Last verified
Alternatives to Alliance of Chief Executives
Founders look past Alliance of Chief Executives when they miss the bar, want a different format, or need a different stage mix. Pre-revenue founders seeking a startup-only room, or anyone unwilling to invest significant annual time.
Ranked alternatives
- The Founders Forum · peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage.
- Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles) · hybrid format vs in-person; staff-convened vs paid facilitator.
- Vistage · hybrid format vs in-person.
- Hampton · venture-specific focus.
- Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) · hybrid format vs in-person; peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth.
- FounderNexus · venture-specific focus; hybrid format vs in-person; staff-convened vs paid facilitator.
- YPO · hybrid format vs in-person; peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Growth, Late stage.
Comparison table
| Rank | Group | Cost | Stage fit | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Founders Forum | No membership fee (potluck; optional donations) | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage | peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage. |
| 2 | Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles) | $5,995/year (includes monthly meetups, private app, national referral… | Series A, Growth, Late stage | hybrid format vs in-person; staff-convened vs paid facilitator. |
| 3 | Vistage | Not published | Series A, Growth, Late stage | hybrid format vs in-person. |
| 4 | Hampton | Not published | Series A, Growth, Late stage | venture-specific focus. |
| 5 | Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO) | US$2,630 annual global dues + US$3,500 one-time initiation; chapter d… | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth | hybrid format vs in-person; peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth. |
| 6 | FounderNexus | Not published | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage | venture-specific focus; hybrid format vs in-person; staff-convened vs paid facilitator. |
| 7 | YPO | USD 4,790 one-time initiation + USD 4,790 annual global dues; local c… | Growth, Late stage | hybrid format vs in-person; peer-led vs paid facilitator; stage fit: Growth, Late stage. |
Alliance of Chief Executives vs the top alternatives
| Field | Alliance of Chief Executives | The Founders Forum | Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles) | Vistage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Format | in-person | in-person | hybrid | hybrid |
| Structure | facilitated forum | peer-led forum | mastermind | facilitated forum |
| Facilitation | paid facilitator | peer-led | staff-convened | paid facilitator |
| Group size | About 12 per Alliance Group (target ~8 in-meeting) | Not published | 15–30 (typical monthly meeting) | 12 to 16 |
| Stage fit | Series A, Growth, Late stage | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage | Series A, Growth, Late stage | Series A, Growth, Late stage |
| Revenue / capital floor | Not published as a numeric floor; membership is fit-based, not balance-sheet gated | None stated; founders at every stage welcome | Must meet at least one: >$1M net revenue (gross minus direct COGS); OR owner net income ≥ $250K; OR senior executive at $10M+ company; OR recent exit that met above | Chief Executive program: $5M+ revenue / typically 20+ employees. Small Business program: $1–4M revenue. |
| Annual cost | $750 one-time enrollment + $11,000 annual dues (monthly/quarterly options). Charged only after first private-group meeting confirms fit. | No membership fee (potluck; optional donations) | $5,995/year (includes monthly meetups, private app, national referrals, digital resources, event discounts, annual summit). City Founders Rate Not published. | Not published |
| Application model | invite-only | application | application | application |
| Venture-specific | No | No | No | No |
| Other requirements | Qualified leadership position (CEO / senior leaders); personal fit interview; confidentiality and no-selling principles | Current or past founder who built a business from the ground up; must love Jesus (Christ-centered fellowship); Austin-based | Invitation-only after application + fit call; attend a meeting before finalizing; confidentiality code of conduct | CEO/owner peer groups of non-competing members; Chair-led. Qualify via form. |
| Time commitment | About 40 hours/year on Alliance participation (site claim); private group meetings plus roundtables/dinners | Weekly in-person gatherings alternating Bee Cave and Downtown Austin | One monthly local ~3-hour meetup; optional annual summit | Monthly peer group meetings plus monthly 1:1 with Chair; speakers and events |
| Geography | San Francisco Bay Area / Northern California / Silicon Valley | Austin, TX | Los Angeles chapter; drop-in at other Speakeasy city chapters | Global chapters; local groups |
| Best for | Bay Area CEOs who want confidential, facilitated strategic peer forums with industry-diverse operators. | Austin founders who want weekly in-person peer support integrating business, leadership, faith, and family — without dues. | Established LA entrepreneurs who want a high-bar monthly in-person mastermind plus multi-city network access. | CEOs and owners who want a Chair-facilitated confidential peer group with coaching, across a wide range of company sizes. |
| Not for | Pre-revenue founders seeking a startup-only room, or anyone unwilling to invest significant annual time. | Founders seeking a secular or venture-only peer board, or remote-only participation. | Pre-revenue or sub-threshold founders, or people seeking a venture-only peer room. | Founders who need a venture-scale-only room or who reject paid facilitators. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-26 | 2026-10-28 | 2026-10-16 | 2026-10-20 |
Full Alliance of Chief Executives profile
Sources
Primary public pages used for the fields above.
25 sources from 10 sites
allianceofceos.com
- allianceofceos.comRetrieved 2026-10-26 · Alliance of Chief Executives
- /about_overviewRetrieved 2026-10-26 · Alliance of Chief Executives
- /exp_membersRetrieved 2026-10-26 · Alliance of Chief Executives
eonetwork.org
- eonetwork.orgRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /membershipRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /join-eoRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /acceleratorRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /accelerator/faqsRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
foundernexus.com
- foundernexus.comRetrieved 2026-09-15 · FounderNexus
joinhampton.com
- joinhampton.comRetrieved 2026-10-18 · Hampton
- /explore-membershipRetrieved 2026-10-18 · Hampton
- /faqRetrieved 2026-10-18 · Hampton
luma.com
- /FounderNexusRetrieved 2026-08-21 · FounderNexus
member.eonetwork.org
- /global/about-our-chapterRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
- /useastbridge/membership-qualificationRetrieved 2026-10-21 · Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO)
speakeasymastermind.com
- /losangelesRetrieved 2026-10-16 · Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles)
- /membershipsRetrieved 2026-10-16 · Speakeasy Mastermind (Los Angeles)
thefoundersforum.net
- thefoundersforum.netRetrieved 2026-10-28 · The Founders Forum
vistage.com
- vistage.comRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
- /membershipRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
- /membership/programs/chief-executive-programRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
- /membership/programs/small-business-programRetrieved 2026-10-20 · Vistage
ypo.org
- ypo.orgRetrieved 2026-10-17 · YPO
- /membership-requirementsRetrieved 2026-10-17 · YPO
- /become-a-memberRetrieved 2026-10-17 · YPO