A Founder's Guide · Entrepreneur Communities & Peer Groups

Choosing an entrepreneur community: 16 options, compared

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There is no single best community for every founder. Peer forums, chair-led groups, coaching systems, learning communities, and founder-led small groups each suit a different stage, budget, and working style. This guide compares 16 well-known options on the same dimensions — price, revenue requirements, focus, format, and who leads the sessions — so founders can weigh the trade-offs and choose the fit that's right for them.

Published by Catalyst88 · November 2026 · Focus: US founder & CEO communities · Prices & requirements from public sources — see notes below.

  • 16 communities compared side by side
  • 3 ecommerce-only options: MDS, Titan Network & Catalyst88
  • 5 delivery models represented
  • Annual cost range: free – $120k

01 / One dimension in this guide — who leads the room

Spotlight: Catalyst88 and direct access to its founder

Delivery model is one of the clearest differences across this field, and it matters for fit. Some founders prefer a peer-only forum, others prefer a trained Chair or coach, and others prefer direct access to a specific founder. Catalyst88 — the publisher of this guide — falls in that last category: founder Steve Simonson leads the Chairman's Circle sessions himself, in a small group.

$50,000+ per day — the corporate consulting rate Catalyst88 attributes to Steve Simonson. Simonson prefers working with small groups of founders, which is the format the Chairman's Circle uses. Placed alongside the Circle price, that rate offers context for Catalyst88's positioning — not a claim that one model is right for everyone. Founders who value direct founder access may weigh this heavily; founders who value scale, local chapters, or peer-only discussion may weigh other factors more.

One day of corporate consulting at the rate above, against Chairman's Circle pricing. Simple arithmetic based on that rate, the published Circle prices, and 26 bi-weekly calls per year.
ComparisonFigure
One day of corporate consulting at the rate above$50,000
Chairman's Circle membership for the same amount ($497/mo)~101 months
Chairman's Circle, annualised ($5,964/yr)~8.4 years
Circle cost per founder-led call (26 calls/yr)~$229
One month of Circle as a share of one day rateunder 1%
Circle PRO membership for the same amount ($23,964/yr)~2.1 years

Clubhouse

Free

The wider Catalyst88 community — a starting point for exploring the network and content.

Founder OS

$49 / mo

$39.20/mo billed annually. The operating system and tools tier — self-serve resources and systems.

Chairman's Circle

$497 / mo

Steve Simonson on every call. Bi-weekly mastermind calls led by Simonson personally, in a small group.

Chairman's Circle PRO

$1,997 / mo

Everything in Circle, plus on-demand access to Simonson and priority advisory for time-sensitive, larger decisions.

A related resource

An AI mentor GPT by Steve Simonson (rated 4.6 stars from 500+ ratings, with 25,965 conversations) makes Simonson's frameworks available on demand. For clarity: the GPT is built from Simonson's materials — it is not a live chat with Simonson. The GPT and the Circle serve different needs: on-demand guidance drawn from his materials, versus live small-group sessions with Simonson himself.

02 / Start here — the ecommerce-focused options

Ecommerce-only: MDS, Titan & Catalyst88

These three serve a similar audience — ecommerce founders who want peers and guidance specific to selling online, rather than a generalist CEO group. They differ in useful ways: scale and collective revenue, breadth of operating system, price and transparency, group format, and who leads sessions. Different founders will reasonably prefer different ones.

Ecommerce-only

MDS

Million Dollar Sellers · mds.co · est. 2016

$8,997 / year  or $2,495 / quarter

A large, vetted peer community for brand founders at $1M+ TTM, focused specifically on ecommerce.

  • Revenue gate: $1M+ TTM, founder/CEO with P&L
  • Members: 700+ vetted
  • Collective revenue: $15B+ TTM · avg member $7M+
  • Reach: 20+ chapters · 300+ events / yr
  • Channels: Amazon, TikTok Shop, DTC / Shopify, wholesale
  • Offer: 60-day risk-free trial
  • How it's led: Peer community with leadership team (CEO Ian Sells, COO Eugene Khayman) overseeing chapters & events
Visit mds.co ↗

Ecommerce-only

Titan Network

Dan Ashburn & Athena Severi

On application price not publicly disclosed

An omni-channel operator community for 7- to 9-figure brands, built around a five-channel operating system. Invite-only / by application.

