Mastermind Groups for Business Leaders and CEOs

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If you’re a business leader or an entrepreneur, who do you turn to for business advice on a more informal level (and not at an hourly rate) than you can get from a consultant, accountant, attorney, or other professional who charges you by the hour?

You might look to your board or to an informal advisory board. But there is another option…

Enter ‘mastermind groups.’ This is an umbrella term used to describe peer organizations for CEOs, founders, and business owners, designed to allow their members to connect with like-minded individuals who aren’t on their payroll.

Even better is that these groups are closed to the public, and membership is typically vetted, offering a space for you to speak frankly about your experiences and exchange candid feedback.

Below are several prominent organizations that you may consider joining, each with its own unique culture, expectations, and benefits.

Founders and CEO mastermind groups:

1. Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO)

Who it’s for: CEOs under the age of 45, who are looking to privately compare notes with other CEOs.

YPO is one of the most established and highly respected peer organizations in the world, with an emphasis on confidential, forum-based discussion rather than networking or deal-making. Its membership age cap ensures conversations skew toward growth, transition, and leadership.

Members are placed in to small forums that meet regularly and operate under strict rules. Most notably, there is a prohibition on giving unsolicited advice.

Outside of these forums, YPO also offers thousands of local, regional, global, and virtual events throughout the year, with a strong emphasis on business learning.

Key benefits:

• Small, confidential peer-led forums that meet regularly.

• Global community of high-performing CEOs.
• Emphasis on personal and professional development.

Membership requirements:

• Must be the CEO, President, Managing Director, or equivalent.
• Company must meet minimum revenue or employee thresholds (varies by industry).
• Must have reached qualifying scale before age 45.
• Subject to chapter approval and interview process.

Membership cost: Initiation fee of $4,650 plus annual fees of $4,650, as of January 2026.

2. Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)

Who it’s for: Founders and business owners actively navigating rapid growth.

EO is designed for entrepreneurs who are building, scaling, and adapting in real time. Its members tend to be hands-on operators who are dealing with hiring, delegation, and capital decisions.

The organization relies on peer-led forums, where members exchange war stories. They operate like “having your own personal board of directors,” according to EO member Julia Finnis-Bedford. This format is similar to YPO, but the entry requirements are more accessible.

Key benefits:

• Peer-to-peer learning in small, confidential groups that meet monthly.
• Sharing of experiences rather than advice.
• Strong local chapter engagement.
• Global network of founders.

Membership requirements:

• Must be the founder, co-founder, or controlling owner of a company with at least $1 million in annual gross revenue.
• Venture-backed companies must have either privately raised funds of $2 million or publicly raised funds of $5 million, and employ at least 10 full-time employees.
• Non-profit entities must have an annual operating budget of at least $1 million and 10 full-time employees.

Membership cost: Initiation fee of $3,500 plus annual fees of $2,630, as of January 2026.

3. Vistage

Who it’s for: CEOs looking for structured meetings and experienced guidance.

Vistage is considered the largest CEO peer advisory and executive coaching network in the world, with around 45,000 members in over 40 countries.

The organization offers a more formal environment than most peer groups, appealing to business leaders who value discipline and measurable outcomes.

Peer advisory groups are run by professional facilitators (aka Chairs) who are often former CEOs themselves. Meetings are agenda-driven, and members are expected to come prepared.

Key benefits:

• Peer advisory groups with monthly meetings.

• One-on-one executive coaching with experienced Chairs once per month.

• Business performance focus and disciplined problem-solving.

Membership requirements:

• Must be in a senior executive role (CEO, President, or business owner).
• Company size varies by group type.
• Must be willing to commit to regular meetings and preparation.

Membership cost: Initiation fee of around $2,500 plus monthly fees of $1,380 for CEO-level members, according to First Page Sage.

4. 3to5 Club

Who it’s for: Business owners looking to build a mature, self-sustaining business in about three to five years.

The 3to5 Club is designed for entrepreneurs seeking learning groups that can help them build businesses that are both profitable and sustainable.

Members meet regularly in small, facilitated groups to work through strategy, accountability, and long-term planning. The focus is to step out of day-to-day firefighting and build a business that can run independently.

Key benefits:

• Small groups with regular meetings, usually twice a month.
• Tools and frameworks for building a business that doesn’t own you.
• Access to coaching with trained facilitators to refine strategy and execution.

Membership requirements:

• Open to anyone who is an entrepreneur or someone with a vested interest in a company.
• Prospective members are encouraged to connect with a 3to5 Club and visit for free for one month.

