have, uh, I kind of, uh, sold my soul, or what do you call it? Uh, through a finish. You know, the country, Finland, Uhhuh <affirmative> in the Nordic. Um, I, I signed up a contract with two Brothers eight years ago, and they have the, uh, worldwide distribution rights.

Sevan Matossian (02:36):

Oh, okay. Fantastic. So my, my research was off. Did you start with an Italian company?

Mikkel Bertelsen (02:42):

Uh, nope. I have always been with the finished one. Uh, that’s the only company that been with, but they have, uh, then, uh, start up business with a lot of, uh, distributors all over. Italian distributor, um, German distributor, um, American distributor, English distributor, a lot of distributors all over the world.

Sevan Matossian (03:03):

Wow. I wanna, I wanna play one more video for, so the people at home can, can really, can, uh, really see this. Here we go. This is, uh, from, uh, the class game Instagram account. And here’s a short video on the rules of the game. Check this out, guys.

Mikkel Bertelsen (03:17):

Yeah.

Sevan Matossian (03:19):

Oh, whoops. Let me take two

Speaker 3 (03:21):

Seconds. This is class. I’m Kev, just Kev, inaugural world champ. And in the next 60 seconds I’m gonna show you how to play class. The fast action skill dexterity game from the cheerful pub of Denmark, and with players engaged in an ethnic magnetic battle. To be the first to score six points, players maneuver their striker from beneath the board. The aim of the game is to shoot the ball into the goal of your opponent and score a point. Well look out for these little white magnetic guys we call biscuits. Get two of them attached to you. And it’s a point for your opponent. Draw your striker into your own goal or class, and it’s a point for your opponent. And don’t get too excited and lose control. Cuz if your opponent captures you, they’ll score a point. After each point, you’ll reset the board, and whoever lost the point will decide to serve from the corner of their choice. Class is just that simple and a lot more fun when you win. You just gotta play it.

Sevan Matossian (04:25):

You got a guy with an American accent. That was the inaugural world champ, huh?

Mikkel Bertelsen (04:29):

Yeah. Who’s the Rita?

Sevan Matossian (04:31):

Um, I have, so when I came across you, I bought the four person set.

Mikkel Bertelsen (04:36):

Okay.

Sevan Matossian (04:37):

Because I have three little boys.

Mikkel Bertelsen (04:39):

Yeah.

Sevan Matossian (04:40):

They absolutely love the game.

Mikkel Bertelsen (04:43):

Okay. So you, uh, but you don’t have the two player game?

Sevan Matossian (04:45):

I don’t.

Mikkel Bertelsen (04:47):

Oh, okay. Okay. You should grab that as well, because of course, the four player game is also, uh, very funny. But, uh, the two player game is, uh, a lot more, what do you call it? Um, uh, uh, what do you call it? Uh, in English? Uh, I don’t know. Uh, but it’s very much, uh, you get much more excited with the two player game. I would say.

Sevan Matossian (05:10):

You know, what I was thinking about doing, I was thinking about piggybacking off of your invention and getting, um, rich by inventing these little round felt pieces that I could put, set in the holes of two of the players. So when I’m using the four player board, I can turn it into a two-player board.

Mikkel Bertelsen (05:27):

Yeah. But, uh, sivan, uh, I

Sevan Matossian (05:30):

Don’t ruin my idea from one inventor to another. Don’t ruin my idea nickel.

Mikkel Bertelsen (05:35):

But the, but, but the thing is that, uh, the, the, the board is, uh, is, is completely level. So if you block the two holes, then the ball and the small white ones can still end up at, uh, the two other, what do you call it? Halves. So it’s kind of difficult to play like that. In the beginning, we made the game and, uh, we had some demo models made in China with, in 3D printing where we had the, the board leaning down.

Sevan Matossian (06:02):

Okay.

Mikkel Bertelsen (06:03):

And that was actually be, because then you could block one or two holes, and then you could play, and the ball would always end in the middle. So you would also already, you would at all time be able to still play the ball. But yeah, so it’s gonna be difficult. Uh, we have heard, we have had a lot of suggestions like that, so, and it was too expensive to produce, uh, with the surface going down. So we ended up saying, okay, it’s a four player, you have to be four people. That’s it.

