Run clubs by day, raves by night: the story of Vently

The month after they moved in, the team threw their first party. Khonaysser posted the invitation to Instagram: “Wine dinner. Eight strangers. … Dinner, drinks on us. Dm us.” 

Hundreds responded — nannies, tech workers, venture capitalists, local politicos — which confirmed his hunch. “People are hungry for connection,” he said. “They just need some help.” The night of the party, he donned a butler’s jacket, set the table, and waited by the door. All 12 RSVPs showed up, and from then on, “Dinner With Strangers” became a monthly event. Nowadays, it boasts a 5,000-strong waitlist.

In the past year, Vently has promoted and hosted hundreds of events: Orangetheory workouts, bank raves, boat parties, a SantaCon takeover, viral “lookalike” contests. It has partnered with TechCrunch and the Golden State Warriors (“They reached out to us!,” Khonaysser said). The company has amassed 12,700 followers on Instagram and in November launched a platform where event organizers and venues can list and sell tickets, send text blasts, and manage their communities.

Of course, living with cofounders — and hosting parties in the home — can put a strain on relationships. But Gargi Kand, 26, Vently’s head of growth and self-proclaimed “big sister” of the house, thrives on intensity. (Last year, she ran a marathon with no training. “Don’t recommend it,” she said. “Dislocated my knee a month later.”)

Living in a party house with her colleagues has been generally low-stress, she said, noting that the guys are respectful and clean up after themselves. The only disagreements are over Khonaysser’s “pathological need” to blast the heat; the others forgive him because he makes a killer espresso martini.

As for romantic entanglements, only Khonaysser is in a relationship. “If someone has girl problems, I’m the one they talk to,” said Kand. Jacob Wells, 22, who went to college with Khonaysser and is Vently’s COO, said he’s on standby if Kand needs relationship tips. “Gargi comes to me when she wants a straight-shooter opinion on her many dating problems,” he said.