The Blog
Videos and articles about how to throw a party, run icebreakers, read real case studies, and make new friends.
What to Bring to a Party as a Guest (And What Hosts Actually Want)
I texted my friend Lindsay ten minutes before her party to ask if she needed ice. She told me to come an hour later instead. Here is what hosts actually want you to bring, and what matters more than t…
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Printed Questions on the Wall: Joe G's Meetup in Los Angeles
Joe read The 2-Hour Cocktail Party, ran it for a member group in Los Angeles, and made one upgrade worth stealing: print…
Best Paperless Post Alternatives (2026)
Paperless Post's coin pricing trips a lot of hosts up. Here's an honest comparison of the best alternatives, including M…
55 Tips for Hosting People at Home
Hosting doesn't have to be complicated, but it does help to know what actually works. I went through thousands of commen…
Alina’s First 2-Hour Party
I received an awesome message from someone who heard me speak at a conference. Alina read my book, The 2-Hour Cocktail…
7 Icebreaker Questions to Use at Your Next Networking Event
I recently led an interactive workshop for the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) in Fort Worth. The goal was to get a ro…
10 Best Dinner Party Tips
We all know the power of a great dinner party for making new friends and deepening existing relationships. But what if I…
How to Build Community in a Small Town
Have you ever moved to a new town and struggled to meet people and build your network? That's exactly what happened to Y…
The Lilly Friend Project: How to Make New Friends
In 2018, I conducted an experiment placing 100 flyers around NYC with the simple headline 'Do you want New Friends?' Th…
The 2-Hour Cocktail Party: Referenced in UPenn Academic Research
The power of structured social gatherings is gaining academic attention. Noah Adams, a researcher at the University of P…
10 Party Conversation Starters
Striking up a conversation with strangers can feel overwhelming. Whether you're an introvert, new to hosting, or just w…
10 Color Theme Party Ideas: Dress Code, Decor, and How to Pull It Off
A color theme party is one of the easiest ways to make your gathering feel special. The dress code does half the work fo…