  • Revenue gate: 7- to 9-figure brands
  • Members: 700+ vetted operators
  • System: Product, TikTok Shop, AI & AEO, Amazon, Shopify
  • Amazon framing: “The Cash Register”
  • Included: Weekly execution rooms, hot seats, Titan AI, pods
  • Also: Coaching, masterclasses, in-person retreats
  • How it's led: Co-founded by Dan Ashburn & Athena Severi; day-to-day delivery via mentors, pods & execution rooms
Visit titannetwork.com ↗

Ecommerce-focused

Catalyst88

Founded by Steve Simonson

$497 / mo — $5,964 / year, Chairman's Circle

An ecommerce-focused community structured around small-group sessions led directly by its founder. Lower entry tiers provide a way to explore the community before joining the Circle.

  • How it's led: Founder Steve Simonson — on every Circle call
  • Circle format: Bi-weekly mastermind calls led by Steve Simonson
  • Circle PRO — $1,997/mo: Adds on-demand access to Simonson + priority advisory for larger, time-sensitive decisions
  • Revenue gate: No $1M gate for community; Circle is selective after payment
  • Entry tiers: Clubhouse free · Founder OS $49/mo
  • Annual price, for context: $5,964/yr — compared with MDS at $8,997/yr
Visit catalyst88.com ↗
How to read the three

If scale and a large peer network matter most, MDS's size and $15B+ collective revenue may be the strongest fit. If a structured multi-channel operating system and weekly execution rooms matter most, Titan may fit. If small-group sessions led directly by the founder matter most, Catalyst88 may fit. All three are credible options — the right choice depends on stage, budget, and how you prefer to learn and work.

03 / Positioning map

Price vs. revenue requirements

Further right means stricter revenue or qualification requirements. Higher means a higher annual cost. Titan Network, TAB, and C12 Group are listed separately below because they do not publish a standard price. Price and requirements are only two dimensions; delivery model, focus, and format — covered in the sections that follow — matter just as much for fit.

● Ecommerce-only  ● Catalyst88  ● The Lonely Entrepreneur  ● Generalist / other

$1,000$5,000$15,000$25,000$50,000$100,000Open / no gate$1M gate$3M gate$5M+ / UHNWMDS — Million Dollar Sellers — $8,997 / yr • Gate: $1M+ TTM • Who leads: Team-delivered. 700+ members • $15B+ collective TTM • 20+ chapters • 60-day trialMDSCatalyst88 — Chairman's Circle — $5,964 / yr ($497/mo) • Gate: Selective after payment — no $1M gate • Who leads: Founder-led. Ecommerce-focused • $5,964/yr for Circle • Founder OS $49/mo • Clubhouse freeCatalyst88The Lonely Entrepreneur — $999 / yr • Gate: No gate (Learning Community) • Who leads: Team-delivered. 250k+ members claimed • Blueprint $2,500 • Sidekick from $2,500/moTLEEMyth — $900 / yr Connect ($75/mo) • Gate: No gate • Who leads: Coach-led. Coaching $1,750/mo • Executive $4,000/moEMythActionCOACH — $12,000 / yr group ($1,000/mo) • Gate: No gate • Who leads: Franchise coach. 1:1 coaching from $2,000/moActionCOACHEO — Entrepreneurs' Organization — ~$4,500 / yr • Gate: $1M+ revenue • Who leads: Peers only. 19,000+ members • experience-sharing, not adviceEOStrategic Coach — ~$25,000 / yr • Gate: $1M+ income • Who leads: Team-delivered. Dan Sullivan • founded 1989 • ~$15k + $2k deposit entry reportedStrategic CoachGenius Network — $25,000 / yr • Gate: High-revenue owners • Who leads: Founder-led. Joe Polish • $100,000 top tier for smaller groupGenius NetworkScaling Up — $60k–$120k / yr coaching • Gate: Growth-stage • Who leads: Coach-led. Verne Harnish • CEO Bootcamp $14,500 / personScaling UpHampton — $15,000 / yr • Gate: $3M+ rev / $3M raised / $10M exit • Who leads: Chair / coach-led. 1,000+ members • founded 2023 • Sam Parr / Joe SpeiserHamptonVistage — ~$16,500 / yr • Gate: $5M+ revenue • Who leads: Chair / coach-led. 45,000 members • 40 countries • groups of 12–16 CEOsVistageYPO — ~$9,300+ first yr + chapter dues • Gate: Large co + join under 45 • Who leads: Peers only. 38,000+ members • 142 countries • $4,650 initiation + $4,650 annualYPOTIGER 21 — ~$39,000 year one • Gate: Ultra-high net worth • Who leads: Chair / coach-led. Wealth preservation focus, not operatingTIGER 21Minimum revenue to join →Annual cost (log scale) ↑

