2022 Entrepreneur of the Year

Jordan Munsters is the epitome of why it’s important to hold on tightly to the whimsy of childhood regardless of how successful you become as an adult.

Munsters was living in Grenada in 2018, working full time for the Bridgestone Corp., and running an automotive repair company on the evenings and weekends. From the outside, it all seemed idyllic — money, beautiful surroundings, a wonderful wife and young daughter.

Inside, however, Munsters was miserable and burnt out by the grind. When his wife, Julissa, asked him what was troubling him, he replied that he just wanted to open a go-kart track. Perhaps it was a flippant response, but it truly was something Munsters had quietly kept at the back of his mind for a number of years.

To his surprise, Julissa told Munsters to go do it. He had her complete and unconditional support.

He’s also had plenty of support from the community since opening High Caliber Karting and Entertainment in the Meridian Mall in 2019. Giving the region a much-needed adrenaline rush by providing residents with an immersive indoor entertainment experience is why High Caliber is the 2022 Entrepreneur of the Year.

“This award tells me that when my team and I enjoy life and are our genuine selves, the community embraces us,” Munsters said. “We are a team of inexperienced misfits that have learned, grown and adapted to become leaders in our industry. Now, we can hold our heads high knowing we are leaders in the community. We are young in our journey, and winning Entrepreneur of the Year just excites me that much more about the future life has in store for me.”

The goal behind High Caliber was building a business that centered on creating joy and providing adults with a place where they can be kids again. The facility offers multiple go-kart tracks, racing simulators, a full arcade, ax throwing, archery tag, a bar and bistro — anything and everything needed to complete Munsters’ vision on opening a place of play and connection that he said is desperately needed in society.

Munster noted that as a young child, he remembers seeing the “big kids” in the grades ahead of him and wondering what it would be like to be them. The focus at High Caliber, he said, is to stop admiring the “big kids” and look to the younger ones for direction on how to live life.

In addition to High Caliber, Munsters also founded Combat Karting LCC, a software tech company that develops immersive entertainment offerings.

“We will be going to multiple locations. We have always had big plans to share our joy across the country. We are ready to start doing that,” Munsters said. “Shared experiences and close relationships are what makes life worth living. Having fun together builds real relationships better than anything. The world needs more of those connections.

“The Lansing area is and always will be my home, but it is time we build an empire for people to experience joy and build true connections,” he added.