About Entrepreneur Cooperative
Welcome to the Entrepreneur Cooperative (ECo)—a vibrant membership community designed exclusively for founders and CEOs like you. At ECo, we offer a rich blend of peer advisory groups, exclusive founder retreats, engaging online discussions, and a wealth of educational content. Our events and local meetups foster a thriving network of like-minded professionals, all dedicated to growing their businesses and supporting one another. By joining ECo, you're not just gaining access to resources; you're becoming part of a movement where entrepreneurship flourishes. Connect, learn, and grow with us. Become a member today and start shaping the future of your business in a community that champions your success.
Our
Story
Get to Know Us
The Entrepreneur Cooperative (ECo) arose from a group of post-exit entrepreneurs who saw firsthand the immense challenges and isolation involved with growing a startup. They spent many late nights commiserating over drinks about the all-too-familiar stresses they faced - the pressure to rapidly hire talent, make major decisions with little data, and fundraise to survive another few months. Led by Connor Tomkies, who had just exited his company, and other seasoned founders, they bonded over war stories and problem-solving sessions. Over time, the idea took form to formalize this curated peer group into the Entrepreneur Cooperative - a structured community that could provide the trusted advice and support they sorely lacked. Combining their real-world expertise and passion for helping fellow founders, they built ECo to accelerate peers through the growth phase by reducing mistakes, anxieties, and knowledge gaps through transparent sharing.
Our Goals
Connect founders and CEOs
Provide valuable resources for growth
Create a supportive community
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Will the membership fee be worthwhile for my growth stage?Our membership is designed specifically for early to mid-stage founders doing at least $1M+ in revenue. This high-growth period is where our community adds the most value around scaling hurdles. The fee pays back exponentially in growth. We factor in growth stage when forming the forum groups. The average revenue size for members is 6 million and the largest companies are north of 9 figures.
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Can I talk to existing members about their experience?Yes, we facilitate calls between prospective and current members to ask questions and hear firsthand experiences. Our members are happy to share openly.
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Are members allowed to solicit business from or sell to other members?No solicitation or selling to other members is allowed. Focus is on giving before getting. Violation results in removal from community.
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How is privacy and confidentiality handled within the community?Confidentiality is key. All members sign NDAs and community guidelines. Forums, events and discussions operate under strict confidentiality standards. Trust is built over time.
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How much travel is required for retreats and events?Members are expected to attend at least 1 retreat per year. Retreats are typically 3-5 days including travel time depending on location. Outside of retreats, members can engage virtually if not located near events.
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What is the application and onboarding process step-by-step?The application process has three simple steps that can be completed in under 30 minutes total: a 5 minute application, 10 minute pre-interview questionnaire, and 15 minute video call with a community manager. Once approved, members are set up on the platform and matched to a forum group. A dedicated peer mentor helps onboard.
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What is the exact membership fee and what does it include?The annual membership fee is $5,000 or $500 per month. This includes placement in a forum group, access to all online content and communities, weekly virtual events, and local founder dinners. Member retreats are optional and vary depending on the location.
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Is there flexibility to step away for periods if needed?Yes, we can pause membership for up to 3 months per year with advanced notice if life gets busy. Members can catch up on content during the break and rejoin when ready.
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The Entrepreneur Cooperative Value GuaranteeIf you ever feel you are not getting enough value from your ECo membership, simply let us know within your first 6 months and we will refund that your membership fee, no questions asked. We stand by the value of the network.
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How much time per month is required for participation?We recommend members spend 2-3 hours per month minimum in order to get full value. This includes the monthly forum meeting, engaging in the online community, and optional local events. Members find the more they participate, the more value they gain.
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How are the forum groups structured and how are members matched?Forums are groups of 8-10 peers in similar industries that meet for 90 minutes monthly. Matching is done manually based on industry, experience, growth stage, and personality. Group members become trusted advisors and your peer group.
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What are the backgrounds and expertise levels of the facilitators?Facilitators are experienced former founders and CEOs with training in group dynamics. They have deep functional expertise in business growth topics. Facilitators are carefully selected for each group.
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Is there opportunity for 1-on-1 connections and advice?While most engagement is within forum groups, members often build 1-on-1 relationships and provide advice. We facilitate introductions based on member requests.
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What online platform and tools are used for communication?We utilize a customized online community platform for discussions, content, event management, and member profiles. Best-in-class technology optimized for engagement.
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How are conflicts or issues between members resolved?Facilitators are trained in conflict resolution. Issues are resolved quickly through open communication between parties, and removal if conduct guidelines are violated. Trust and transparency are key.
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What differentiation does ECo have from other founder communities?We differentiate through our strong focus on confidential peer groups, highly curated membership, experienced facilitators, and community approach. Most others lack this level of intimacy and support.
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What screening criteria is used to accept members?We screen for founder/CEOs or functional leaders at growth-stage companies. Alignment on values like giving before getting, openness and hunger for growth are also crucial.
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How fast is membership currently growing?Due to strong word of mouth, we are growing at over 40% per year. But only ~20% of applicants are admitted to protect quality. Rapid but controlled growth enables tight-knit community.
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What are the key differentiators versus doing it myself?Structured peer groups, objective facilitation, large knowledge base, and curated members add significant value versus assembling on your own. Access to educational materials, experts, and templates. The community amplifies learning.
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Are there sub-groups focused on specific topics, industries, or niches?We do facilitate special interest subgroups around topics like fundraising, marketing, product design, and leadership. Members self-organize around shared interests.
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Is there an alumni program for long-term connections?Yes, members who have been part of the community for 2+ years join our alumni program for ongoing access, special events and continued relationships.
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How diverse is the member base in terms of demographics?Our member base represents diverse demographics across gender, ethnicity, geography, age and industry. We actively facilitate a broad mix of perspectives.
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How is success and progress tracked for members?Annual surveys measure growth across factors like revenue, hiring, personal development, and leadership maturity. We also track helpful connections made between members.
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What growth resources are available like coaching?In addition to peer groups, we provide 1-on-1 executive coaching, monthly expert speaker series, and growth workshops included in membership.
Accelerate Growth
The Entrepreneur Cooperative team includes experienced facilitators, community builders and growth strategists dedicated to our members' success. Our specialized approach to curating peer groups results in relationships and ROI that can't be matched.
If you lead a high-growth company and want to scale faster, we invite you to explore membership in the ECo community. We can't wait for you to experience the power of joining our tribe of transparent, generous, and driven entrepreneurs.