How to read this chart: EMyth is plotted at its Connect tier ($900/yr); its coaching tiers run $21,000–$48,000/yr. ActionCOACH is plotted at group coaching ($12,000/yr). Scaling Up is plotted at the $90,000 midpoint of its $60,000–$120,000 coaching range. YPO is plotted at approximately $9,300 in first-year international fees, before chapter dues. Figures are as of November 2026 — see Sources & methodology below.

No published price — not plotted: Titan Network (price on application) · TAB (varies by location) · C12 Group (price not published)

04 / Delivery models

How delivery works across the field

One useful way to compare options is to ask who leads the sessions. Five delivery models cover the field — each with strengths that suit different founders. None is inherently better; the question is which style fits how a founder works best.

2

Founder-led

Catalyst88 (founder Steve Simonson leads every bi-weekly Circle call; small-group, ecommerce-focused, $5,964/yr) and Genius Network (Joe Polish curates and leads events himself; generalist and event-based, from $25,000/yr). Two different approaches to direct founder access, at different scales and price points.

4

Founder-fronted, team-delivered

MDS, Titan, TLE, Strategic Coach. Founders shape the philosophy and community, while day-to-day delivery comes through leadership teams, mentors, senior consultants, or associate coaches. For example, Dan Sullivan teaches Strategic Coach's top tiers himself, while its Signature program is taught by associate coaches — a structure that lets the program scale to more members.

2

Peers only

EO and YPO. Forums of 6–12 led by a trained volunteer member-moderator, focused on experience-sharing. This model suits founders who primarily want peer perspective and a confidential forum, rather than coaching or instruction.

6

Chair / coach-led

Vistage, C12, Hampton, Scaling Up, EMyth, TIGER 21. Sessions are facilitated by a Chair, moderator, or certified coach — such as a Vistage or C12 Chair, one of Hampton's ~90–100 trained moderators, or a certified Scaling Up or EMyth coach. This model offers local, facilitated groups and established systems.

2

Franchise coach

ActionCOACH and TAB. Delivery is by a local franchise coach working within a proven system (Brad Sugars' for ActionCOACH, TAB's board model for TAB). This suits founders who value a local relationship and a structured coaching framework.

A note on detail: public information is thinner for some delivery specifics. Titan Network, for example, describes mentor-led rooms without publishing session-by-session leadership, and The Lonely Entrepreneur describes Sidekick as delivered by its senior consulting team without specifying how often founder Michael Dermer personally delivers it. This guide classifies both based on what each organisation publishes.

05 / Full comparison

All 16 communities, side by side

Filter by type, or view only founder-led options. Ecommerce-only entries are marked; Catalyst88, the publisher of this guide, is highlighted for transparency.

Showing 16 of 16 communities.

