Scaling Success: How XP Factory Is Mastering Multi-Brand Venue Management

In our latest webinar, ROLLER CEO and Founder Luke Finn sat down with Kester Dobson, Technology Director at XP Factory, to talk through the challenges (and wins) of scaling Boom Battle Bar and Escape Hunt across dozens of venues.

From navigating early chaos to choosing tech that actually supports growth, Kester shared a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to grow fast and smart.

🎥 Missed the live session? You can catch the full recording below — or read on for key moments and lessons from XP Factory’s journey.

Meet the expert

Kester Dobson, Technology Director at XP Factory
Kester joined XP Factory in 2023 with a background in software engineering and a knack for solving business problems with systems. His role is to help both brands in the group scale more efficiently and with fewer growing pains.

“I just love building things, solving problems with systems, and joining up humans with technology. So I found a good spot between talking to humans and building solutions that solve their problems.”

Kester Dobson

Technology Director, XP Factory

Watch the full webinar here

Key takeaways 

1. The early rush: Opening a venue every 2 weeks

When Boom Battle Bar was acquired in 2021, the XP Factory team had to move fast to activate a pipeline of new properties. “The brand was at a point where it was potentially doing a venue every two weeks for a period. That’s quite an ask — and quite an achievement — by what was then a pretty modestly sized team,” Kester said. 

The goal was to start generating revenue quickly, but that kind of pace comes with trade-offs. Things like training consistency and brand execution across locations became harder to control.

“You get to the end of that phase, and you look back at the 1st venue, and the local team there could have done their absolute best, but maybe they took the brand and interpreted it in a slightly different way, because there's so much focus elsewhere on growing the business and opening new venues. So things like training and playbooks became super important.”

2. Not everything survived the scale-up

As Boom Battle Bar grew, some experiences evolved. Kester shared how the brand matured from its early days. “I think a lot of the core games are quite similar... we would have had some games that you probably wouldn't recognize. And they're no longer with us, and certainly like the brand identity, the fit out is very different to those initial ones,” he said. 

“We're still kind of doing the same thing. But we're doing it, I think, with a bit more polish and a lot of experience of having opened so many venues.”

3. Reflecting on challenges and improvements

Kester spoke candidly about what made growth hard and what they’re doing differently now: “We've got the systems in place. We've got the brand in place. We've got the marketing in place. So yeah. In a way, it's easier to commit to the scaling. But still there's a lot of process involved.”

“I think now we're in a position where we're about to kind of grow with a little bit more of that nailing it and scaling it mentality, but still expecting to learn.”

“I don't know anyone in the business that would say we've nailed anything, and I think we're doing lots of things really well. But we're constantly looking to challenge everything we're doing to make it as good as it can be,” he added. 

4. The role of confidence and process

Having done the hard work to scale rapidly once, XP Factory is entering its next growth phase with clearer systems and stronger decision-making. “I think the real difference is the confidence in being able to execute successful openings. So we know how to pick a location. We know the operating model. We've got the systems in place. We've got the brand in place. We've got the marketing in place,” Kester said. 

“I personally like how our collective back office processes better support the new openings. I think many businesses aspire to have better processes, and you know it takes a lot to try and prioritize that.”

5. Starting strong with ROLLER

When Kester joined XP Factory, the priority was getting the foundations right. That included a focus on core systems and processes, and a shift to ROLLER played a central role. “The first year was a lot about hygiene and stabilization. And that’s where our ROLLER journey started.”

That early work set the stage for a bigger move, which started with a fast-tracked pilot. Despite the complexity, XP Factory completed the migration during their busiest trading periods, which is a testament to the planning and team collaboration behind the scenes.

“I've looked back. And I’d do it all again. It was super positive experience, and continues to be underpinning a lot of revenue for the for the group,” Kester said.  

Final thoughts

XP Factory’s story is a reminder that rapid growth is exciting but also comes with its fair share of challenges. With the right systems, smart processes, and a team committed to learning as they go, it’s possible to scale across multiple brands without losing what makes each one special!

Want to learn how ROLLER can help your venue group scale smarter? Let’s chat.