The problem
Hosts want guests to actually talk. Most icebreakers are too shallow to matter or too intense for near-strangers.
What I did
- 100+ user surveys and a 10-product competitive scan found two high-intent segments: regular hosts, and the venues that host them.
- Built the deck on the OCEAN personality model: category cards set a trait, question cards ask about someone at the table, players rate 1 to 5.
- Skipped paid channels. Sold in person at card game cafes and social events in New York. 50+ decks sold.
Results
150+pre-launch purchase commitments
$30 to 40price point
$0paid budget
50+decks sold
Insight: it sold itself in rooms where people already wanted to connect. Venue partnerships became the channel.
Artifacts
I later wrote up the deck as a tech pack: card spec, bill of materials, box dieline, costing, and a proofing checklist.