MDS — Million Dollar Sellers

700+ members • $15B+ collective TTM • 20+ chapters • 60-day trial

Ecommerce-only

Visit mds.co ↗
Revenue gate
$1M+ TTM
Price
$8,997 / yr
Model · Format
Vetted peer community · Private groups / app + 300+ events/yr
Who leads sessions
Team-delivered — Peer community overseen by leadership team (CEO Ian Sells, COO Eugene Khayman) across chapters & events

Titan Network

700+ vetted operators • 5-channel system • Titan AI • invite-only

Ecommerce-only

Visit titannetwork.com ↗
Revenue gate
7- to 9-figure brands
Price
On application
Model · Format
Operator room + coaching · Weekly execution rooms, pods, retreats
Who leads sessions
Team-delivered — Co-founded by Dan Ashburn & Athena Severi; day-to-day delivery via mentors, pods & execution rooms

Catalyst88 — Chairman's Circle

Ecommerce-focused • $5,964/yr for Circle • Founder OS $49/mo • Clubhouse free

Ecommerce-only

Visit catalyst88.com ↗
Revenue gate
Selective after payment — no $1M gate
Price
$5,964 / yr ($497/mo)
Model · Format
Community + cohort · Bi-weekly calls led by Steve Simonson • PRO $1,997/mo adds on-demand access
Who leads sessions
Founder-led — Steve Simonson himself — leads every Circle call. PRO adds on-demand access for larger decisions

The Lonely Entrepreneur

250k+ members claimed • Blueprint $2,500 • Sidekick from $2,500/mo

Generalist

Visit lonelyentrepreneur.com ↗
Revenue gate
No gate (Learning Community)
Price
$999 / yr
Model · Format
Learning community → 1:1 Sidekick · Online-first
Who leads sessions
Team-delivered — Michael Dermer hosts Weekly Live; 1:1 and Sidekick delivered by senior consultants / Sidekick team

EMyth

Coaching $1,750/mo • Executive $4,000/mo

Generalist — small business

Visit emyth.com ↗
Revenue gate
No gate
Price
$900 / yr Connect ($75/mo)
Model · Format
System + coaching · Online + coaching
Who leads sessions
Coach-led — Delivered by a Certified EMyth Coach using Michael Gerber's system

ActionCOACH

1:1 coaching from $2,000/mo

Generalist

Visit actioncoach.com ↗
Revenue gate
No gate
Price
$12,000 / yr group ($1,000/mo)
Model · Format
Franchise coaching · Hybrid — 1,000+ offices, 80 countries
Who leads sessions
Franchise coach — Delivered by a local certified franchise coach using Brad Sugars' system

EO — Entrepreneurs' Organization

19,000+ members • experience-sharing, not advice

Generalist

Visit eonetwork.org ↗
Revenue gate
$1M+ revenue
Price
~$4,500 / yr
Model · Format
Peer Forum (8–12 owners) · In-person / hybrid — 220+ chapters
Who leads sessions
Peers only — Forum of 6–10 led by a trained volunteer member-moderator, focused on experience-sharing

Strategic Coach

Dan Sullivan • founded 1989 • ~$15k + $2k deposit entry reported

Generalist — $1M+ income

Visit strategiccoach.com ↗
Revenue gate
$1M+ income
Price
~$25,000 / yr
Model · Format
Quarterly workshops · In-person workshops
Who leads sessions
Team-delivered — Dan Sullivan teaches top tiers himself; Signature program taught by associate coaches (veteran clients)

Genius Network

Joe Polish • $100,000 top tier for smaller group

Generalist — high-level

Visit geniusnetwork.com ↗
Revenue gate
High-revenue owners
Price
$25,000 / yr
Model · Format
Mastermind · In-person
Who leads sessions
Founder-led — Joe Polish personally curates & leads the network and its events

Scaling Up

Verne Harnish • CEO Bootcamp $14,500 / person

Generalist — scaling cos

Visit scalingup.com ↗
Revenue gate
Growth-stage
Price
$60k–$120k / yr coaching
Model · Format
Framework + coaching · Hybrid
Who leads sessions
Coach-led — Delivered by one of 200+ Certified Scaling Up Coaches

