It is a group of peer executives who meet regularly to learn from each other’s experiences and work on elevating their businesses to greater success.

Motivational speaker Jim Rohn is created with the saying, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” By joining the proper CEO Peer Group®, you are giving yourself a chance to spend time with successful executives who may positively impact you. Be careful to make sure you join a group where you genuinely believe the other members are your peers. It is not good to join a group where you are either the biggest or smallest company. This is true because you are not seen as a peer to the other members of those groups, and your experiences will not be as relatable to them.

CEO Peer Groups® are built for entrepreneurs and executives looking to gain an edge over their competition through the power of the collective intelligence within their group. Members generally are life-long learners who are open to learning from the experiences of other executives. To benefit from peer group membership, you need to be able to spend time away from your business and be willing to implement the ideas and suggestions discussed in the peer group.

Executives who are successful peer group members share specific qualities: -They are life-long learners. They seek to continously improve themselves. -They are humble. They realize while they know a lot and are successful, there is always more for them to learn. -They are willing to grow and evolve. They see themselves and others as a "work in progress".

The peer group industry has evolved over the years with the principles based on Napoleon Hill’s book “Law of Success.” In his book, Hill talks about The Master Mind concept, which he defines as a mind that grows out of the blending and coordination of two or minds in a spirit of perfect harmony. There are a variety of organizations that offer their version of Mr. Hill’s master mind. Here is an alphabetical listing of these global organizations: Convene Convene offers CEO peer groups through its 42 US chapters if you are looking for a Christian-based organization. They have groups for CEOs of companies with less than $2 million in revenue and more than $2 million in revenue. They also provide coaching services and an online peer group option. Entrepreneurs Organization If you’re looking for the advice and support of other entrepreneurs, EO or Entrepreneurs Organization may be a good fit for you. EO has over 13,000 members in its 186 global chapters. Their peer groups consist of 7-10 CEOs for a more intimate experience among the CEO groups mentioned here. Renaissance Executive Forums Renaissance Executive Forums operates 39 chapters in the US with an equal number outside the US. They have over 2,000 members globally. Unlike some other CEO peer group providers, they offer quarterly sessions in addition to their monthly meeting options. Executive Forums also has groups for different C-suite positions. Group size ranges from 8 to 15 members from non-competing industries. Vistage Vistage has 23,000 members across 20 countries, so there’s a good chance you can find a chapter in your area. Their primary offering is CEO peer groups. Groups typically meet monthly and consist of 12-16 members from non-competing industries. Women Presidents Organization The number of female CEOs is growing, and the desire for women-only peer groups is growing too. Women Presidents Organization now has 100 chapters in the US, serving more than 2,000 members. WPO’s peer groups have around 20 members, each running a company with more than $2 million in annual revenue ($1 M for service businesses). Young Presidents Organization Young Presidents is the largest peer group provider mentioned, with approximately 27,000 members in 130 countries. In addition to membership requirements for minimum annual revenue and number of employees, applicants must be younger than age 45. Young Presidents members don’t break up into small peer groups; instead, they form chapters of 16 or more CEOs. Each CEO can belong to one or more local or regional groups. YP offers programs for your spouse and adult children, recognizing that running a multi-million dollar business can become a family affair.

Costs range from $500 to $1,500 a month, depending on the organization you join. Most have an initial fee as well.