Bingo is no longer just a pastime for community centers—it’s becoming a powerful tool for connection. Enter Bingo Bard, a social gaming platform founded by Janie Hughes and Mike Hughes, designed to reinvent how people engage at events and gatherings, with custom bingo experiences.
The idea clicked when the couple realized just how universal bingo could be. “Every time we talk to someone about our game, they immediately say, ‘Oh, I could do one for my book club!’ or ‘Could I make one for my wedding?’” Janie and Mike explain. Whether it’s fantasy football drafts, corporate icebreakers, or family reunions, Bingo Bard makes social moments more engaging—and endlessly customizable.
Bingo Bard’s magic lies in its smart use of AI. Customers can easily create personalized bingo cards filled with situational humor, inside jokes, and contextually relevant scenarios that celebrate what makes each gathering unique.
This week, we sat down with Janie and Mike to learn more about their journey. In our conversation, they shared the story behind the company, the challenges and triumphs of being married co-founders, and how to “focus”.
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Q1: Could you tell us a little bit about your company?
At Bingo Bard, we’re dedicated to creating custom bingo experiences that spark meaningful connections across communities. Our mission is to reimagine traditional networking and event experiences through gamification, making interactions more engaging, inclusive, and fun.
The beauty of bingo is its accessibility. Everyone can see themselves playing—whether it’s a themed game for a family gathering, a silly set for a fantasy football draft, or an icebreaker activity at a wedding. The possibilities really are endless, and that’s what excites us most.
Q2: What inspired you to start your own company?
It started as something playful and personal. For years, we joked about making a bingo game for family gatherings—something lighthearted to capture those moments that always happen at Thanksgiving or reunions.
Then Janie, through her involvement with the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) and the Triangle Interactive Arts Collective, was preparing for the Game Developers Conference (GDC). We decided to turn the joke into reality. Janie designed some concepts, and Mike quickly built a playable prototype with social sharing features. The game became an instant hit at GDC.
What began as a side project for fun quickly revealed its potential as a real business. We realized we had stumbled upon something both meaningful and scalable.
Q3: What previous experiences influence your role today?
We’ve always gravitated toward creative, people-focused work. Mike brings 30 years of consulting experience and a strong entrepreneurial drive, while Janie draws from her background in marketing, operations, and game development leadership.
Our passions—whether in music, film, travel, or gaming—fuel our creativity. Together, our complementary strengths allow us to adapt quickly, approach challenges with balance, and build something that reflects both fun and function.
Q4: What are the biggest challenges you’ve encountered as a startup founder this far, and how did you overcome them?
For us, the challenge has been focus. With such a versatile product, there are countless directions Bingo Bard could go. Early on, it was easy to get stuck asking, “Which path should we pursue first?”
We’ve learned that discipline, clarity, and deadlines are essential. As the ultimate decision-makers, we’ve had to set milestones that push us forward. Being married co-founders also adds a layer of complexity—we’ve had to clearly define roles, over-communicate, and respect each other’s working rhythms.
Ultimately, structure and intentional boundaries have helped us turn creative chaos into meaningful progress.
Q5: Do you have any mentors or role models who have inspired you while you have been building your business?
We have almost too many to list! We’re both very community focused and really lean on our community both as givers (sharing our knowledge), and receivers. We are lifelong learners and love hearing other people’s insights. We have gained so many tips and tricks between Janie’s involvement with the gaming communities and Mike’s involvement in programming communities. Being open and communicative in these communities is like the rising tide, raising all ships.
Mike’s dad John, and his wife Alice, built and sold a very successful small business and are a great sounding board for us. Steph Briles and Michael Schmitt from Triangle Interactive Arts Collective, Ashley Breazeale from Bigger Boss Games, Mafalda Duarte from Women in Games, Jay Powell, founder of Indie Game Business, and countless more in the gaming community. Janie’s best friend (since high school!), Marcia Sheehan, has built numerous businesses, women’s empowerment communities and initiatives that have been particularly inspiring for Janie. Mike has always been a fan of Steve Blank, creator of the lean startup methodology.
And in just a short time, the RIoT Accelerator has already made a transformative impact. Their guidance helped us pivot strategically and focus on a clearer path to revenue.
Q6: What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and future startup founders based on your own experiences and lessons learned?
- Embrace community. The Triangle’s supportive network is one of their greatest assets—tap into it.
- Listen to the data. Patterns often emerge that reveal the right path forward.
- Don’t fear pivoting. Flexibility can uncover new opportunities, especially in diverse markets.
- Expect the unexpected. As they like to joke, “We never thought we’d have ‘what making a bingo game taught us about B2B sales’ on our bingo card.”
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👉 Why it matters: An AI-powered bingo game built by two entrepreneurs in North Carolina matters because it shows how playful technology can tackle a timeless challenge: bringing people together. By blending tradition with innovation, Bingo Bard transforms an old-school favorite into a modern engagement tool for events, businesses, and communities. It’s proof that groundbreaking ideas don’t always emerge from Silicon Valley—sometimes they’re sparked right here in the Triangle, where creativity, community, and technology intersect.
Follow Their Journey:
Website: https://bingobard.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bingobard
Twitter: https://x.com/BingoBard
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bingobard/