Membership cost: Online (self-paced) is $69 per month, club membership is $329 per month, with discounts available.

5. Strategic Coach

Who it’s for: Growth-focused entrepreneurs looking to unlock the next level of success in their business.

Strategic Coach offers quarterly workshops and coaching sessions that are designed to teach leaders “how to think differently,” according to member Deirdre Van Nest.

The quarterly workshops take place in various host cities and are designed to teach members new tools and frameworks created by its founder Dan Sullivan.

Membership is structured in three stages. The initial Signature Program is designed to focus on building systems that increase productivity, market clarity, and business growth. Members can later move into the 10x Ambition Program, which focuses on scaling and multiplying business impact, and after that, the Free Zone Frontier, which focuses on bypassing competition and collaborative innovation.

Be warned: membership fees are quite costly. You need to be highly motivated to learn new tools to help grow your business, in order to unlock the program’s value.

Key benefits:

• Four in-person or virtual workshops per year.
• Quarterly one-on-one coaching sessions in between workshops.
• Emphasis on driving continual business growth.

Membership requirements:

• Must be a business owner or entrepreneurial leader.
• Must be in your own business for at least 3 years.
• North American members must have a minimum net personal income of USD $200,000.

Membership cost: US and virtual members pay $15,000 plus $2,000 deposit.

Professional Networks:

If you don’t quite meet the cut for traditional mastermind groups, don’t despair. There are many professional organizations out there that provide excellent alternatives.

1. ProVisors

Who it’s for: Experienced professionals and executives looking to build long-term business relationships, not just casual networking.

While not a traditional mastermind in the CEO sense, ProVisors is often used by business leaders to build professional relationships across legal, financial, and advisory disciplines. It functions as a complement to the other peer advisory organizations we’ve shared.

ProVisors is a professional networking organization structured around small, industry-diverse groups that meet regularly to exchange referrals, insights, and introductions.

Key benefits:

• Small, curated groups with cross-disciplinary representation.
• Regular, structured meetings.
• Strong emphasis on relationship-building and referrals.

Membership requirements:

• Must be a trusted professional advisor (typically with 10+ years of experience).
• Generally serve middle-market companies, established professional service firms, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to both give and receive referrals.
• Ongoing participation and attendance expectations.

Membership cost: Annual fee of $2,700.

2. Business Network International (BNI)

Who it’s for: Business owners and executives looking for a highly structured, referral-based professional networking.

BNI is one of the world’s largest business networking organizations, with over 345,000 members worldwide. Members meet weekly in local chapters, with a strong emphasis on referrals, accountability, and consistent participation.

“It’s a fantastic way to generate high-quality leads from trusted sources within your network,” says BNI member Crystal Garcia.

Key benefits:

• Large global network with local chapters.
• Structured referral system.
• Clear expectations around participation and follow-through.

Membership requirements:

• Applications are made through your local chapter.
• Only one person per professional specialty can join each chapter to avoid competition.
• Must commit to weekly meetings.

Membership cost: US chapters range from $599–$1,149 annually.

Ultra-Wealthy Peer Groups:

Tiger 21

Who it’s for: Ultra-high-net-worth individuals focused on wealth preservation and deployment.

Tiger 21 is a peer network for wealth creators who have already achieved significant liquidity, rather than a business-building organization. Its members are looking for guidance on how to manage capital thoughtfully.

Members meet in small groups and regularly present their full personal balance sheets for review and discussion. That’s right, you’re expected to show all your homework. It’s a level of financial transparency that tends to discourage casual participation.

Key benefits:

• Sophisticated investment education.
• Peer review of wealth allocation decisions.
• Long-term perspective on risk, legacy, and governance.

Membership requirements:

• Must have verifiable investable assets or net worth of at least $20 million USD.
• Willingness to disclose personal financial information.
• Candidates can submit membership inquiry, followed by meeting with a Group Chair and formal assessments.

Membership cost: Initiation fee of $5,000 plus annual fees of $33,000 for US members.

It’s lonely at the top.

When you reach a certain level of leadership, honest feedback can be hard to come by.

Mastermind groups exist to help you fill that gap. They provide a setting where leaders can speak candidly, test ideas before acting on them, and hear from people who understand the stakes.

For many CEOs and business leaders, these groups offer the rare luxury of a room where uncertainty is allowed, experience is respected, and no one is too impressed by your title.

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