HOST was created to bring the joy back to gathering.

HOST was co-founded by us - Kat Grimes Moynihan, Lauren Benzie, & Laura Colony - at Columbia Business School in 2023.

Born out of a botched party for Kat’s dog (more on that below) and our frustration with the hoops we needed to jump through to host an elevated gathering - we created HOST when we realized there wasn’t a better way.

The Story behind HOST

While attending Columbia Business School and working full-time, Kat attempted to host a party for her dog, Sally. Kat envisioned baking festive dog treats, making a signature cocktail, and preparing wow-worthy hors d’oeuvres.

The day of the party Kat found herself frantic - running from store-store to get the basics: food, alcohol, mixers, decor…the works. Things went from bad to worse when rain arrived at the planned outdoor gathering, forcing Kat to hurriedly tidy-up her apartment while guests waited in the hallway.

After the event, Kat swore off hosting until she had time to plan ahead and prep her place for company. Kat thought, there must be a better way, and scribbled down the idea for HOST.

A few months later, Kat still faced the same problem & pitched the idea at school. Laura instantly loved it and the pair got to work. The start-up was a no-brainer & HOST was born.