Sevan Matossian (06:34):

Um, it, it’s, it’s really is a, um, a beautiful game. I ordered it and I was, I was really, uh, impressed. It is, you know, it’s, it’s, it’s these just classic magnetic pieces, uh, that look, you know, like small bowling pin sort of. And then, and then a, uh, beautiful board. Are you pretty darn proud of how that thing turned out?

Mikkel Bertelsen (06:55):

Yeah. Uh, yes I am because, uh, yeah, it’s also made in, in plywood, uh, birch plywood, which is, uh, a nice color and, and the shape itself. Uh, and it actually ended up being that shape because that was the only way I could get room for the arm and the hand to, to be able to move all over the game. I, I, I, I couldn’t just put four legs on the game, so it had to do like a different kind of, uh, design. And I kind of think that it ended up pretty nice, the design. So yeah, I really like it.

Sevan Matossian (07:30):

What’s, what’s the penalty? Um, nickel if someone moves the, moves the board. So, you know, you’re playing with some aggressive players. It’s a four player game, and if someone actually moves the board, is that against the rules? You know, like when they get too aggressive and they move the board,

Mikkel Bertelsen (07:45):

Uh, that’s, that’s, that’s against the rules. But, uh, that’s, we don’t have like kind of a, a rule for that ish. So when we play world championship, we have the board, uh, drilled down to a, like, to a table, so it’s impossible to move it. So we will avoid situations like that when we play world championship.

Sevan Matossian (08:06):

Ah-ha. And yes, people, there are world championships in that guy. In the original video was, um, the world champion. Um, so Mikel, where, where were you, uh, Mickel? Where were you born?

Mikkel Bertelsen (08:19):

Uh, in Denmark

Sevan Matossian (08:22):

And, uh, b born and raised. And you’ve never left?

Mikkel Bertelsen (08:26):

Born and raised and never left. Only when I am traveling around to show the game on conventions in US and, uh, other places in the world.

Sevan Matossian (08:35):

And, and, and what were you like as a, what were you like as a, as a young man? What were, what were your interests?

Mikkel Bertelsen (08:41):

I was actually, I was, um, uh, I started being an auto mechanic, but, uh, as soon as I graduated with that, I kind of figured out that I would like to start my own business. And it was difficult to start your own, um, what do you call auto mechanic business, because then you need a lot of, uh, money to start that up. So I started up with, uh, like a carpenter instead, and I was like a carpenter for a year for, uh, an elderly guy. And then after that year, I kind enough started my own carpenter business together with a friend, and I have had that business for 15 years. And, uh, together with this friend doing all kind of carboning roofing, new houses, kitchens, floors. And then I figured this game out class, I had some other inventions that I did before classs. And my wife said to me, Miko, isn’t it about time that you stop doing these small inventions? Because every time that I, that I get an idea, it takes a lot of time and it costs a lot of money. And so I’ve done a few things that hasn’t gone wild and just cost money and stuff. But then one day with hangover in my garden, I was, uh, was the sun was shining. I was with my kids

Sevan Matossian (10:01):

Hangover. Meaning you had a little too many drinks the night before?

Mikkel Bertelsen (10:04):

Yes, exactly. Okay. Because my head is a little bit the day after. Yeah. So, uh, I thought I would like to do something fun for the family, and then I had, uh, another magnet from another invention and a piece of cardboard and a cho prop, and I put the magnet in the choose prop, and I could control all, all of a sudden the magnet on the other side, and I, it went over the itch class Classic is like slap in English, and that’s why the name is like that. And then another magnet got stuck to it. And I thought, ah, so then I kind of, uh, and then I went to my garage and fixed the game in, in plywood. And, uh, yeah. And then it went from there and I actually, I, I gave the game to my neighbor, uh, and asked, uh, if he could try to play with his family and, and tell me what you think.

(10:56):

And then he actually, the next day, uh, he said, oh, it’s a fun game, Miel. And, uh, and then, uh, some years after, I actually talked with him and he said, uh, that he never played the game. He actually didn’t play the game, but either way, I knew at that time that I had something special, uh, in my hands. So yeah, so I went all in and sold my company, sold my half of the companies for my friend, and then I signed up for a, a tournament in, or, uh, what do you call it? A, some kind of convention in, in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. And then, uh, I won the juris special price for New Thinking and new Design. And then these two finished products, they, um, they kind of, uh, uh, yeah, took contact with me and then, uh, we, we started the, the collaboration and, uh, we signed a contract some days later. So,

Sevan Matossian (11:55):

So early on, um, in, in the project, um, you brought in a partner of 50% ownership, is that what you said?

