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Yesterday, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Steven Shortino, the CEO of iSmash, to learn more about his incredible journey. What started as a skeptical curiosity about rage rooms quickly turned into a nationwide business empire. Now, Steven has built the largest and fastest-growing rage room franchise in the country. This is his story.
From Skeptic to Founder
In 2017, Steven was just 21 years old, bouncing between odd jobs, unsure of what career path to take. Then a friend showed him a video of people breaking objects inside a rage room. At the time, there were only about 10 to 20 of these businesses in the U.S.
“At first, I thought there was no way people were actually paying for this”
How to Start a Profitable Rage Room in 2025
Steven recalls.
“But the more I looked into it, the more I realized there was something here.”
After extensive research, Steven decided to take a leap and launch his own rage room. In 2018, he opened his first location in Rochester, NY—a modest 2,200-square-foot facility. The business took time to gain traction, but after a year, it became profitable, proving that the concept had legs.
The Turning Point
The real breakthrough came in late 2019 when the business started generating serious revenue. Then, the pandemic hit. Forced to shut down for four months, Steven feared the worst. But when he reopened, demand skyrocketed beyond anything he had seen before.
That surge in demand pushed Steven to expand. In May 2021, he opened a second location in Syracuse. Around the same time, a franchise development company approached him with a proposal: take iSmash nationwide.
“I had always thought about franchising,” Steven says. “But I wasn’t expecting to do it so soon. Then I realized—if I said no, someone else would do it first.”
Scaling iSmash
Steven took the plunge, and in 2023, iSmash launched its franchise program. It started small, but in just a year, it exploded from 13 locations to 68—and it’s still growing.
What makes iSmash stand out? According to Steven, it’s all about execution. While other rage rooms remain small, local businesses, iSmash has perfected a scalable model. The franchise provides:
- A Proven Playbook – Franchisees follow a step-by-step system that accelerates profitability.
- Supply Chain Solutions – One of the biggest challenges for independent rage room owners is sourcing breakables. iSmash has national distribution partnerships.
- Marketing & Support – From site selection to real estate and funding, iSmash provides a full suite of services to help franchisees succeed.
Why iSmash Works
“A lot of people want to start a business, but they don’t want to go through the trial-and-error phase,” Steven explains. “Franchising lets them plug into a system that already works.”
The financials back up the success. Startup costs range from $300,000 to $500,000, and many franchisees recoup their investment within a year. Some locations generate over $900,000 annually with a 30% profit margin.
The Future of iSmash
With 68 locations and counting, Steven has his sights set on 100. But he’s not stopping there. He envisions iSmash as not just the leader in rage rooms but a pioneer in AI-driven franchise operations.
“We’re bringing AI into our business in ways most retail companies haven’t,” he says. “From AI-powered customer interactions to data-driven decision-making, we’re setting ourselves up for long-term success.”
Want to Be Part of the Growth?
For those interested in joining the rage room industry, iSmash is leading the way. Visit ismashfranchise.com to learn more about available franchise opportunities.
Steven’s journey from skeptical 21-year-old to CEO of the fastest-growing rage room franchise is proof that even the most unconventional business ideas can turn into massive success stories—with the right vision, execution, and drive.