During this year’s CO-100 Awards, ASBN spoke with Katie Dufort, the visionary behind Puzzle Rides. From a bold idea on a golf cart to a thriving business, Dufort has turned her passion for interactive team experiences into a growing company that entertains, challenges, and empowers participants while demonstrating the power of creativity and persistence in entrepreneurship.
Puzzle Rides, launched in 2020 in Prescott, Arizona, transforms city streets into escape-room-style adventures on golf carts. It offers fun, interactive scavenger hunts combined with corporate team-building, leveraging Dufort’s 12 years of experience to deliver entertainment and professional growth for individuals and teams.
“Team building is all forming, storming, norming, performing, and so what we do is flex that muscle over and over again.”
Starting a business comes with its own set of challenges. For Dufort, the launch was postponed due to the pandemic, forcing her to transition from a corporate career to running her own company. Navigating live events, partnerships, logistics, and safety while bringing her unique concept to life demanded persistence, creativity, and effective problem-solving at every turn.
Looking ahead, Puzzle Rides aims to continue growing in Arizona and beyond, expanding its recreational and corporate offerings. Dufort emphasizes the importance of persistence for aspiring entrepreneurs, citing Winston Churchill’s mantra, “Never, never, never give up.” Her advice underscores the dedication, resilience, and passion required to transform a creative idea into a thriving, impactful business.
To learn more about Puzzle Rides, click here.
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