Host an Ugly Talk Independent

Bring Ugly Talk to Your Community

Why Host

Why Bring Ugly Talk to Your Community

As an Ugly Talk host, you bring honest founder conversations to your community. You create a reason for builders, operators, and entrepreneurs to show up, speak openly, and leave with something real.

New Faces for Your Community

Tap into the Ugly Talk network and bring new founders, operators, and builders into your world. Grow the community you already have with people who actually want to show up.

National Recognition

Get listed on the official Ugly Talk website and promoted through the broader network. Build your name in your community and beyond.

Lasting Connections

The founders, operators and investors you meet keep showing up. You'll still be talking to them next quarter.

Financial Upside

Earn from both ticket sales and sponsorships. Hosts keep a majority share of the revenue, and we keep your startup costs low.

ARE YOU
ARE YOU
READY
READY
TO STEP
TO STEP
UP AND
UP AND
HOST
HOST

Who we look for

You don't need a big following. You need the right people.

A Real Network

Maybe it is big. Maybe it is still growing. What matters is that you know good people and can bring them together.

A Feel for Founder Stories

You care about the real side of building. The setbacks, pivots, and lessons people usually leave out.

A Community Mindset

You want to build something bigger than a single event. You care about creating a place where people learn from each other.

Connector Energy

You like opening doors, making introductions, and getting the right people into the same space.

If this feels like you, you're already halfway there.

How we've got your back

You bring the room. We bring the rest.

License and playbook

Once approved, you receive an Ugly Talk license, brand assets, and the event framework to run your first talk.

Your Marketing Team, Built In

We create the graphics, banners, and branded materials. We also support promotion, recaps, and content after the event.

Audience Amplification

We push the event through the Ugly Talk network so more founders, builders, and operators in your community see it.

Sponsor Support

We give you the deck, structure, and language to help you land brand partners and grow event revenue.

Media and Venue Help

Strong events may get added reach through Grey Journal, plus venue outreach when you need it.

What you bring

Four steps from idea to a full room.

1
Pick the Topic That Hurts
Choose the conversation your community has in private but rarely in public. The best Ugly Talks start with something real.
2
Find Speakers With Scars
Bring in people who have lived it. Founders and operators who made the hard call and can talk about what it cost.
3
Invite Your Crowd. We’ll Bring Ours.
You activate your community. We activate the Ugly Talk network. Both sides help fill the room with the right people.
4
Run the Show
Lead the night from start to finish. Welcome people in, guide the conversation, and keep the energy sharp, honest, and grounded.

Recent Ugly Talks

Real rooms. Real topics.

Ugly Talk: The Night You Register the Company

Ugly Talk: Startup Valuation (What Is Your Company Really Worth)

Ugly Talk: The Mistake That Almost Ended It

Ugly Talk: Failure Is Key to Success