The Entrepreneurs – Monocle Radio

Episode Title: Can a stacking game pull families away from their screens this Christmas?
Date: December 17, 2025
Host: Tom Edwards
Guests: Alexander Neumann (Creator of Misfits), Mark Rushmore and Giv Safavi (Co-Founders of SURI)

Episode Overview

This episode of The Entrepreneurs spotlights innovative, design-led products aimed at offering “screen-free joy” this holiday season. Host Tom Edwards interviews Alexander Neumann, creator of the tactile stacking game "Misfits", exploring how a student design project became a global phenomenon. Later, Tom reunites with Mark Rushmore and Giv Safavi, co-founders of sustainable oral care brand SURI, to discuss the challenging and rewarding scale-up of their mission-driven business.

Segment 1: Misfits – The Story of a Modern Board Game

[01:09–14:48]

The Concept and Origin

• Physical Joy in a Digital World

  • Alexander Neumann (01:55): “As so much of our lives are very digitally led, to have something that is actually physical and you can play with other individuals – for me, it's all about creating joy and delight.”
  • The game began as a Chelsea College of Arts university project, inspired by Alexander’s graphic design instincts and memories of playing tactile, approachable games with his father.

• The Role of Design

  • Alexander reflects on creating a game that is as much a design object as it is a toy.
    • (03:38): Cites drawing influence from Apple’s attention to packaging and detail: “I take notes from the bigger players like Apple who…highlight on every single little detail about the packaging.”

• Accessibility and Intuitiveness

  • Alexander insists on a game that “relies on intuition” and “is easily taught from someone as young as five years old, as old as maybe ninety” (04:11).
  • There is minimal instruction—Neumann emphasizes the joy in ownership and improvisation, citing family games like Uno where rules are made up and enjoyed regardless (06:29): “I absolutely am sure that we play the wrong rules or…the most butchered version of the game. But we still enjoy it.”

• Intergenerational & Universal Appeal

  • Tom Edwards observes the importance of “getting away from screens…to do stuff that’s physical.”
  • Alexander (08:41): Shares an anecdote about a nine-year-old besting adults at the game at a trade show: “It’s kind of that beautiful moment where somebody thought that was unlikeliest to have a go…feels welcomed and feels like they have a shot at this.”

Scaling Challenges & Viral Success

• Managing Demand Like an Entrepreneur

  • Alexander candidly describes his learning curve with global supply chain logistics and quality control (10:29):
    “Did I think I would be overseeing quality control inspections or freight forwarding? These are things…as much English as it is Mandarin to me…But, fundamentally, being a graphic designer is that–problem solving.”

• Built-In Virality and Word of Mouth

  • Social and participatory nature of the game means each player potentially becomes a new customer (11:47):
    “If you make a good enough product…it doesn’t really matter so much about the troubles.”

Looking Forward and Staying True

• Resisting Distraction and Maintaining Focus
  • Alexander cites real-world demand for new versions (e.g. a Nordstrom buyer suggesting a travel edition) but preaches cautious growth (13:00): “I think, you know, focus is really important…not getting too led astray.”
  • The brand supports LGBT and mental health charities, seeing the game as “an object for change” as well as a source of delight.

Notable Moments & Quotes

• On Rulebooks:
  Alexander Neumann (06:29): “Why overcomplicate this more than you need to? …I don’t have the time for that. I don’t have the patience.”
• On Intuitiveness and Ownership:
  “A hallmark of a great game is a game that individuals can or players can take ownership on…we can take ownership with it.” (06:29)
• On Multigenerational Play:
  “Despite language barriers or ages, you know, across generations as well, there's a real adaptability of the game…” (08:41)
• On Entrepreneurial Growth:
  “I just take it more from an approach of being more of a problem solver.” (10:29)
• On Impact:
  “A board game can in fact be an object for change or at least have some sort of positive impact than just simply…providing a little bit of joy and delight.” (13:31)

Segment 2: SURI Toothbrush – Scaling a Sustainable Brand

[15:40–28:34]

From Start-Up to Scale-Up

• Growth Pains and New Processes

  • SURI, founded in 2022, has grown from a two-person outfit to 36 worldwide employees.
  • Scaling demands relinquishing some direct control, trusting new processes and people (15:40):
    Mark Rushmore: “…how you create the right processes to deliver things at scale especially when Kevin and I can't be involved in every single decision anymore, although we'd love to.”