Hampton

1,000+ members • founded 2023 • Sam Parr / Joe Speiser

Tech founders only

Visit joinhampton.com ↗
Revenue gate
$3M+ rev / $3M raised / $10M exit
Price
$15,000 / yr
Model · Format
Peer core groups (8) · Tech-enabled / hybrid
Who leads sessions
Chair / coach-led — Core group of 8 led by a trained moderator (~90–100 on contract)

Vistage

45,000 members • 40 countries • groups of 12–16 CEOs

Generalist

Visit vistage.com ↗
Revenue gate
$5M+ revenue
Price
~$16,500 / yr
Model · Format
Peer advisory + Chair 1:1 · In-person — monthly full-day
Who leads sessions
Chair / coach-led — Facilitated by a Chair (typically a former exec) who builds the group and provides 1:1 coaching

YPO

38,000+ members • 142 countries • $4,650 initiation + $4,650 annual

Generalist — execs under 45

Visit ypo.org ↗
Revenue gate
Large co + join under 45
Price
~$9,300+ first yr + chapter dues
Model · Format
Peer forum · In-person — chapter model
Who leads sessions
Peers only — Member-led forums of 8–12, run by trained peer moderators

TAB — The Alternative Board

Explicitly small-business focused

Generalist — small business

Visit thealternativeboard.com ↗
Revenue gate
No high gate
Price
Varies — not published here
Model · Format
Peer board (6–8) + 1:1 · In-person — franchise, since 1990
Who leads sessions
Franchise coach — Local franchise owner facilitates the board and provides 1:1 coaching

C12 Group

Peer advisory through a Christian lens

Faith-based — Christian CEOs

Visit joinc12.com ↗
Revenue gate
CEO / owner
Price
Not published
Model · Format
Faith-based peer advisory · In-person
Who leads sessions
Chair / coach-led — A full-time local Chair (franchise Principal Chair) builds the forum, facilitates monthly, and meets members 1:1

TIGER 21

Wealth preservation focus, not operating

Wealth — UHNW

Visit tiger21.com ↗
Revenue gate
Ultra-high net worth
Price
~$39,000 year one
Model · Format
Wealth peer groups · In-person
Who leads sessions
Chair / coach-led — Group of up to 15 guided by a local TIGER 21 Chair, focused on wealth topics

06 / By stage

The field, by revenue tier

Under $1M — open entry

  • TLE Learning Community — $999/yr, 250k+ members, no revenue requirement; team-delivered model
  • Catalyst88 — Clubhouse free, Founder OS $49/mo, Circle at $497/mo with founder Steve Simonson leading every call
  • EMyth — from $75/mo, delivered by certified coaches; ActionCOACH — from $1,000/mo, local franchise coach
  • TAB — local boards facilitated by the franchise owner

$1M – $5M — a wide middle range

  • MDS — $1M TTM gate, $8,997/yr, ecommerce-only
  • Titan Network — 7-figure+, price on application
  • EO — $1M gate, ~$4–5k/yr forum; Strategic Coach — ~$25k/yr
  • Genius Network — $25k/yr; TLE Blueprint — $2,500 one-time; Scaling Up — $60–120k coaching

$5M+ — gated & in-person

  • Vistage — $5M+ floor, ~$16,500/yr, 45,000 members
  • YPO — under-45 rule, 38,000+ members, chapter model
  • Hampton — $3M+ gate, $15,000/yr, tech-only
  • C12, TIGER 21 — faith-based and wealth lenses at $39k+ where disclosed

07 / Reading this guide

Where each option fits — including Catalyst88

Different models suit different founders

Peer-only forums (EO, YPO, MDS) suit founders who learn best from peers. Chair-led groups (Vistage, C12, Hampton) suit those who want a facilitated local group. Coaching systems (EMyth, ActionCOACH, Scaling Up) suit those who want a framework delivered by a coach. Learning communities (TLE) suit those starting out who want breadth at a lower price. There is a credible option in each model.

