Memphis Retreat: Building Challenge Entertainment’s Future Together

At Challenge Entertainment, the energy you see each Game Night across the country starts long before a question hits the screen. It begins with thoughtful planning, collaboration, and a commitment to delivering fun, high-quality experiences that benefit our partner venues and empower our amazing team of TJs and hosts.

Last week, our Challenge Entertainment Home Office team gathered in Memphis, TN for a 3-day retreat — a rare chance for the corporate side of CE to step out of the day-to-day and focus on the big picture.

And while we did take in a little bit of local flavor (yes, Memphis barbecue was involved), the focus was clear: How do we evolve and grow as a company in 2026 and beyond in a way that lifts up everyone in the CE ecosystem?

A Strategic Pause: Listening, Learning, and Looking Ahead

As we gathered around conference tables instead of pub tables, the central theme was clear: growth through alignment.

That starts with listening. A key part of this retreat was a deep review of venue feedback, as well as feedback from our TJs and hosts across the country.

Your voices — whether you’re managing a venue that runs five trivia nights a week or hosting your very first music bingo — shaped our discussions. We didn’t just read the feedback; we worked through it, point by point.

• What’s working?
• What’s not?
• What creative solutions can we roll out to improve the CE experience at every level?

We believe that great partnerships are built on communication and continuous improvement. This retreat gave us the time and space to zoom out, align our leadership, and make sure we’re investing in the areas that matter most.

Still 2025 — But Already Thinking About 2026

While October might seem early to start thinking about next year’s goals, Challenge Entertainment is already laying the foundation for a big 2026.

This retreat helped us solidify some ambitious but achievable targets:

• Stronger tools and support for TJs and hosts to create even more engaging events
• Expanded venue relationships with a focus on retention, activation, and high-performance partnerships
• Refinements to our games, from tech enhancements to fresh new formats designed to keep players coming back
• A renewed focus on data-driven decisions to help every venue and every host thrive

We’re treating 2026 not just as another year on the calendar, but as a year of transformation — one that rewards our community’s resilience, creativity, and drive with bold steps forward.

Our North Star? Becoming best in class. Not just in one area, but across every aspect of our business — from the quality of our content and the reliability of our tech, to the support we provide hosts and the partnerships we build with venues. We’re asking ourselves the hard questions: How can we be best in class in training? In communication? In the experience we create for players every single night? This isn’t about being perfect — it’s about being intentional, always improving, and setting a standard that others aspire to reach.

Investing in Our People

The Memphis retreat also reminded us of something simple but powerful: at the heart of Challenge Entertainment’s success is our people.

That means not just the Home Office team, but the hundreds of talented hosts and incredible partner venues who make game nights come to life every day.

We’re committed to providing:

• Better tools
• Stronger support
• Clearer communication

Because when you thrive, everyone wins — from the players in the room to the bartenders and managers to the larger CE network.

What’s Next?

In the weeks ahead, you’ll begin to see the ripple effects of the planning and decisions made in Memphis.

Some of it will be behind the scenes — streamlining processes and improving communication channels. Some will be front and center — new training resources, sharper content, and tools that make running your event easier and more fun.

And through it all, we’re keeping the same mission at the forefront: To provide unforgettable, community-building entertainment — free to play, easy to host, and impossible not to love.

Thank You for Being Part of the CE Family

Whether you’re hosting a packed house at Tuesday night Live Trivia, welcoming regulars for Pub Poll, or managing multiple nights a week at your venue, you are an essential part of what we do.

This Memphis retreat reinforced something we already knew — Challenge Entertainment doesn’t succeed unless our partners and people succeed.

So here’s to what’s ahead. Let’s finish 2025 strong and gear up for a 2026 filled with innovation, impact, and of course… plenty of trivia.

— The CE Home Office Team