Meet Veronica Mata | Managing Director of The Clue Room and Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Veronica Mata and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Veronica, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
I was very fortunate to be raised in a home that encouraged creativity and trying new things. My parents always had paints, crayons, and chalk for us to draw and color. They would come up with scavenger hunts and games for special occasions and when we traveled. They enrolled my brother and I in almost every activity under the sun. I tried pottery, piano lessons, cheerleading, soccer, tap dance, swimming, drawing classes, and hip-hop. While only a few of those stuck as I got older, mainly music and dance, I was always surrounded by creativity.

As I entered college, like many people, I was worried a career in the arts wouldn’t yield a “successful” job post-graduation. So, I started as a business major. I developed a passion for business, especially as my parents opened up Colorado’s First Live Escape business, The Clue Room, in 2014. However, the lessons I was learning in my business courses didn’t match the incredibly useful, real-life experiences I was getting helping my parents operate The Clue Room. After transferring universities and changing majors (Business at CU Boulder to English Writing at CU Denver), I was able to work more closely with the family business and pursue a more creative major.

I used to think I essentially fell into this path of creativity and artistry, but really I was making steps that helped shape what I do today. My childhood inspired me to create. My writing degree helped me think more about how people see and need stories. Designing Escape Rooms at The Clue Room full time for the last seven years showed me how to immerse people into a world unlike anything they have experienced before. Fast forward to my added education in interior design, fueled by my passion to create spaces that allow people to feel a sense of escapism in their own homes or businesses. Ultimately I pursued this creative career because I love to see people engage with and react to a space and break free from the “ordinary.”

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Clue Room started in 2014 at Colorado’s first and now largest Escape Game business. Ten years and 150,000+ happy customers later, the Clue Room boasts a total of ten live escape games, three digital escape games, and four mobile escape games. All our games are original and designed in-house, creating a unique and fun experience you won’t find anywhere else!

We’ve learned a lot in the last 10 years. From figuring out how to introduce a new type of business and form of entertainment to getting through COVID, we always learn new ways to pivot. For example, after COVID, we saw how many customers and local businesses felt especially disconnected. So we’ve been working with the City of Centennial and fellow small business owners since 2020 to increase customer engagement and a sense of community through different immersive experiences and events.

We are highly involved in our community. We work with local governments, schools, non-profit organizations, and fellow small business owners for various engagement and outreach events. We’ve facilitated community events, like scavenger hunts and business passports. We have participated in educational talks for schools and chalk art festivals for the city. We love how it gives us the opportunity to engage with the community in a different way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would definitely want to showcase the hidden treasures and some of my favorite small businesses of the South Metro. I would definitely bring them to The Clue Room, not only to play a game, but to show off the unique rooms and worlds we’ve made here. Must eat places are Uncorked Kitchen and Wine Bar, Shawarma Mediterranean Grill, Zig Zag, and Venalonzo’s Tacos. For drinks, Branch and Barrel Distillery, Resolute Brewing, and Lazy Greyhound. For dessert, I definitely love everything at Tony’s Market and Heaven Creamery. To experience the most small business shopping would be in Downtown Littleton. For perfect Colorado nature experiences, I always recommend visiting Daniels Park for incredible views of the mountains and potentially bison, Waterton Canyon for a walk, and all the South Suburban trails in Centennial. Denver and the rest of Colorado certainly has a lot to offer, but I always like to give a shout out to my fellow South Metro businesses when I can.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family. From my parents, to my husband and his family, my little brother, my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and to the friends that have become family. When you are fortunate enough to have people in your life that are there to support you and encourage you to do more than you could have ever dreamed… that feeling is indescribable. I’d like to thank my family for always being there and inspiring me.

Website: https://theclueroom.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theclueroom/

Twitter: @theclueroom

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theclueroom

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@theclueroom

Image Credits
The Clue Room