21 Hats Live: Build Your Own Agenda
“I’m glad you keep it intentionally small, but everyone who owns a business could benefit. It’s one of those things you want to keep a secret but also shout from the rooftops.” — Lena McGuire
Here’s what the three days will look like:
A private sky box at a Cincinnati Reds baseball game. Behind-the-scenes visits to iconic Cincinnati businesses. Great food at great, local restaurants. And a priceless opportunity to connect with other business owners who truly get it.
Tuesday Evening (Optional, but Highly Encouraged)
We’ll open with an early-arrival bonus.
From our hotel, the Renaissance Downtown Cincinnati, we’ll walk together to a private sky box at Great American Ball Park for dinner and a Reds game. It’s an easy, relaxed way to start getting to know one another. Just a great setting and good conversation.
Wednesday Afternoon
We officially begin 21 Hats Live at the headquarters of Triversity Construction, led by my co-host Mel Gravely.
We’ll start with a get-acquainted session where everyone begins to share what’s working in their business—and what’s not. This sets the tone for everything that follows.
From there, we’ll tour a local Cincinnati business and then head out for dinner. As Mel likes to say, Cincinnati may be the most walkable city in America—and a great place to continue our conversations in smaller groups.
Thursday
This is the heart of the event.
In the morning, you build the agenda. Everyone suggests the topics they believe would be most valuable to discuss. We vote on them. Then we work through the topics in the order they received votes.
We often hit some version of, “How big do you want your business to be — and what are you willing to do to get there?” That opens the door to further questions, such as: “Would you take a partner?” “Would you want an outside investor?” “Would you borrow money using your home as collateral?” You can also expect versions of, “Where do you get your best ideas?” “How have you been using AI?” “What’s been your most effective marketing?”
No speakers.
No panels.
No one telling you what you should be doing.
Just smart business owners sharing real experiences—the wins, the struggles, the lessons learned along the way.
We’ll stop for lunch, and then continue our conversation and tour another business in the afternoon. After a break, we’ll head out for dinner together.
Friday Morning
We resume our peer-group conversations and then select one owner to do a deep dive into a particularly intriguing challenge. This “hot seat” session is recorded and later published as a podcast. It’s candid, unscripted, and consistently one of the most powerful moments of the entire event.
We’ll wrap up with lunch—though, a few of us usually stick around for one more dinner before heading home. And Mel suggests taking the weekend to really explore Cincinnati.
If you’ve ever wished you could spend more time with people who truly understand what you’re going through as an owner, 21 Hats Live: Cincinnati is that gathering.
We’ll go deep on the topics you care about.
We’ll leave plenty of space for quiet walks and side conversations.
We’ll build relationships that last beyond the event.
And we’ll leave inspired.
“I don’t know how anyone could leave this event without an insight, an idea, an inspiration, a connection that makes a difference. One conversation could have saved me years of grief.”
— Jay Goltz
At past events, we’ve brought together first-time founders and 30-year veterans—owners building everything from side hustles with a few hundred thousand dollars in revenue to established businesses with more than $200 million in revenue.
The common denominator isn’t size or industry or geography. It’s a willingness to show up, engage, and learn from one another. If you’re ready to enter a room where the conversations are honest, the experience is shared, and the collective wisdom is real, here are the details:
When:
Optional baseball game Tuesday evening, May 12
Main event runs Wednesday afternoon, May 13, through Friday afternoon, May 15
Where:
Cincinnati, Ohio
Rooms blocked at the Renaissance Downtown Cincinnati
Fee:
$2,750 (all group meals and activities included; travel and hotel not included)
Participants:
Limited to 30 owners
Guarantee:
If you’re not fully satisfied, you get a full refund.
