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You’re running a business.
Come get better at it.

Clutch City is a live event for small business operators in Reno — 60 minutes, three operators on stage, real pressure, honest feedback, and a room that leaves with momentum. No keynotes. No fluff. 

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EVENTS

Upcoming Build Nights

▶ Next Up

 

Build Night — Vol. 1

📅 Date TBD
🕖 7:00 – 8:00 PM
📍 Venue TBD, Reno

Three operators. Three minutes each. One champion. Bring your move — or come watch the room work.

$Reserve Your Spot
Coming Up

Build Night — Vol. 2

📅 Date TBD
📍 Reno, NV
Four events in 2026. Each one tighter than the last. Get on the list so you don’t miss it.
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📅 Quarterly in 2026
Drop your email and we’ll let you know when the next event is locked in. Just the important stuff.
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WHAT IT IS

Not a networking event.
an arena.

Most events create conversation. Clutch City creates movement. Operators get in front of a room that pushes back, challenges assumptions, and sharpens the move.
No panels. No keynotes. Just real operators and honest feedback.

01
Operators present a real move. The room pressure-tests it. Everyone leaves with momentum.
02
You’re a participant, not a spectator. Every person in the room commits to a move before they leave. That’s the deal.
03
One champion per night. The room votes on who made the strongest move — not the best business, the strongest move.
THE FORMAT

How Build Night works.

Same structure every time. That’s intentional. The format is the product. 60 minutes, hard start, hard stop. Three operators. Each one presents a single move they’re making in their business — not their story, not a pitch. One move. The timer doesn’t negotiate.

3 Minutes
Present One Move
Each operator presents one specific move they’re making right now. Hard stop at 3 minutes. No exceptions.
4 Minutes
Q&A From the Room
The room responds. Sharp, focused questions. No speeches. No rambling. The room pressure-tests the move.
Three Rounds
All Three Operators
Same structure for each operator. Consistent pace. Consistent energy. No operator gets special treatment.
10 Minutes
Audience Sprint
Every person in the room writes down the one move they’re committing to in the next 30 days. This is what makes it different.
5 Minutes
Vote
The room votes. Who made the strongest move tonight? Not the best business — the strongest move.
Champion
One Winner
Winner is announced. Trophy. Photo. One question: what are you doing in the next 30 days? Then the room goes up to write their move on the board.

The Audience Sprint is what makes this different. After all three operators present, the room goes to work. You write down the one move you’re committing to in the next 30 days. Volunteers share. Commitments go on the board. You don’t come to Clutch City to watch — you come to build.

Step Into the Arena

Compete on stage.

Three operators per event get to pressure-test a real move in front of the room. This is not a pitch competition. It’s not about who has the best business. It’s about who makes the strongest move. If you’re actively running a business and you have a real decision in front of you — this is your arena.

01
One real move. Something specific you’re doing in your business right now. Not a goal. Not an idea. A move.
02
3 minutes. Hard stop. The timer doesn’t negotiate. Clarity wins.
03
Real business required. You must be actively running a business — not planning one. Operators only.
Applications Open

Ready to step up?

Only 3 spots per event. We review every application. You’ll hear back before the event.

  • You’re actively running a business
  • You have one specific move to present
  • You can take honest feedback in public
  • You’re in or near Reno, NV

Apply to Compete →

Takes about 5 minutes. We read every one.
Who It’s For

This is for you if…

You’re building something real in Reno and you’re done figuring it out alone.
🏪
You own a small business
Restaurant, shop, service — you’re in it daily
🔧
You’re in the trades
Scaling without a playbook
📈
You have a decision to make
Pricing, hiring, a pivot — and you want real input
🤝
You want a room, not a course
Community over content
🎙️
You have something to share
Hard-won lessons worth putting on stage
📍
You’re in Reno
Or close enough. We’re building local.
About

The room small business owners never had.

The startup world has a whole ecosystem. But most businesses aren’t startups — they’re restaurants, contractors, service businesses, and shops run by real people with real stakes.

Those operators are often isolated. No meaningful peer environment. Priced out of expensive masterminds. Underserved by traditional startup ecosystems.

Clutch City is built for them. A live event in Reno where you get honest feedback, pressure-test a real move, and be around people who actually get it.

Built by David Ezell — speaker, emcee, and podcast host based in Reno, NV. realdavidezell.com