Meet the Man Behind the Monsters
Every October, tens of thousands of thrill-seekers descend on Reaper's Revenge in Northeastern Pennsylvania, waiting hours for a chance to have the living daylights scared out of them.
But few know the man behind the monsters.
Paul Kotran is the creator of Reaper's Revenge, a 65-acre haunted attraction in Scott Township ranked No. 3 in the country by USA TODAY.
With six attractions, more than 300 employees and visitors traveling from across the country, Reaper's Revenge has become a Halloween destination.
But its first season was a near catastrophe.
Rain destroyed the trails, tractors became stranded in the mud and customers demanded refunds. Paul was left wondering how he would pay his bills, much less open for another season.
He nearly quit.
On this episode of HarmonyTALK, host Todd Stephens introduces listeners to the entrepreneur whose path to creating one of America's top haunted attractions was anything but conventional.
Paul grew up in the Lehigh Valley, studied mechanical drafting and quickly discovered he wasn't suited to a desk job.
He played drums in a rock band that toured Canada, spent 25 years working carnivals and traveled the country operating a mobile bungee jump.
Along the way, he learned how to attract a crowd and put on a show.
He also opened Paulie's Hot Dogs in Honesdale, bringing the food and spirit of the carnival midway to a year-round restaurant.
Those experiences helped shape Reaper's Revenge, which Paul built gradually, reinvesting in new attractions and assembling a team of performers, technicians and staff who return year after year.
Today, he's as proud of the community that has formed among his employees as he is of the national recognition.
Paul also talks candidly about the sacrifices behind his unconventional career, the time spent away from his children and why giving back to his community has become increasingly important.
Now 64, he's still building, experimenting and looking for the next challenge.
As he tells Todd, "I'm just getting started."