Mikkel Bertelsen (12:04):

No, uh, in my, when I was a carpenter, I had my, uh, a company with a friend and then

Sevan Matossian (12:10):

Oh, okay. Yeah.

Mikkel Bertelsen (12:11):

And then when I figured out, when I got the idea for K class and I could see that it was growing, then I sold my half of the company to my friend. Okay. And then I went all in with K Clak. And, uh, so, and I, the only thing that I’m working together with now is the finished company who has the, uh, worldwide distribution rights. They have the rights to produce marketing and sell the game worldwide.

Sevan Matossian (12:37):

Wow. And, and, and you have kids?

Mikkel Bertelsen (12:40):

I have two kids, yeah.

Sevan Matossian (12:41):

And how old are your kids?

Mikkel Bertelsen (12:43):

Uh, 12 and 13.

Sevan Matossian (12:47):

And, and so when you, um, when you go to these conventions, what their, their game, their game like board conventions?

Mikkel Bertelsen (12:54):

Yeah, they are massive, uh, board game conventions in, uh, Indianapolis and all over US and in Germany. The biggest one I think is in Germany in Uhon, where they are like, it’s giant, uh, convention full of, uh, old games, uh, very known games and legal and, uh, Casa of Humanity and, and et cetera. And then also around a thousand new games every year.

Sevan Matossian (13:26):

Wow.

Mikkel Bertelsen (13:27):

Yeah.

Sevan Matossian (13:29):

The, the, um, this, this invention group of people, these people who like create things and then try to set them out in the world and see if they catch fire. It must be a very interesting group of people. Um, uh, I’m get quirky, creative and, and also dreamers. Right. But I’m guessing it’s very few that, um, have the success you have.

Mikkel Bertelsen (13:49):

Yeah. I must admit that I think that I was, I, I’m, I’m kind of a lucky guy. I, it’s, it’s not that many, I, I don’t know how many percent, uh, that every year, because these thousand games, that new games that comes to ASN every year, I think that may be under 10% of them will be at the convention next year. So it’s, uh, it’s, it’s, it’s difficult to hit the, uh, hit the one game. Uh, but it is, it is, it’s a fun crowd. Uh, after all these eight years here, I’ve, I’ve kind of got to know a lot of, uh, the game designers and they are super fun people and all the, the whole industry is super nice and fun and, uh, people are so nice and they also party a lot. And I also like to party, uh, a bit. So, uh, it’s, it’s kind of a nice industry, uh, to walk into and with creative people and yeah.

Sevan Matossian (14:47):

Um, once the game takes off and you, and you sell it to these, uh, the distribution rights to these finished guys, why do you still keep going to the conventions? Is there some sort of promotion there? I would, I’m, I’m imagining the conventions are where people go to try to find, um, investors or distributors.

Mikkel Bertelsen (15:03):

Yeah, exactly. Uh, it’s normally the, the big distributors that go to these conventions and some of the conventions is also open to public, where people just come with their families and spend the whole weekend there, just play games from morning to tonight. And, uh, but again, yes, there’s a lot of business going on as well, where I remember once when we were one of the first conventions in Chicago actually, um, um, [inaudible] is the convention’s name. Um, and we had a small booth there, and, uh, and I asked the defense, uh, isn’t it expensive to be here? I guess they said, but, uh, we need to be out here to be discovered. And then, uh, at some point, um, the buyer from Target sat down and played the game, and we didn’t even know that it was the buyer from Target. And then, I can’t remember how many days, uh, later or if it was the same day, then we got asked from this buyer on an email.

(15:59):

I think that if we would like to be on the shelf, uh, in 1,800, uh, target shop store. Wow. Wow. Yeah. So, yeah. So that was, that’s, that’s what the convention is also about, and it’s like for the, for the buyers to find new games, because if you are a distributor or, uh, as this guy, uh, who was the buyer from Target, if he’s the man that finds the new monopoly and put it on the shelf of, uh, his stores or sell it to stores or whatever, then uh, then it can be a good business. So that’s, that’s what it’s all about on East Convention, that that’s also what it’s about too. Yeah. To find, to find the game.

