StartPlaying.Games GTM brain

category

market profile

• text: Players struggle to assemble a group and find a host with compatible schedules and play styles.
• text: Professional game masters need discovery and payment infrastructure to sell sessions to players.

personas

• title: Solo tabletop RPG player
  pains:

  • Cannot find a reliable group or game master on their schedule
  • Needs confidence that a paid host matches their preferred style
• title: Professional game master
  pains:

  • Needs a steady stream of compatible players
  • Must set prices and manage bookings and payment
• title: People operations or team events organizer
  pains:

  • Needs a hosted online group activity that works for distributed colleagues
  • Wants an engaging event without designing the game themselves

icp

• text: Consumers seeking online D&D or other tabletop sessions, especially solo players or first-timers.
• text: Distributed companies planning facilitated team-building activities, alongside independent game masters seeking paid players.

message pillars

• text: Find a session that fits a player's calendar.
• text: Join as an individual without assembling a group first.
• text: Compare hosts using verified reviews and play style.

objections

• objection: I have never played before.
  response: Choose a beginner-friendly game with a professional GM who can introduce the rules.
• objection: I do not know anyone to play with.
  response: Join a public game solo and meet other players at the table.
• objection: I am unsure whether the GM is worth paying for.
  response: Compare prices, verified player reviews, systems and styles before booking.

competitors

• name: Roll20
  why: Virtual tabletop with game discovery, an alternative way to find and play RPG sessions.
• name: Fantasy Grounds
  why: Virtual tabletop platform competing for online RPG groups and hosts.

influencers

• name: Devon Chulick
  url: https://devonchulick.substack.com/p/how-startplaying-started
  why: Co-founder writes about the origins of the marketplace and running games.

keywords

• find D&D group online
• hire dungeon master
• online tabletop RPG games
• paid game master
• Pathfinder online group
• virtual team building games

voice

• friendly and welcoming
• playful and conversational
• beginner inclusive

signals

• text: A player is seeking an online group or new game system after losing their regular table.
• text: A distributed company is planning a hosted social event for its team.

stack

• virtual tabletop platforms

pricing

motion

channels

• SEO
• gaming communities
• LinkedIn
• content marketing

confidence

Founders

• name: Spriha Tucker
  title: Founder
  role: Founder
  bio: Spriha previously cofounded YC-backed startups Aviator and Frequentish (now StartPlaying.Games), and led product management for developer tools on Android Things/Fuchsia at Google. Prior to that she worked on API based ad-products on Google Search Ads, and search infrastructure at Microsoft Bing.