Thank you to eveyone who came out for the first Vibe Your SaaS VC/Founder mixer.
As a lifelong startup veteran, it was a privilege to be part of the ecosystem at Disrupt. I had a blast. Helping bring new technology to market and ushering in the next generation of companies that I have no doubt will change the world remains my passion, after all these years.
Based on this success, we plan to do more events in the SF Bay Area in 2026. Look for an update on this soon.
Unwind with warm, reflective sounds for late autumn nights. Indie folk, mellow pop, soft rock, and lo-fi beats come together in a blend made for reading by the window, slow walks through the city, or just watching the skyline glow.
How I Got 508 Registrations for My Startup Event (And You Can Too)
Events are SO back.
It was not only TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco last week, but it was also AI Week in Seattle. September to November is traditionally conference season, and it’s nice to see that we’re almost back to pre-COVID levels of event participation.
Events remain the core channel for B2B marketing. Why? One salesperson I worked with succinctly summarized why they love events in a marketing survey response: “In-person explanations of our product and its benefits work best.”
I agree, and I couldn’t have said it better.
A Playbook to Crush Your First Startup Event
While this wasn’t my first rodeo, it’s only the second event I have produced as VYS. It was much more logistically complex than the first talk I gave at Seattle Tech Week, which was just coordinating me and the space. Simple. However, this event was held in a city I don’t live in, was done in partnership with my excellent co-host, featured two prominent speakers, and showcased 10 startups presenting demos. I get tired just typing this out.
And yes, we faced numerous challenges, three different spaces canceled on me, but we still pulled it off.
If you want to run a successful event for your startup (and I encourage you to), here is the exact playbook I used to secure 334 RSPVs, 132 on the waitlist, and 42 who ultimately decided not to attend (that’s 508 registrations). Follow this guide, and I am sure your event will also be a success.
6 Months Out
Plan in advance.
I started planning my event six months in advance. Many startups wing it at the last minute, but a successful event requires serious lead time. Mainly to secure a top-tier venue. The best spots get booked fast.Pick the right time and location.
Select a location with a sufficient number of your target audience nearby. I hosted ours in San Francisco during TechCrunch Disrupt, knowing that founders, VCs, and operators would already be in town.Secure a venue.
A full buyout at a restaurant or bar for 50–100 people in a major city runs $4K–$6K. Bigger spaces are hard to find and more expensive. If you’re tight on budget, partner with a complementary startup and split costs.Develop a compelling program.
Drinks alone don’t cut it. Get recognizable speakers or arrange compelling activities that add value. We featured 10 startups doing live demos and had two speakers, helping draw in investors and serious founders.Put your event up on Luma or Partiful.
Once you have the time and place, list it on Luma or a similar platform. They manage RSVPs, waitlists, and check-ins. And boost discoverability. You don’t need your full lineup yet, just a date and a clear “why.”
3 Months Out
Kick promotion into high gear.
Start early, but three months out is when you need to get loud. Begin sharing on LinkedIn, Twitter (X), Slack communities, and your newsletters or email list. Ask your speakers and partners to cross-promote.Send out 20 LinkedIn connects a day.
I targeted people whom I thought would be a great fit and sent them a connection request, inviting them. This drove about 50% of the RSVPs, which was essential to get the ball rolling in the beginning.
Find partners or lists to promote it.
Once we hit about 100 RSVPs, I was able to get the event featured on GenerativeAISF.com, which helped increase discoverability with our target audience and drove 20% of our RSVPs.
1 week to go
Confirm everything.
Reconfirm with your venue, speakers, and catering. Double-check the guest list and print name tags if needed. You all know that my venue canceled, and I had to race around and find a new one. Rough. It happens.Remind key people, like sponsors or speakers.
The speakers may want to review questions in advance or have a PR team review the questions and approve which ones to ask. It’s essential to check in and ensure all key players are well-prepared.Prime your team.
I asked a colleague to head up the volunteer program (thanks, Jason). And then solicited more volunteers to help with check-in from the RSVP list. You will want to have a prep call with them and confirm logistics.
The Day before
Do a walk-through.