Where Catalyst88 sits in that picture

Catalyst88 combines three attributes that rarely appear together in this set: ecommerce focus, small-group format, and sessions led directly by the founder. That combination — at $497/mo for the Circle, with lower-cost entry tiers — is its distinctive position. Founders who value those three together will likely weigh it highly; founders who prioritise other attributes may not.

Where other options are the stronger fit

For the largest peer networks and chapter systems, Vistage, YPO, and EO offer scale Catalyst88 does not aim to match. For wealth-focused discussion, TIGER 21 is purpose-built. For a faith-based lens, C12 is the dedicated option. For tech-only peers, Hampton is focused there. Naming those strengths honestly makes Catalyst88's own fit clearer.

Questions that help a founder decide

What stage are you at, and what gate fits that stage? Do you want peers, a coach, a Chair, or a founder in the room? Do you prefer in-person local chapters or online small groups? Do you need generalist CEO perspective or ecommerce-specific discussion? And what budget and time commitment fit your business right now? This guide is designed to help answer those questions — whichever community a founder chooses.

08 / About this guide

About this guide

This guide is published by Catalyst88, an ecommerce-focused founder community, and Catalyst88 is one of the 16 communities compared. It is written to help founders understand the landscape and find the option that best fits their stage, budget, and working style — including when that option is not Catalyst88. Delivery models, prices, and requirements change; readers should confirm current details directly with each organisation before making a decision. Learn more about Catalyst88 at catalyst88.com.

Sources & methodology. Prices, revenue requirements, and membership figures are drawn from each organisation's public materials as of November 2026, including: Vistage (~$16,500/yr; 45,000 members); YPO (initiation and annual dues of $4,650 each as of January 2026, before chapter dues); Entrepreneurs' Organization (~$4,000–$5,000/yr; $1M revenue minimum); Hampton ($15,000/yr; $3M+ revenue, $3M raised, or $10M exit qualifier); Strategic Coach (~$25,000/yr as reported); Scaling Up (coaching $60,000–$120,000/yr); TIGER 21 (~$39,000 in year one); and Million Dollar Sellers / MDS ($8,997/yr or $2,495/quarter; 700+ members; $15B+ collective revenue; founded 2016). Titan Network does not publish its pricing and is shown throughout as “price on application.” Where an organisation does not publish a standard price (Titan Network, TAB, C12 Group), this guide says so rather than estimating one.

Catalyst88 details. Catalyst88 pricing is as published on catalyst88.com in November 2026: Chairman's Circle $497/mo, with bi-weekly mastermind calls led by founder Steve Simonson; Chairman's Circle PRO $1,997/mo, adding on-demand access to Simonson and priority advisory for larger decisions; Founder OS $49/mo ($39.20/mo billed annually); Clubhouse free. The $50,000-per-day figure reflects the corporate consulting rate Catalyst88 attributes to Simonson; the comparisons alongside it are simple arithmetic based on that rate, the published Circle prices, and 26 bi-weekly calls per year. The AI mentor GPT's published listing figures (4.6 stars, 500+ ratings, 25,965 conversations) are as listed; the GPT is published by Catalyst88, LLC and built on Simonson's materials — it is not a live chat with Simonson.

Delivery models. Classifications are based on each organisation's public materials as of November 2026. In brief: Vistage groups are facilitated by a Chair (typically a former executive) who builds the group, facilitates the monthly meeting, and coaches members 1:1. C12 Group forums are built and led by a full-time local Chair under a franchise Principal Chair model. EO and YPO forums are member-led, with a trained volunteer peer moderator and a focus on experience-sharing. Hampton core groups of about 8 are led by trained moderators (approximately 90–100 on contract). At Strategic Coach, Dan Sullivan personally teaches the top-tier programs, while the Signature program is delivered by associate coaches. EMyth coaching is delivered by Certified EMyth Coaches using the EMyth system. Scaling Up engagements are delivered by one of 200+ Certified Scaling Up Coaches. ActionCOACH and TAB are franchise systems, with delivery by the local franchise coach or facilitator. At Genius Network, Joe Polish personally curates and leads the network and its events. MDS is a peer community overseen by its leadership team (CEO Ian Sells, COO Eugene Khayman) across chapters and events. Titan Network was co-founded by Dan Ashburn and Athena Severi, with day-to-day delivery through mentors, pods, and execution rooms. At The Lonely Entrepreneur, Michael Dermer hosts a Weekly Live session in the Learning Community, while 1:1 products are delivered by senior consultants and the Sidekick team; how often Dermer personally delivers Sidekick is not specified in public materials. TIGER 21 groups (up to 15 members) are guided by a local Chair. Where public detail is limited, this guide classifies based on what is documented.

