🎥 Watch the full episode 👇
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
When Funlab first launched Zero Latency at The District Docklands in Melbourne, skeptics called the area a “white elephant.” But Blaise and her team saw potential. Using real-world trade area data from tools like Placer.ai, they analyzed visitor patterns and proved that a well-positioned, experience-driven precinct can thrive even in challenging retail zones.
Don’t rely on intuition—invest in data. A analytics tool can de-risk a multimillion-dollar venue decision.
THE ART OF CROSS-BRAND SYNERGY
At Docklands, Zero Latency sits alongside Funlab’s Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq and Strike Bowling. Each brand has its own entrance and identity, but together they create what Blaise calls a “precinct”—a multi-experience playground where guests cross over between attractions. When passersby can see the laughter and chaos of a VR session, conversion rates double.
THE 5-MINUTE TASTER: TURNING CURIOSITY INTO CONVERSION
To combat first-time hesitation, Funlab pioneered “tasters”—five-minute sample sessions where guests try VR before paying. The result? A 95% conversion rate.
“Once people hold the gun, see the world, and feel the immersion—everything changes,” says Blaise.
UTILIZATION IS EVERYTHING - peak the peaks, pack the gaps
Blaise views every open time slot like an empty airplane seat: “Every missed session is revenue gone.”
Her teams set daily utilization goals—training venue managers to treat sales as a service rather than a hard pitch.
Funlab’s mantra:
👉 Peak the peaks and pack the gaps.
Drive bookings during prime time—and fill slower hours with schools, STEM groups, and local partnerships.
Funlab treats pricing dynamically—premium at peaks, accessible at off-peaks, just like an airline filling seats on a flight.
For example, a $59 AUD session at 8PM Friday might drop to $29 on Monday afternoons to attract students and schools.
Geo-targeted social ads help fill those slower windows. The result: higher utilization, broader audience reach, and sustainable profitability.
SERVICE IS SELLING
From movie combos to restaurant specials, informing guests of better options is not upselling—it’s good service.
Funlab recruits for personality and empathy first, training staff to deliver excitement, not just transactions.
“People make experiences,” Blaise says. “A perfect buildout means nothing if the staff don’t bring energy.
VR’S UNTAPPED FUTURE
Despite VR’s global growth, Blaise notes that only a small percentage of people have experienced high-end free-roam VR. That means the opportunity is massive.
As she puts it: “It’s an untapped world that’s only going to grow. Content breadth, accessibility, and mainstream awareness will take it to another level.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR FUTURE THRILLMAKERS
-
Use trade area data before signing a lease
-
Leverage “tasters” to eliminate hesitation
-
Treat sales as service—and train for empathy
-
Design visible VR arenas to drive impulse buys
-
Price dynamically to fill every time slot
-
Build precincts that invite cross-traffic between attractions
-
Recruit energy-givers, not just tech operators
-
Focus on long-term accessibility—not just premium positioning
Feeling inspired by Blaise’s story?
Join our global network of Thrillmakers. Connect with our Venue Development Team today and bring thrills to your city.
Funlab is the world’s premier creator of competitive socialising experiences—where play, connection, and creativity collide. Funlab operates eight unique brands across more than 40 locations in Australia, New Zealand, and the USA.
The eight brands include Archie Brothers Cirque Electriq, B. Lucky & Sons, Holey Moley Golf Club, Juke’s Karaoke, La Di Darts, Red Herring Escape Rooms, Strike Bowling, and the new Hijinx Hotel. Funlab partner with Zero Latency to provide customers with mind-blowing immersive VR experiences.
Behind every unforgettable experience are Funlab’s 2,000+ team members—affectionately known as Motherfunners—who bring the company’s mission to life every day. With the backing of global private equity firm TPG Capital, Funlab continues to scale its playful empire worldwide.
Everything Funlab does is, quite simply, for the fun of it. From immersive venues to reimagined nights out, Funlab crafts spaces that transform the everyday into the extraordinary.