Visit the venue and test A/V equipment. Check lighting, sound, WiFi, drink menu, and signage. Bring backups (power strips, adapters, markers, tape — trust me, you’ll need them).Assign tasks to volunteers.
I do this because they are more likely to show up if they know they are being relied on. Have volunteers bring items like name tags and pens. Or printouts of the guest list as a backup.Practice your talk.
It’s definitely possible to be overprepared, but you don’t want to get up there and not remember what you need to say. Just jot down some notes and put together a run of show document detailing everything.
The Day of the Event
Arrive early.
Be there 1–2 hours before doors open. You will want to ensure the venue is set up correctly, that the volunteers are ready, and that you can greet anyone who arrives early personally.Be a connector.
Your job isn’t to host. It’s to facilitate introductions. Be sure to speak with as many people as possible and make sure your guests leave with new contacts and opportunities.
Post-Event
Follow up fast.
Send thank-you emails within 48 hours. I always post a thank you on LinkedIn and mention everyone involved to help give them visibility. Include photos, a short recap, and links to stay connected.Leverage momentum.
Distribute the lead list to sponsors or partners, and be sure to look carefully at it to segment and conduct the appropriate follow-up and outreach. I connect with everyone on LinkedIn and add them to my newsletter.Measure success.
Track who attended, how many new connections or partnerships were formed, and how your brand perception improved. You can also do a survey. Luma and other platforms have built-in measurement tools.Start planning the next one.
The first event is always a huge challenge (don’t ask me how I know). But once you have completed your first one, muscle memory will kick in for the next, and you will know where to optimize to improve.
You Can Just Do Things (It’s the Best Way to Learn)
If you're on the fence about hosting your own event, stop overthinking it. Start with the playbook above, adjust for your audience, and commit to the timeline. The connections you make in person will move your startup forward faster than a hundred Zoom calls ever could.
Now pick a conference to hijack and go book that venue.
On The Gregory and Paul Show, we break down the latest in startups, SaaS, AI, and whatever the internet is debating this week.
This Halloween edition covers Amazon layoffs, the AI infrastructure arms race, why Meta is burning billions, and what the new wave of humanoid robots and deepfake tech means for the rest of us.
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Ninety-five percent of startups fail at marketing. Not because they don't have great products. They fail because marketing has become complicated. Expensive. Slow.
What if marketing could be simple?
This is why I created Vibe Your SaaS, an AI-first, micro-fractional CMO service.
Here's how it works:
We identify your ideal customers
We turn your features into feelings people buy.
Then you launch.
Scale what works.
And if we're smart, with a bit of luck, we exit.
Here's what makes VYS different. You get me, a Silicon Valley veteran and three-time startup head of marketing. Every week for one hour. Plus, phone, email, and chat access. No gatekeepers. We work directly on your go-to-market strategy, messaging, positioning, and content to drive lead generation, increase sales, and grow revenue.
VYS 2.0 doesn't just help you get customers. It helps you become inevitable.
Frameworks included in v2.0:
Vibe 3-Month Marketing Plan: Go from idea to $10K+ MRR.
Minimum Sellable Product (MSP) Builder: Validate before you build.
B2B ICP Development Guide: Know exactly who to market to.
Competitive Landscape Evaluator: Know where you stand and how to win.
Messaging Framework: Turn features into feelings people buy.
Marketing Plan Templates: Copy-paste frameworks that convert.
Monthly Content Planning Doc: Never stare at a blank page again.
B2C ICP Development Guide: Know exactly who to market to.
Content Tech Stack Guide: Scale with automation.
Guide to Founder-Led Sales: How to get your first 10 to 20 to 50 sales.
If you’re hesitating, I can promise you this: VYS is a fraction of the cost of Y Combinator, and will provide way more value.
I'm a former creative director, 3x head of marketing, and founder of Vibe Your SaaS. I help early-stage startups build real momentum with strategic clarity, AI-driven execution, and zero BS. I like fast bicycles, strong coffee, and posting sarcastic jokes and memes on the internetz.
How am I doing? What do you want more of, or maybe less of? Write me back and let me know your thoughts. If you do, I will write you back. It’s a promise.