© 2026 Catalyst88. This guide is provided for general information. Prices, membership figures, and program details are subject to change — please confirm current information with each organisation.

09 / Questions

Common questions

01

Which entrepreneur community is the best fit for an ecommerce founder?

It depends on what you want from the room. MDS ($8,997/yr, $1M+ TTM gate) offers the largest vetted ecommerce peer network; Titan Network (price on application) offers a structured five-channel operating system with weekly execution rooms; Catalyst88's Chairman's Circle ($497/mo) offers small-group sessions led directly by founder Steve Simonson. All three are credible — the right choice depends on stage, budget, and how you prefer to learn and work.

02

What does Catalyst88's Chairman's Circle cost, and who leads it?

Chairman's Circle is $497/mo ($5,964/yr), with bi-weekly mastermind calls led by founder Steve Simonson himself — 'Steve on every call'. Chairman's Circle PRO is $1,997/mo and adds on-demand access to Simonson plus priority advisory for larger, time-sensitive decisions. Lower entry tiers are the free Clubhouse and Founder OS at $49/mo ($39.20/mo billed annually).

03

Is Catalyst88's Chairman's Circle selective?

Yes — in the post-payment sense. Joining starts with payment, and payment is one part of the qualifying process: Steve still filters members afterwards, so time is not spent on people who are not serious. There is no $1M revenue gate for the community. The guide states this explicitly so the word 'selective' cannot be read as pre-payment vetting.

04

How much do the other communities in the comparison cost?

The field runs from free (Catalyst88 Clubhouse) to about $120,000 a year (Scaling Up coaching, $60,000–$120,000). In between: The Lonely Entrepreneur Learning Community $999/yr, EMyth from $75/mo, EO about $4,500/yr, Hampton $15,000/yr, Vistage about $16,500/yr, Genius Network $25,000/yr, TIGER 21 about $39,000 in year one. Titan Network, TAB and C12 Group do not publish a standard price, and the guide says so rather than estimating one.

05

Who actually leads the sessions at the big-name groups?

Only two of the 16 are founder-led in the room: Catalyst88 (Steve Simonson leads every Circle call) and Genius Network (Joe Polish curates and leads events). Four are founder-fronted with team delivery (MDS, Titan Network, The Lonely Entrepreneur, Strategic Coach). The rest are peer-only forums (EO, YPO), chair- or coach-led groups (Vistage, C12, Hampton, Scaling Up, EMyth, TIGER 21), or franchise coaches (ActionCOACH, TAB).

06

Where is Catalyst88 the stronger fit — and where is it not?

Catalyst88 combines three attributes that rarely appear together in this set: ecommerce focus, small-group format, and sessions led directly by the founder, at $497/mo for the Circle. For the largest peer networks and chapter systems, Vistage, YPO and EO offer scale it does not aim to match; for wealth-focused discussion TIGER 21 is purpose-built; for a faith-based lens C12 is the dedicated option; for tech-only peers Hampton is focused there.

Read next: Cloud ERP · ERPNext vs NetSuite · Catalyst88 in the ecosystem

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Parsimony Chat, the AI chat and voice agents, is $97 / $197 / $497 a month, as of Oct 2026, with a 15-day free trial — see the Chat packages. Parsimony Automate is $57 / $199 / $497 a month, as of Oct 2026, with a free trial on every plan (30 days on Startup, 7 on Professional and Premium) — see the Automate plans. Cloud ERP is quoted to the job: call or send the form and we put a package together.

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