How to host your first game night for first-time founders (a host's guide)

Q: How do I host a game night for first-time founders?

Pick one game, cap it at 90 minutes, set up a low-stakes intro round, and structure scoring so everyone wins something. The point is shared story, not victory.

The story

Most founder gatherings die because they default to networking. People hate networking. What they love is playing together. SideHustle's core format is built for this exact problem: 4-5 founders per team, 4 rounds, 90 minutes, scored on Funny plus Fundable. The format works because it gives shy operators permission to be loud and loud operators permission to listen. As host, your job is environment design: comfortable seating, drinks within reach, a visible scoreboard, and a clear end time. First-time founders are exhausted. They will not commit to an open-ended evening. Tell them it ends at 9pm and end at 9pm. They will come back next month.

What it means

The best founder game nights feel like a mini-show: there is a beginning, a middle, an end, and a winner. Skip the icebreakers. Start the game inside five minutes of the last person arriving. Pace beats polish. Your guests are judging whether to come back, not whether you are a professional MC.

Try it

• Play free at playsidehustle.com
• See us live: Sept 25 at Pershing Hall in Austin. luma.com/playsidehustle
• Email team@playsidehustle.com