In 2019, then-fourth grader Alex Butler made headlines for a card game he created, sourced funding for, manufactured, and eventually put into the hands of families around the country. Alex was featured on the front page of our magazine that year with a story explaining how an otherwise ordinary kid from Seattle could find extraordinary success.
“When that Seattle’s Child came out, it had him on the cover, which was really adorable,” said Leslie Pierson, Alex’s mother and business partner. “I went to pick him up at school. I was going to show it to him. When I got there, he was sitting at a table signing copies of it for people!”
Alex, now 15, is “not into card games anymore,” preferring video games and music, like most high school kids. Some six years later, they reached a crossroads with Alex’s creation: commit more time and money to expanding their business by hiring a larger staff and setting aside other interesting projects. Or sell.
The Closing of a Chapter
The answer was clear. Taco vs Burrito left Alex and Pierson’s doting hands for PlayMonster, a Wisconsin-based company that acquired their card game for an undisclosed sum. The decision was not made lightly, of course. Pierson, who is an entrepreneur in her own right and even made a deal on “Shark Tank” for her damage-free wall-hanging system GoodHangups, did not want to see Taco vs Burrito end up “on a shelf” and preferred to “hand it over to people who could do more with it longer term.”
After years of development and production, Taco vs Burrito has become personal for Pierson and fans alike. The businesswoman says that she’s seen birthday parties themed to the card game. They even helped facilitate a marriage proposal by creating a personalized deck for one happy couple.
“How amazing to think something that Alex thought of when he was seven could have ripple effects in all of these people’s lives,” Pierson said. “People sitting down to come together, off screens, and really enjoying each other’s company. It’s amazing.”
“Trust Ideas if You Have Them”
Though Alex may not love “doing the press side of things,” his mother is an exuberant megaphone for her son and his success, even if she downplays her own role in the story. It was thanks, in no small part, to her strong support, professional know-how, and unending confidence that Alex had the space to succeed.
Pierson, humbled by the reaction to the card game which has sold over 1.5 million units to date, wields her experience with warmth and generosity. She is a guest speaker at a kindergarten class in Lake City every year where the focus is on students creating games of their own. What she is also relaying to anyone who asks for her advice is the power of conviction and the importance of giving yourself a shot.
“What I really wanted him to take away from it was that you can take any idea, you put a little effort in and you can make it become a reality,” Pierson said. “That was all I really cared about. Trust ideas if you have them. Stick with them. Do the work. They can become whatever you want in any area. That was really the whole goal.”
Name of the Game: Authenticity
Though he had once negotiated one percent of their sales as his allowance – a sum, his mom said, would quickly transform into an untenable number of Pokémon cards – it became obvious that even that amount was too much for one pre-teen to manage responsibly. Since “the idea came from him”, Alex was allotted 55 percent of Hot Taco Inc., the corporation they founded, money he’ll have when he gets older. According to his mom, Alex is a “really good boss”.
The question parents reading about Alex, Pierson and their incredible accomplishment will likely pose is how exactly can we, as nurturers for our children and their futures, replicate this success? There is no exact playbook for assisting your child in harnessing an idea and turning it into a multi-million-dollar company. Pierson’s advice is simple, though no less inspirational.
“Find what they’re interested in and keep fostering their interest,” Pierson said. “Alex loved games, so that’s what we focused on… When the spark comes from them and they can feel it, it’s a great way to have them feel validated in what they’re thinking and also see you as a playmate and co-creator who is there to support them. Because that’s what we do. We want to make them be more them.”
Pierson said she enjoys being a resource for others looking to create games of their own, an undertaking with its own specific intricacies and industry protocols to maneuver. What the future holds for Alex is unclear, but with one huge success under his belt before he becomes a legal adult, his path ahead is well-lit, well-paved and well-supported, thanks in large part to the people cheering him on.
