WHATIF? grabbing drinks meant fixing things
IMAGINE . . .
A YouGov poll found that 90% of Americans in serious relationships argue at least occasionally.
You and your partner found yourself in another silly argument, but neither one of you are willing to compromise.
WHAT IF . . .
What if you could be a fly on the wall for your own argument? What if there was a healthy, supportive, and safe space for you two to address your disagreement and get perspective without increasing tension? What if you could turn your disagreement into entertainment? What if your unsolved argument could evolve into a date? What if you could watch real people debate real relationship issues?
What if there was a bar that hosted customer-driven, comedian-run entertainment designed to help couples resolve disputes, ease tension, and reconnect?
Concept Nest LLC is pleased to introduce. . .
Speakeasier™ | A Home for Spirited Barguments
IDEA TYPE Business, Service | INTENDED INDUSTRY Entertainment, Food & Drink | CONCEPT NEST VALUES Human Connection, Critical Thinking, Play
HOW IT WOULD WORK
When you and your partner reach an impasse, you can table the discussion for Speakeasier™.
You briefly write down the issue, clearly outlining both perspectives, and plan a date night at Speakeasier™.
If you want to be proactive, you can submit your issue — and your planned attendance — in advance through Speakeasier’s online portal. Otherwise, you can submit upon arrival. Simply, bring your tiff to the comedian/MC, the same way you would request a song.
Once approved by staff, your argument is anonymized, given a title, and added to a public, leaderboard-style queue - visible online, on Speakeasier’s socials, and on the monitor beside the stage that night.
Here's the twist: you don’t debate each other.
Instead, other guests volunteer to argue each side, following house rules that emphasize lighthearted, insightful, and constructive debate.
To prevent tunnel vision and encourage empathy, the MC/comedian will occasionally drops a loud "remix" cue, randomly forcing debaters to switch sides and argue the opposing viewpoint. This unpredictably - not every time, and not to every debate.
Meanwhile, you and your partner get to sit back and. . .
laugh
feel seen + supported
hear your argument from the outside
gain fresh perspectives
discover a solution
All in a safe, fun, and disarming environment.
PROBLEMS IT WOULD SOLVE - prior to implementation
For couples and attendees. . .
People feeling stuck in recurring disagreements
People feeling alone or isolated by their relationship issues, or think, “no one else struggles with this.”
People feeling embarrassed to discuss relationship issues
Couples feeling uninspired to resolve their issues (most solutions marketed to couples sound heavy, not fun)
For an existing bar. . .
Stagnating foot traffic
Difficulty competing in a saturated industry or geographic area
Limited or no social media engagement
VALUE IT WOULD PROVIDE - post implementation
For the couples and attendees. . .
Transforms conflicts into curiosity
Replaces anger and resentment with humor and perspective
Inspires open and honest conversation
Creates shared memorable experiences — something couples and friends talk about long after the drinks are gone
Builds community through shared vulnerability
Functions as a live, of-the-moment anthropological study
For the bar. . .
Radically differentiates the venue from competitors
Creates content-worthy moments
Drives organic word-of-mouth advertising
Motivates attendance, foot traffic, dwell time, drink sales, etc.
Attracts crowds — and crowds attract more crowds
Positions the bar at the intersection of comedy, conversation, and culture; Speakeasier becomes known not just as a place to drink, but as a place where modern relationships are playfully examined in public
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B2B: Speakeasier can be offered as a turnkey entertainment package for existing bars, comedy clubs, and event spaces. The format (MC’s, house rules, debate structure, visual queue system, and branding) travels to partner venues as a bookable experience. This allows venues to:
host recurring or one-off Speakeasier™ nights
differentiate their programming without building a concept from scratch
increase attendance, dwell time, and beverage sales
This model enables rapid expansion, low overhead, and brand recognition across a wide geographic area
B2C: A Flagship, Fully-Themed Venue
Speakeasier can also exist as a standalone bar built entirely around debate and comedic conflict resolution. This model extends beyond a single event:
nightly programming centered on relationship and cultural debates
themed nights (dating, finances, intimacy, social media, etc.)
integrating branding, decor, hospitality, and menu alignments
This would serve as both a revenue-generating venue and a proof-of-concept, establishing Speakeasier™ as a destination and incubator for future touring and/or licensed experiences.
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Adults between 25 and 45 seeking engaging, socially rich nightlfe experiences. Examples:
couples on date nights
friends “grabbing drinks'“
groups seeking accessible entertainment
solo attendees drawn to comedy, debate, and people-watching
Relationship status:
*this should remain broad
Education level:
college degree or highly curious
comfortable with nuance
enjoys panel discussions, podcasts, debates, and live comedy
Psychographics:
open-minded/curious
emotionally intelligent (or wants to be)
enjoys playful self-examination
values meaningful conversation
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Preventing and navigating emotionally charged situations
Solution: The MC role is intentionally designed as a hybrid — part comedian, part therapist/moderator. MC’s are trained to navigate tough conversations, sensitive topics, and strong personalities with humor, empathy, and authority - keeping debates light, respectful, and illuminating. House rules reinforce tone and psychological safety.
Unfiltered submissions could be inflammatory, inappropriate, and/or triggering
Solution: Speakeasier implements a submission-filtering system to ensure all arguments are appropriate, anonymized, and aligned with house standards
Risk of imitation and, thus losing its competitive edge; the concept could be copied by competitors
Solution: obtain exclusive intellectual property rights for unique setup (Recommended: trademarking the name and brand, copyrighting written formats, rules, and scripts, and pursuing utility or design patents where applicable)
Keeping content fresh, not repetitive
Solution: rotating themed discussion nights, ensuring cultural relevance, novelty, and repeat attendance while collecting new submissions
Cost of implementation
Solution: Could be pitched to bar with an alotted budget for a rebrand and remodel
Solution 2: Easy set-up/take-down design for pop-ups or touring events
Solution 3: service-based rental model where startup costs are offset by booking fees and built-in travel or installation charges
Initially, the concept could be rejected by the audience or deemed “uncomfortable”
Location is key: the concept should be introduced in cities that embrace cultural experimentation, open-mindedness, and live performance ecosystems. Let the more conservative locations become late-adopters after they’ve seen the hilarious viral clips on social.(Prospective cities: Portland, OR, New York, NY, Austin, TX, San Francisco, CA). As awareness grows via social media and the idea is validated, more conservative markets can adopt the format.
BONUS DETAILS
Feel free to reach out to the creator, Savannah, on social - or send a message to Concept Nest for ideation consulting and more.
NOTES FROM THE CREATOR
With a foundation of thoughtful design that consistently turns tension into connection, this concept could transform tension into connection. . . and succeed at scale.
This concept was designed by pure H.I. (Human Intelligence).
Savannah pitched her initial concept of Speakeasier to her team members on June 30, 2025.