Why we created an Events app

We host a lot of events. Every other month we put on Cage Wars, a top amateur MMA promotion we run to support local fighters and give people a fun night out. One year we handed out 10,000 free burgers to anyone who showed up for Free Burger Day. We recently threw a party to announce Give Back, our initiative that gives 5% of our ad spend to communities around the country. In between, there are announcements, get-togethers, and parties.

We learned quickly how to host fun events. Getting the word out was the hard part. We used Partiful to invite people to company events, TicketLeap to sell Cage Wars tickets, and Facebook to share them. Juggling them is tedious. We figured others had the same problem. So we built Events.

What we built

Events lets you create an event page, invite people, and collect registrations from the same place you run your store, blog, and email. Building it ourselves meant we could take what we liked from Partiful, Facebook, and others, skip what we didn't, and design it around how people actually host.

We also listen to our creators. More than 40,000 Stores run on Sticker Mule, and the people behind them host product launches, markets, workshops, and meetups. They were running into the same problems we were.

The first version did one thing: post an in-person event, share the link, let people register. That was the whole app. It solved the problem we actually had.

We use it ourselves, so we're always finding ways to improve it.

Running our own events with Events means we find the annoying parts before you do. Some of what we've added since launch:

• If you don't upload a cover image, we generate one for you.

• Every event gets a QR code that brings you to the event page.

• Guests register in seconds. Logged in, it's instant. Not logged in, a quick text verification. Nobody is forced to create an account.

• Guests who opt in are added to your Notify audience, so you can email them about the next one.

• Events can be public or private, and guest lists can too.

• Cancel an event and every guest is notified automatically.

What's next

Paid events are coming — ticket tiers and scanning at the door. It's launching soon, and Cage Wars will be the first test.

We've got more planned. Printable event flyers with QR codes that link to your event page. Merch integration, so the stickers, shirts, and posters in your store can be part of your event. Ticket gifting, so someone can buy a seat for a friend. And online events.

If you have an idea we haven't thought of, let us know in the comments.