Halloween 2013 should’ve been a vibe. A little over 2 years ago, my business partner and I decided to throw a teen Halloween party. Think the teen clubs we grew up with: good music, safe space, lots of energy. We promoted daily on social, handed out flyers at the mall and teen hangouts, even scored shoutouts from my partner’s niece (she was in a local girl group at the time).
Night one: zero attendees.
Night two: maybe five.
You can’t tell from the photo, but I wanted to crawl into the corner and die from embarrassment. I went home sobbing, even going so far as to write an apology letter to my mother about failing at business. But looking back, it also taught me a few lessons I still use today.
What Went Wrong
1) We targeted the wrong demo for the wrong area
Those teen club nights thrived in North Jersey urban hubs like Newark. We tried to recreate that energy in Central Jersey (where only Abyss and Deko Lounge mattered when I was a teen). But the teens in this town still wanted to trick-or-treat with friends and family. A family-friendly Halloween event would’ve fit the community better than a teen-only club night.
2) We had no following
We were brand new and tried to use the party as our launch. Launching an event that relies on teen turnout (and parents’ buy-in) without a warm audience, school partnerships, or community credibility is a tough sell. This play works much better after your brand has traction.
3) We mistook effort for market fit
Daily posts, flyers, and shoutouts felt like “enough.” They weren’t. We didn’t validate demand with the actual audience, adjust price or programming based on feedback, or build pre-commits (e.g., RSVPs via schools, youth orgs, or churches). Marketing can’t fix a misaligned concept.
What I’d Do Differently Now
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Test the concept first. Quick surveys, interest lists, school club polls, parent groups—get real signals before booking a venue.
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Co-host with trusted community partners. Youth orgs, rec centers, PTAs, or local businesses bring credibility and a built-in audience.
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Design for the neighborhood. If the area skews family-oriented, create programming for families (trunk-or-treat, costume parade, craft stations) and layer teen moments inside that.
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Secure early commitments. Collect RSVPs, offer early-bird perks, or require a deposit; aim for a critical mass before you finalize production.
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Start small, build momentum. Pilot nights with limited capacity, gather feedback, then scale.
Keep Going
After that weekend, my partner and I parted ways (still best friends!). I kept doing kids’ parties for a bit, then pivoted into face painting the following year—work I genuinely loved and that opened doors to bigger creative opportunities. That “failed” event pushed me toward the next version of my business.
Takeaways for Fellow Creators & Planners
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A flop isn’t proof you’re not good at this—it’s proof you’re learning fast.
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Market fit beats marketing.
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Build the audience before the event, not during it.
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Your next win might be one pivot away.
If you’re sitting on a tough event story of your own, share it. The highlight reels are fun—but the lessons live here.