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What if the part of you that you hide the most is the only part worth sharing? The story of Fuckup Nights Milan.
How Montserrat Fernandez Blanco brought * Fuckup Nights * to Italy to break the taboo surrounding failure and create a space for collective catharsis.
By:
Blanca Smith
A Hidden Need: Talking About Failure
Have you ever felt that the story we’re told about entrepreneurship is incomplete? That sense of unease was exactly what sparked this story.
In 2010, Montserrat opened one of the first coworking spaces in Italy with some friends. It was the height of the startup boom and the influence of Silicon Valley: the idea that entrepreneurship was something incredible and heroic.
But in the day-to-day reality of coworking, Montserrat saw a different reality. Projects facing enormous difficulties and companies that weren’t working out. There was a triumphant narrative where everything revolved around success and scaling up, but no one talked about the projects that failed or the emotional impact on people.
The question that almost became an obsession: Why don't we leave room for failure?
In her search for answers, Montserrat found Fuckup Nights, which was just getting started at México. From the very beginning, the stage in Milan knew no bounds. Public figures such as Roberto Saviano, family doctors, tightrope walkers, sociologists, and scientists have all taken the stage there.
Behind the Scenes: The "Failure Hunter"
Montserrat often jokes that she's a "seeker of failures," but finding these people has been a transformative experience. There's a phrase the speakers constantly repeat to her in private: "I've never told anyone this."
That is where the power of the movement lies. We have built a society where we feel that the most vulnerable parts of ourselves must remain hidden, even from our loved ones. Fuckup Nights breaks that taboo.
When someone takes the stage to share their story without holding back, the audience experiences a kind of mirroring effect. A special energy fills the room: a sense of relief, liberation, and collective catharsis. People discover that failure is not just a source of shame, but a deeply human experience.
On a personal level, leading this initiative extended Montserrat's life. Many of her most important relationships began here, including her current business partner, whom she met after inviting her to be a speaker.
Do you want to be a leader in your community?
Organize " Fuckup Nights " events in your city
Create a space where people can connect, share their failures, and grow—whether you run a coworking space, a community space, a business, or a conference.
Build your community and generate income while you’re at it!
The Unforgettable "Fuckup": The Fear That Paralyzes
Of all these years, there is one story that has stuck with me. Sarah Amatuzio, a successful art director from New York who had worked for Oprah Winfrey, took the stage. But she didn't talk about her career.
He talked about things he never did.
In her early twenties, she had the talent and a producer ready to launch her as a rock star. But she felt such an overwhelming fear of failure that she gave up on her dream entirely.
Twenty-five years later, on the set of * Fuckup Nights*, Sarah asked to do something unexpected: she wanted to sing one of her own songs about failure. Montserrat, terrified that the audience might react negatively, thought , “If we don’t take risks on * Fuckup Nights *, where else will we?”
The result was pure magic. As she sang, the audience felt a deep connection through a shared inner question: What have I stopped doing in my life out of fear of failure?
That overwhelming need to speak honestly is what explains the figures in this chapter:
We've been organizing events continuously for more than 10 years.
100 attendees at its first edition.
Moving to larger facilities after just two years in operation.
Between 400 and 600 people are registered for each current regular session.
More than 5,000 participants in a massive special edition.
Advice for Future Fuckuppers
After a decade of showing that we still need spaces where we can look at one another with less fear, Montserrat’s advice for anyone thinking about taking a leave of absence in her city is direct and clear:
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