• Purpose-Driven Culture

  • Giv Safavi (16:40): “I love coming to work…we have a team of brilliant people…we have at the core of what we're doing a strong sense of purpose.”

Product Innovations: Listening to Customers

• Constant Iteration and User Feedback

  • SURI’s 2.0 brush is the result of customer input and reviews (18:38):
    Mark: “In those 14,000 reviews, people have said…‘I'd love it if the UV light can work independently. I'm a dentist and I really want to recommend using a pressure sensor.’ …The reception has been phenomenal…we’re now struggling to even create enough for the demand.”

• Balancing Feature Requests with Restraint

  • Product design remains focused, intentionally resisting unnecessary cosmetic upgrades.
    • Giv: “One of the things that a lot of people were surprised by was that we didn’t change the shape of our brush or the colors. And that was intentional…nobody’s ever given us feedback on the shape or the design of the brush, so why should we just add a stripe on it or something else.” (21:36)

Meaningful Customer Stories

• Building Relationships and Impact
  • Mark shares a story of a customer from Kyoto who reached out after hearing about SURI on Monocle Radio (22:47):
    “He’s explaining why he believes that same ethos that Suri brings is really important. But, but beyond that, he actually talked about a very personal story to him around his grandmother and how her oral health deteriorated and how he sort of sees oral health as a gateway to whole body health.”
  • These personal connections fuel the founders’ commitment to “improving oral health, but also doing it in a sustainable, beautiful way.”

Positioning and the Wellbeing Market

• Defining Brand Through Ritual & Sustainability

  • Giv (24:22): “Brushing your teeth is one of the fundamental rituals…It's a moment of meditation that we take for granted…We like to think is the focused aspect we've had on product innovation where we've really stayed.”

• Innovative Toothpaste: Nano Hydroxyapatite

  • SURI has launched a new toothpaste based on “nano hydroxyapatite”—a NASA-developed remineralizing ingredient that supports oral and overall health (25:51):
    “What makes this ingredient so special is it was originally invented by NASA for astronauts...and this ingredient coats your teeth in a way…so it’s very effective against cavities…”

Looking Forward: New Products and Global Expansion

• Mission-Driven Growth
  • Mark looks to further global expansion and new launches in 2026 (27:40):
    “Our long term ambition is to be a brand that can be enjoyed and loved and used by anyone, anywhere.”

Notable Moments & Quotes

• On Scaling:
  Mark Rushmore (15:40): “The challenges in some ways remain…But then there’s also a lot of new challenges.”
• On Loving the Journey:
  Giv Safavi (16:40): “Genuinely, I love coming to work and Mark does too…We have a team of brilliant people who are on that journey with us…”
• On Direct Customer Feedback:
  “We try to stay to certain constraints of we don’t want to have 10 buttons and 10 lights.” (21:36)
• On Impact of Oral Health:
  “He sees oral health as a gateway to whole body health…” (23:02)
• On Brand Philosophy:
  Giv Safavi (24:22): “…brushing your teeth is one of the fundamental rituals we’ve had since, you know, childhood. We do it twice a day, two minutes in the morning, two minutes in the evening…it's a moment of meditation that we take for granted.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:09] Introduction to Alexander Neumann and the Misfits game
• [03:38] Discussion of design’s role and Apple’s influence
• [04:11] The accessible, intuitive nature of Misfits
• [06:29] How house rules and adaptability make great games
• [08:41] Intergenerational play and inclusivity
• [10:29] Scaling challenges: supply chain and quality control
• [13:00] Navigating growth, future product ideas, and charitable aims
• [15:40] Introduction to SURI: Scaling a sustainable oral care company
• [18:38] Customer-driven product iteration and the launch of SURI 2.0
• [22:47] Memorable customer story from Kyoto, global community impact
• [24:22] SURI’s ritual-focused wellbeing positioning
• [25:51] Launch of innovative nano-HP toothpaste
• [27:40] Perspectives on growth, global expansion, and brand ambitions

Summary Conclusion

This special episode shares how design-driven, physical products—like Misfits’ wooden stacking game and SURI’s sustainable electric toothbrush—are thriving as alternatives to digital fatigue. Both guests stress the importance of intuition, adaptability, and purpose—whether in creating tactile joy around the table or building a company culture of mission-driven, sustainable innovation. Their journeys highlight that bringing people together, listening closely, and focusing on positive impact can drive both personal fulfillment and entrepreneurial success.