Join a group of exceptional business leaders for our ThinkTank visiting day on December 11, 2024, from 12:30 to 5 PM.

During my seven-year stint as a Vistage Chair, I picked up more wisdom than I did in over three decades of entrepreneurial hustle. That’s the magic of a CEO peer advisory group. When I first got into Vistage, I went through a tough as nails interview process—only the best of the best make the cut. The training? Top-notch. But the real jackpot was witnessing the magic that happens when a group of execs gather in a safe, non-judgmental haven to:

• Tackle each other’s stickiest issues
• Support each other in rough patches
• Offer unfiltered advice
• Shatter the isolation that often shadows leadership

Vistage schooled me on how to handpick members to craft a dynamite team of leaders who both contribute and gain equally. They taught me a plethora of strategies to efficiently resolve issues and how to run meetings that were gold mines for everyone involved.

Yet, the most eye-opening lesson? The toxic impact of Private Equity on a company’s soul.

Back when Vistage was a close-knit, privately-owned community, growth was organic, fueled by the genuine enthusiasm of its members. The formula was simple: look after the chairs, master the art of coaching, and the rest will follow—powerful, effective, transformative.

Then came the Private Equity takeover, and it felt like Vistage lost its compass, turning into the Amway of Peer Advisory Groups. The focus shifted—from nurturing top-tier coaches to mass-recruiting chairs, from excellence in training to pumping up sales skills. It morphed into what felt eerily like a pyramid scheme.

I had a revelation—the real worth of Vistage lay in the quality of what we offered, not the aggressiveness of our sales pitch. So in 2012, I stepped down and started my own private CEO ThinkTank. The difference?

Charging members $1,500 a month, Vistage offered a buffet of services that often missed the mark:

• Paid speakers who often spoke to empty chairs as members skipped sessions.
• A private intranet that couldn’t hold a candle to a simple Google search.
• High-salaried corporate execs who sure looked sharp in their suits.
• A pricey marketing and admin squad that hardly justified their cost in member or chair value.

When I decided to hang out my own shingle, I crafted a new blueprint that delivered greater value at a fraction of the cost.

Link to independent research regarding peer group performance.

Introducing ThinkTank versus Vistage

Profile Of Businesses In The Group

• • • Next Generation Cargo & Passenger Security Scanners
    • Real Estate Agency
    • Reputation Management
    • Food Safety Testing Systems
    • Tutoring
    • Higher Education Technology Systems
    • Large Company Corporate Education Systems
    • Software Developer
    • SMB Digital Marketing Provider
    • Immagration Law Firm

Check out this independent research on the value of CEO Peer Groups. To access the article, click on the Chief Executive Logo Below.

Here’s where real value meets real business acumen. As a former Vistage Chair turned peer-advisory group maestro and executive coach, I’m here to help business leaders navigate their toughest decisions and stick to them. Curious about what a session with me looks like? Click here to book a free, no-strings-attached coaching session and experience the difference firsthand.