Last verified
Chief vs The Founders Forum
Chief is a hybrid facilitated forum with paid facilitator. The Founders Forum is a in-person peer-led forum with peer-led. This page compares cost, requirements, format, and stage fit using verified public data. Chief: Senior women leaders seeking Guide-led Core peer advisory, coaching, and executive programming. The Founders Forum: Austin founders who want weekly in-person peer support integrating business, leadership, faith, and family — without dues.
Side-by-side
| Field | Chief | The Founders Forum |
|---|---|---|
| Format | hybrid | in-person |
| Structure | facilitated forum | peer-led forum |
| Facilitation | paid facilitator | peer-led |
| Group size | Core (Jan 2026): C-Suite & Executive Leader 10–12; Builder & Navigator 15–20 | Not published |
| Stage fit | This group is not framed by VC stage. | Pre-seed and seed, Series A, Growth, Late stage |
| Revenue / capital floor | Builders path only: $2M+ annual revenue or venture funding (or past CXO/VP+ at credentialed companies). | None stated; founders at every stage welcome |
| Annual cost | Chief Membership $5,900/year + $500 new member fee; Chief Signature $9,800/year (official Membership Experience PDF). | No membership fee (potluck; optional donations) |
| Application model | application | application |
| Venture-specific | No | No |
| Other requirements | Designed for 15+ years leadership experience. Categories: C-Suite, Senior Leaders & Executives, Builders. Criteria effective 10/2025. Not for early career or soliciting business. | Current or past founder who built a business from the ground up; must love Jesus (Christ-centered fellowship); Austin-based |
| Time commitment | Core: 6 × 90-minute meetings per year (~every two months), plus optional programming; or 4 × 1-hour coaching sessions/year | Weekly in-person gatherings alternating Bee Cave and Downtown Austin |
| Geography | US Clubhouses (NYC, SF, Chicago, DC) plus virtual and national events | Austin, TX |
| Best for | Senior women leaders seeking Guide-led Core peer advisory, coaching, and executive programming. | Austin founders who want weekly in-person peer support integrating business, leadership, faith, and family — without dues. |
| Not for | Early-career professionals or anyone joining primarily to solicit business. | Founders seeking a secular or venture-only peer board, or remote-only participation. |
| Last verified | 2026-09-15 | 2026-09-15 |
Verdict by stage
Pre-seed and seed
At Pre-seed and seed, The Founders Forum lists this stage. Chief does not. The fit is The Founders Forum for this stage band.
Series A
At Series A, The Founders Forum lists this stage. Chief does not. The fit is The Founders Forum for this stage band.
Growth
At Growth, The Founders Forum lists this stage. Chief does not. The fit is The Founders Forum for this stage band.
Late stage
At Late stage, The Founders Forum lists this stage. Chief does not. The fit is The Founders Forum for this stage band.
FAQ
- How much do Chief and The Founders Forum cost?
- Chief: Chief Membership $5,900/year + $500 new member fee; Chief Signature $9,800/year (official Membership Experience PDF). (verified 2026-09-15). The Founders Forum: No membership fee (potluck; optional donations) (verified 2026-09-15). Prices are shown verbatim from public sources; nothing is estimated.
- What are the requirements for Chief vs The Founders Forum?
- Chief: Builders path only: $2M+ annual revenue or venture funding (or past CXO/VP+ at credentialed companies). Designed for 15+ years leadership experience. Categories: C-Suite, Senior Leaders & Executives, Builders. Criteria effective 10/2025. Not for early career or soliciting business. The Founders Forum: None stated; founders at every stage welcome Current or past founder who built a business from the ground up; must love Jesus (Christ-centered fellowship); Austin-based
- Which is better for venture-backed founders?
- Neither Chief nor The Founders Forum is marked venture-specific in the dataset. Compare revenue floors and stage fit instead.
Sources
Primary public pages used for the fields above.
- chief.com/membershipRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Chief
- chief.com/membership-criteriaRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Chief
- assets.chief.com/marketing/Chief_Membership_Experience.pdfRetrieved 2026-09-15 · Chief
- thefoundersforum.netRetrieved 2026-09-15 · The Founders Forum