When Sara Sloman sat down at her first Mahjong table in September of 2023, she never dreamed the game would spur a business that would reach throughout Richmond and beyond.
Eighteen months later, that’s exactly what’s happened: her company, RichMahj, offers Mahjong lessons to hundreds of players in multiple markets including Richmond, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville and Morehead City, North Carolina.
Sloman moved to Richmond post-grad from Roanoke College in 2012. With a background in consulting and accounting, Sloman said her mind is naturally predisposed to enjoy looking for patterns.
So when she stumbled upon a Mahjong lesson being taught in Richmond by a traveling Charlotte-based instructor, Sloman was instantly hooked. The tile-based game is originally from China, but has grown exponentially in the United States since the early 20th century.
“The game is based on trying to get a set of tiles in a pattern, and having an accounting and consulting background, I wanted everything to have a place,” Sloman said of her draw to the game.
Sloman, who works full time as a consultant at software company SAI360, has long been a fan of having a “side hustle,” with past stints making earrings and working part-time for a financial advisor.
After playing her first real Mahjong game, she decided she’d try her hand at a new hustle, bringing lessons to Richmonders who might want to learn the game. She opened RichMahj in January of last year.
RichMahj customers can schedule private Mahjong lessons for groups of four to 12 people. An instructor will come to their home to teach the game, with the company providing everything needed to play the game.
Private lessons are $70 per participant for beginner class RichMahj101, and $50 per participant for intermediate class RichMahj201. Private sessions are two-and-a-half hours.
RichMahj also offers “on-location” classes, where local business owners can host Mahjong events in their spaces for clients and customers. Rates are offered upon request for RichMahj on-location parties.
When Sloman started the business last year, she wasn’t sure how successful the venture would become.
“When I started, I gave myself a budget and said, ‘If I lose this, I’m okay with it, because it was fun,’” she said.
Yet the business has done the opposite of lose money. Over the course of its first year, RichMahj has held over 150 classes and taught the game to more than 750 beginners.
Because of high demand, Sloman has hired four other instructors (some of whom she met while teaching a class) who now serve Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville and Morehead City. Each instructor handles at least two classes per week, but it’s often more.
“Through word of mouth, it grew and grew, and I realized I couldn’t do it all by myself,” Sloman said. “We sit around and laugh about it a little bit…it’s truly unbelievable.”
RichMahj often teams with local spots like Blue Bee Cider, where Sloman hosts classes around twice per month and hosted its first Mahjong tournament in October.
As much as the business has grown already, Sloman has no plans to slow down. She is currently looking for another Charlottesville instructor and a potential new Richmond instructor to help with the growing number of event requests.
RichMahj has upcoming events with newly opened Dinner Party in Carytown, Reservoir Distillery and Truckle Cheesemongers.
Sloman is also on the board of the Virginia chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and is planning a tournament sometime in the spring in collaboration with the foundation, as well as looking at potential opportunities for Mahjong open-play events as more and more Richmonders learn the game.
“We’re not making people sit down and listen to us for two hours,” Sloman said. “Our lessons are very hands-on, and we want to try to meet people where they are.”
When Sara Sloman sat down at her first Mahjong table in September of 2023, she never dreamed the game would spur a business that would reach throughout Richmond and beyond.
Eighteen months later, that’s exactly what’s happened: her company, RichMahj, offers Mahjong lessons to hundreds of players in multiple markets including Richmond, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville and Morehead City, North Carolina.
Sloman moved to Richmond post-grad from Roanoke College in 2012. With a background in consulting and accounting, Sloman said her mind is naturally predisposed to enjoy looking for patterns.
So when she stumbled upon a Mahjong lesson being taught in Richmond by a traveling Charlotte-based instructor, Sloman was instantly hooked. The tile-based game is originally from China, but has grown exponentially in the United States since the early 20th century.
“The game is based on trying to get a set of tiles in a pattern, and having an accounting and consulting background, I wanted everything to have a place,” Sloman said of her draw to the game.
Sloman, who works full time as a consultant at software company SAI360, has long been a fan of having a “side hustle,” with past stints making earrings and working part-time for a financial advisor.
After playing her first real Mahjong game, she decided she’d try her hand at a new hustle, bringing lessons to Richmonders who might want to learn the game. She opened RichMahj in January of last year.
RichMahj customers can schedule private Mahjong lessons for groups of four to 12 people. An instructor will come to their home to teach the game, with the company providing everything needed to play the game.
Private lessons are $70 per participant for beginner class RichMahj101, and $50 per participant for intermediate class RichMahj201. Private sessions are two-and-a-half hours.
RichMahj also offers “on-location” classes, where local business owners can host Mahjong events in their spaces for clients and customers. Rates are offered upon request for RichMahj on-location parties.
When Sloman started the business last year, she wasn’t sure how successful the venture would become.
“When I started, I gave myself a budget and said, ‘If I lose this, I’m okay with it, because it was fun,’” she said.
Yet the business has done the opposite of lose money. Over the course of its first year, RichMahj has held over 150 classes and taught the game to more than 750 beginners.
Because of high demand, Sloman has hired four other instructors (some of whom she met while teaching a class) who now serve Williamsburg, Virginia Beach, Charlottesville and Morehead City. Each instructor handles at least two classes per week, but it’s often more.
“Through word of mouth, it grew and grew, and I realized I couldn’t do it all by myself,” Sloman said. “We sit around and laugh about it a little bit…it’s truly unbelievable.”
RichMahj often teams with local spots like Blue Bee Cider, where Sloman hosts classes around twice per month and hosted its first Mahjong tournament in October.
As much as the business has grown already, Sloman has no plans to slow down. She is currently looking for another Charlottesville instructor and a potential new Richmond instructor to help with the growing number of event requests.
RichMahj has upcoming events with newly opened Dinner Party in Carytown, Reservoir Distillery and Truckle Cheesemongers.
Sloman is also on the board of the Virginia chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and is planning a tournament sometime in the spring in collaboration with the foundation, as well as looking at potential opportunities for Mahjong open-play events as more and more Richmonders learn the game.
“We’re not making people sit down and listen to us for two hours,” Sloman said. “Our lessons are very hands-on, and we want to try to meet people where they are.”
What a great business concept! It’s surprising just how popular this ancient game really is. I love the idea, too, of holding events such as classes & tournaments at & in coordination with various local gathering spots like Blue Bee Cider, Dinner Party, etc. Very exciting to see this enterprise flourish.
Wishing Ms. Sloman all the very best for tremendous success with this fantastic endeavor!
💯 agree!
Thank you!!
Thank you!!!
“What’s old is new again” — Westerners even used to gamble on this game in the 1920s, esp women.