Books and Resources to Start Strong
Starting a trivia night hosting business means understanding entertainment management, audience engagement, and the logistics of running events. These books provide practical frameworks for hosting, building your business, and keeping audiences coming back.
The Complete Modern Etiquette Guide by Lizzie Post
Hosting requires understanding social dynamics and how to manage groups with professionalism. This guide covers hosting principles, managing difficult situations, and creating inclusive environments—all critical skills for someone running regular trivia events. You’ll learn how to handle disputes, make guests feel welcome, and maintain control of the room.
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The Art of Public Speaking by Dale Carnegie
Trivia hosting is fundamentally about engaging an audience and projecting confidence. Carnegie’s timeless approach teaches voice control, audience connection, and how to handle nervousness—essential when you’re the center of attention for 2-3 hours. This directly impacts how professional your events feel and how much audiences enjoy them.
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Crushing It! by Gary Vaynerchuk
Building a trivia business requires marketing yourself and your events across social media and local networks. Vaynerchuk’s practical approach to personal branding and content creation shows how to promote your events, build recurring audiences, and turn one-off gigs into a sustainable business. Relevant for both B2C and B2B marketing.
Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss
Much of your income depends on negotiating hosting fees, bar partnerships, and rental agreements. Voss teaches tactical negotiation without aggression—useful when discussing payment terms with venue managers or setting pricing for private events. You’ll also use these techniques when managing disputes during games.
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Equipment You Need
Your trivia equipment falls into three buckets: audio and presentation technology, hosting and scoring tools, and backup/connectivity gear. The exact setup depends on venue size and your budget, but certain items are non-negotiable for professional events.
Audio Equipment
- Portable PA system (200-400 watts): Your voice needs to fill the room consistently without fatigue. A quality PA system eliminates shouting and sounds more professional than relying on your voice alone.
- Wireless microphone headset: Allows you to move around the venue, interact with teams, and maintain hands-free operation while reading questions or tallying scores.
- Aux cable and adapter collection: For connecting your laptop or phone to the PA system. USB-C, 3.5mm, and lightning adapters ensure compatibility with multiple devices.
- Backup microphone: Equipment fails. A wired handheld backup costs $30-50 and prevents events from falling apart.
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Presentation and Display
- Laptop with presentation software: You need reliable hardware for projecting questions, images, and round scores. A mid-range laptop ($600-900) running Windows or Mac with updated software is sufficient.
- Projector (2000+ lumens): For displaying questions and images to teams. Higher lumen count handles both dark bars and brightly lit venues. 2000-3000 lumens covers most scenarios.
- Projector screen or white wall surface: A portable pull-up screen ($80-150) gives you flexibility if venues don’t have suitable wall space.
- HDMI cables and adapters: Multiple high-quality HDMI cables prevent connection issues. Keep both standard and mini-HDMI versions.
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Hosting Tools and Scoring
- Printed scoreboard or digital tablet: You need visible score tracking. Some hosts prefer a large physical board; others use a tablet with scorekeeping software. Both work—choose what’s faster for you.
- Question document (PDF or spreadsheet): Pre-written trivia questions organized by round and difficulty. Start with 60-80 questions per event; you’ll refine your library over time.
- Timer (phone app or physical): For rounds with answer time limits. A basic kitchen timer or your phone’s timer function works fine.
- Buzzer system (optional): For faster-paced formats. Budget wireless buzzers cost $50-80 and add entertainment value without becoming essential early on.
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Backup and Connectivity
- Portable external hard drive: Store your question library, presentations, and music files. A 500GB to 1TB drive ($40-70) is sufficient and creates redundancy.
- Mobile hotspot or backup internet: If a venue’s WiFi fails, you still need connectivity to stream music, pull up video clips, or access cloud-based files. A mobile hotspot device ($30-50) or extra phone data plan is cheap insurance.
- Power bank (20,000+ mAh): Keeps your phone and microphone battery charged during long events.
- Extension cords and power strips: Venues often have inconvenient outlet locations. Heavy-duty cords prevent trip hazards and dead spots.
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What to Buy First vs Later
Your startup budget is best spent on items that directly affect event quality and your ability to deliver reliably. Some equipment becomes important only after you’ve established regular bookings.
- Buy first: Wireless microphone headset, portable PA system, projector, laptop presentation software, scorekeeping method, and question library. These are non-negotiable for hosting events that feel professional.
- Buy within 3 months: Backup microphone, portable screen, buzzer system, external hard drive for redundancy, and a reliable timer tool.
- Buy after 6+ months: Lighting equipment, a dedicated scoreboard monitor, advanced audio mixing gear, or specialty props tied to themed nights. These enhance events but aren’t required to start.
- Skip initially: Green screen, video production equipment, custom merchandise, or premium mobile apps. Early focus should be on delivering consistent, reliable events—not production value.
New vs Used Equipment
You have room to save money on some items and not others. Audio equipment and computers are worth buying new because they carry warranties, have known reliability, and fail in ways that kill events. A used microphone that cuts out mid-event costs you far more than the $20 you saved.
Used equipment makes sense for projectors, screens, cables, and furniture. Projectors particularly hold value and perform well secondhand. Cables and adapters should be new—they’re cheap and failure-prone. Look for quality used PA systems on local marketplaces if you’re buying your first one; a quality 15-year-old system often outperforms a cheap new one. Avoid used laptops unless you trust the seller; a new budget laptop ($600-700) includes warranty and longevity guarantees that matter for a business tool. For microphones, always buy new from established brands.
Where to Buy
- Amazon: Fast shipping, solid return policy, and wide selection of audio equipment, adapters, and accessories. Good for bundles and starter packages.
- B&H Photo Video: Professional-grade audio and projection equipment with expert support. Useful when you need advice on matching a projector to a specific venue size.
- Sweetwater: Excellent for audio equipment with free tech support and a no-questions return policy. Specialists in microphones and PA systems.
- Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist: Local sources for used projectors, screens, and speakers. Test equipment in person before buying.
- Local audio equipment rental companies: If you need a last-minute backup PA system or want to try before you buy, many rental shops offer weekly rates lower than purchase price.
- Best Buy: Convenient for laptops, USB cables, and backup supplies when you need same-day pickup.
- Office supply stores: Whiteboards, markers, and organizational supplies for managing your question library and scorekeeping.