Sevan Matossian (16:42):

Um, uh, Miel, um, did, did that deal actually go through, did it end up on the shelves at Target?

Mikkel Bertelsen (16:48):

Yeah, we ended up at Target for I think four years. We were on the shelf at Target, and then they unfortunately switched, uh, buyer. So then when the next buyer for Target, uh, got in, then, uh, yeah, she didn’t like, uh, class as much as the other guy since it was like his baby, his invention or his, his, uh, his found or or what call it his discovery.

Sevan Matossian (17:14):

Yeah,

Mikkel Bertelsen (17:14):

His discovery. Yeah. And, uh, and it classicus also, uh, kind of a, it’s, it’s a big game. It, it’s not foldable yet, so it, it kind of shakes up, uh, a lot of, uh, shelf space and that’s, you know, business, uh, you can have one class game there, or three class games on this shelf, but you can have 300, uh, games of Uno, uh, so you can have a lot more Yeah. Money on the shelf, uh, with, uh, with a smaller game than class. So, uh, yeah, so, so we, we end up, uh, leaving Target after four years, which was kind of a shame, but, uh, then we, we started putting a lot of energy on Amazon. So, uh, now the Fins has, uh, they’re doing a, a lot of business now with Amazon selling directly to the consumers, which

Sevan Matossian (18:08):

Is very interest. That’s how I got it.

Mikkel Bertelsen (18:10):

Yeah, exactly. And that’s also, it’s, it’s a fun platform. It’s the biggest platform in the world, of course, but, but you can kind of control it yourself, uh, with how much money you would spend on marketing. As soon as you sell the game to Target or Walmart or whatever, then they are in charge of, uh, what the price should be for the product and if there should be a, a discount code or whatever. And, and, and how the marketing is, is run is also up to them. But when you’re selling it yourself through Amazon, then you can kind of be your own, be your own bus over the game, and, uh, and put as money as you want, as much money as you want after the game in terms of marketing and stuff. So, yeah, it’s very

Sevan Matossian (18:57):

Exciting. Did you, did you get mugged or robbed when you were in Chicago?

Mikkel Bertelsen (19:01):

No, uh,

Sevan Matossian (19:02):

No. Oh, you need to go back and visit again then you, you didn’t get the, uh, full experience.

Mikkel Bertelsen (19:08):

I’ve been there a lot actually, uh, in Chicago for these conventions, uh, and, and other conventions and, and, and, and I, and I heard after a few years going there that it was, I don’t know if, uh, I don’t know think it’s, it’s the most criminal, uh, state in us, but, uh, it’s it’s one of them, right?

Sevan Matossian (19:28):

Yeah. Well, the thing, the thing is this, is that the crime usually just takes place in certain areas and, and it, and it really, if you don’t go into those areas, you’re fine, but yes, it is, um, it is a, it is the exact, um, way you run a city if you want to, uh, cause chaos, the, the way they run that city is to cause the most amount of chaos It is. Um, yeah. And, and they’re, they’re doing an experiment here starting January 1st. That’s gonna be completely mind wa uh, boggling. Put Chicago into your Google alerts and watch the city fall under, they’re, they’re basically gonna make it so that if you crimes, I, I know this is gonna sound unbelievable to you, but they’re gonna make it so even crimes like second degree murder. Yeah. Um, that they can’t hold you for more than 48 hours. I mean, it’s, it is, it is complete bonkers what they’re about to do there starting January 1st.

Mikkel Bertelsen (20:20):

Oh, I heard about that. Yeah. That sounds, that sounds a bit crazy.

Sevan Matossian (20:24):

It, it <laugh>. It is, uh, it is, uh, um, it is, it is something else. I don’t, I don’t mean to get that, uh, that smut on your game. Uh, class is an amazing game. Um, we’re in this era of, uh, electronics and, and, and people, you know, looking down at their phones and, uh, you know, people spending their time. Is it, I mean, pornography and just like, just, uh, any, anything that’s on their phone. I mean, that’s what you’re competing with, right? Yeah. And yet you have this, you’ve invented this archaic game using this, this element called wood. You’re using <laugh> <laugh> to make it is, um, what are, are, are you proud of this? I mean, just like, it, it, there’s a con there’s a contribution element just to humanity.

