Today we have the pleasure of speaking with Greg Spence, CEO of The Broken Token, purveyors of fine inserts for your favorite games. We even reviewed three of them!

Greg, thanks for speaking with us. First, tell us a little about yourself.

I’ve been a software developer for about 20 years. I’m originally from Tennessee but moved to San Diego in 2006 to take a job with Sony Online Entertainment. I’m married and have twins (a boy and a girl) that are 4 years old.

What prompted you to start The Broken Token?

I’ve always been a hobbyist woodworker and enjoyed making my own custom gaming boxes and storage solutions. In 2013 I joined a maker shop in San Diego to gain access to a CNC machine, and that’s when I first learned how to use a laser cutter. I immediately saw the laser as a way to bring some of my ideas to life.

How did you first get into the hobby?

I’ve been playing RPG’s, video games, and table games ever since I was a kid. In Tennessee I owned a retail store for several years that focused on collectible card games and Games Workshop. When I moved out to San Diego I met some friends that turned me on to more “hardcore” board games.

What are your five favorite games?

Ah, the old “which children are your favorite” question? :) They’re changing all the time, but right now they’re: Dead of Winter, Codenames, 7 Wonders, Small World and One Night Ultimate Werewolf.

How do you decide which games you’ll create inserts for?

Mostly from customer suggestions, combined with the popularity of those games on boardgamegeek.com.

What game do you feel most benefits from one of your inserts?

For reducing setup times, it’s Caverna. For saving shelf space, it’s Battlestar Galactica. The 7 Wonders organizer definitely needs to be up there, too, though.

What was an unexpected challenge you’ve had to face with The Broken Token?

Our growth has definitely been awesome, but a huge challenge as well. From the beginning we were always thinking ahead towards adding more machines and hiring more people, but the surprise was really how quickly it all happened. I think of it like a live-action resource management game and my job is to find and squash the bottle-necks.

You’ve branched out into products besides inserts. What else can we expect in the near future from The Broken Token?

We’re always looking to create new and innovative tabletop gaming products and also want to continue developing high-quality accessories, such as our metal coins. We’ve also purchased some new equipment that should be coming online soon that will allow us to do full-color UV printing on wood and acrylic as well as painting machines to produce our own painted, wooden tokens.