Mikkel Bertelsen (21:11):

Yeah. I, I’m, I’m very proud of it. Uh, and it’s, uh, it’s, it’s a, it’s a very big pleasure every time we are at a convention to see how kids are sitting down playing with their parents or grandparents or friends or sisters or brothers. It’s, and, and are having fun. It’s, uh, it’s, it’s, I’m very proud of it. And also sometimes at these conventions, people are walking by and we are asking, and we ask them, Hey, do we wanna play? No, it’s not a game for us. And then we sometimes try, we persuade them, and then they, uh, they sit down and then after a few minutes, they are actually having so much fun. And that’s, that’s actually the best when we persuade people to sit down, play the game, and they, and they say, it’s not my kind of game. And then they sit down and they have a laugh, and then they, uh, sometimes also buy the game and walk on. So yeah, I’m proud of the game. Uh, and, and it’s, uh, I, I also think that with all this phone and computer and stuff, it’s a lot of parents, they like to buy this games, uh, this game because it might get their kids away from the phone just for five minutes or 10 minutes. And, uh, yeah.

Sevan Matossian (22:21):

What, what’s the most popular game of all time and how many has it sold? Do you know? The most popular board game?

Mikkel Bertelsen (22:27):

I don’t know, but, uh, must be Monopoly or, yeah, Kaan maybe. I don’t know. I, I actually, I’m not that much of a ball game. Uh, I have only played like Monopoly and, and Ludo and Uno and stuff before I invented this game. So it’s kind of strange how I ended up in this business, because I’m not a, I’m not a ball gamer, actually.

Sevan Matossian (22:53):

Uh, it says, um, this says Chess was the first played around, uh, chess is, let’s see, top selling board game of all time. What, what’s the second, Caleb? What’s the, what’s the list of all time bestselling? I mean, is it crazy numbers? Is it like a hundred mil? Have, like, do you think like a hundred million monopoly sets have been sold?

Mikkel Bertelsen (23:11):

I have no idea.

Sevan Matossian (23:14):

Um, your, your first deal was with, um, is, is it Carlsburg, the beer company?

Mikkel Bertelsen (23:21):

Yes. It was actually my wife, who that was before the, the contract with the Fins. Uh, then my wife said to me, because I started making the games myself actually in Denmark, which was pretty expensive to produce, but I, I started up, and then I sold it on my own little whip shop. And then my wife said to me, middle, this is also a bar game. Ah, I said, then I contacted Coburg. And at that time, uh, that must be maybe seven and a half year ago, it was a little bit easier to get in contact with, with Burg. I think today it’s, I don’t know, it’s, I think it’s pretty difficult to, to get, to get a meeting with, with Burg, but I had a meeting with them and they loved the game, and they loved it because they are not allowed to do, uh, anything with a game that, um, that, that puts your mind into, uh, gambling or drinking. And they said that this is actually doing both without doing it. So they, uh, they love the game so much that I think they, they ordered the 1,250 before I got home. I had a mail from them.

Sevan Matossian (24:29):

Crazy. Um, I don’t, I don’t know if you just saw those numbers. Will you pull those up again, Caleb? It said 50 billion sets of checkers. 50 billion. Wow. Yeah, there’s only 8 billion people on the planet. And then it’s, I think it said a monopoly was 275 million sets.

Mikkel Bertelsen (24:47):

Okay. Yeah. Crazy. I came, I like chess. Uh, that’s, I think that’s open for crap or what you call it. Uh, for example, with klas, I have the, I have the rights for klas. Uh, but, but I came like, uh, chills. Uh, I think, uh, that’s, that’s, that’s

Sevan Matossian (25:07):

The friend and anyone can make it and sell it.

Mikkel Bertelsen (25:09):

Yeah. Yeah. I think so. Yeah.

Sevan Matossian (25:12):

Um, so, so how do you make the, when you get that order, is it part of you go into a panic, like how, Hey, how am I gonna make 1300 classic sets?

Mikkel Bertelsen (25:20):

Yeah, it was actually, yeah. And, and that was, uh, fun because, uh, I had the whole family help me, uh, my, my father and mother and my, uh, mother and father-in-law and my wife and, and the kids. We were all like helping and we were showing these bags and yeah, cleaning the velvet and, uh, and all the, the plastic things. Uh, I had them, uh, like, I don’t know what you call, oh, that you put, it was drill,

Sevan Matossian (25:50):

A drill pr a drill,

Mikkel Bertelsen (25:52):

Yeah. I don’t know what you call it. Like you phrased it, or, or it was like made in Denmark, all these, uh, pieces, the black ones on the bottom and the black ones on the top. And I was like, uh, having this, uh, table where I drilled holes and put magnets in, and then a piece of, uh, non-magnetic ma metal on top. And then I put the magnets on, and then I had these small, uh, black ones and hammer, and that was, uh, so it, it took a lot of time to make all these, uh, games for Carlsburg. And actually I was working the, the whole night, and they came the next morning with, uh, with a big truck and yeah. And took all these, uh, I can’t remember how, how many pellets, 25 pallets with games. Oh,

Sevan Matossian (26:40):

Yeah. Any, did you get any injuries from that o overwork injuries, you know, like a tendonitis or a back pain or

Mikkel Bertelsen (26:48):

<laugh>? I actually had a bad shoulder for, for a lot of month after that because I was standing them, I was hand sanding them with a machine, and I was standing like in, in a, in a bad position. And I, there was no way that I could change the position or, or make it more comfortable for me because the time was just, uh, against me. So, uh, yeah, actually I had a kind of a sore shoulder for, for a month or two after that, but it was worth it.

Sevan Matossian (27:14):

Yeah. 1300. And you made those all in that little wood shop that we see in your videos?

Mikkel Bertelsen (27:18):

Yeah. Yeah.

Sevan Matossian (27:20):

Wow. That is nuts.

Mikkel Bertelsen (27:23):

Yeah. Yeah. That was nuts. Uh, it was very nuts, but it was, it was a fun start. Uh, when you, when you do business like that, when you, when the whole family is involved. And we had a cold beer and coffee and somebody grabbed some pizza, and we were like, working the whole night. It was that, that’s a, that’s a nice start. I think that’s how all entrepreneurs should start.

Sevan Matossian (27:46):

Um, uh, miel, um, these p those pieces, what’s, do you have a name for the one on top?

Mikkel Bertelsen (27:53):

Uh, they call it the, the Striker

Sevan Matossian (27:55):

Stryker. And, and, and what’s the magnet on the bottom called?

Mikkel Bertelsen (27:59):

Uh, the handle.

Sevan Matossian (28:00):

Handle. And are those repurposed from something else? Like, did you find, like when you worked on cars, was that something you saw, or are those repurposed from somewhere? Or those are, those are invented for this game.

Mikkel Bertelsen (28:15):

They were actually invented for this game because, uh, in the beginning when I actually, when I sold it to Carlsburg, it was only like the magnet and then with a, with a plastic thing around the magnet with no antenna. But then I, when I start selling, uh, on, on online and stuff, and then I, I ask this guy or this company, uh, something about rules and regulations, uh, on, uh, that, that there can be no toxic in the plastic and no toxic in the wood. And, and the magnets are so strong that they’re actually dangerous. If you swallow one of these, uh, magnets, the big ones, and you swallow another one, I know that’s, uh, might be impossible if, but if you do, then they can actually get stuck in your, yeah. What, what, what are these called? Uh,

Sevan Matossian (29:04):

Like your intestine or your colon or something and pinch it together. Pinch two walls together.

Mikkel Bertelsen (29:09):

Yeah. And then you can actually, I’ve heard this, you can end up dying from that. So, and that was actually the reason why I had to, we have this small thing. It’s, uh, we call it a choker, a, a check choker, where you can, if you, if you have a strong magnet that is stronger, uh, than some point, then some, uh, what do you call it? Uh, strength level? Yeah. If it’s stronger than that, then it cannot, it has to not fit in this small tube. So I had to, I had to figure something out and uh, if I, if I just put a handle on top, it would be too heavy because then it would be, be like dangling around or what you called it. So I had to like, get it high so it, so it wouldn’t be able to swallow for a little kid, but then also without, uh, that much weight. So that is why I ended up, uh, with this little, uh, small.

The above transcript is generated using AI technology and therefore may contain errors.

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