Frequently Asked Questions
Are CEO groups new? I’ve never heard of them.
Business peer groups have been around a long time. Ben Franklin started a Boston mastermind group in 1727. Rotary was started in 1905 by four professionals who wanted to exchange ideas and build friendships. Napoleon Hill recommended forming mastermind groups in his classic 1937 book Think and Grow Rich. While CEO peer groups are not new, our focus on clean tech is.
How can I afford to take the time away from my business?
The peer groups and coaching focus on helping your business to grow, improve and become more profitable and valuable. We will help you to have a more holistic view of the clean tech landscape, become a better leader, and improve business decisions. The value that you receive will far exceed your time commitment of approximately 6 hours per month.
How do you help members get comfortable with opening up about their problems?
Members decide when and how much to share – it’s different for everyone. That said, the more open they are, the more value that they’ll get from the groups. It can take time for members to bond and trust each other. We use a variety of approaches to help accelerate this process, but it can take a year to get there.
Will I be pressured to do things that I don’t want to do?
The group is designed to be composed of clean tech leaders who value people, planet, and profit. We expect members to continuously improve on all three elements, but how you proceed is up to you. You will be asked to hold yourself accountable for the commitments that you make to yourself and the group.
How experienced is the facilitator/coach?
Zbig is a certified facilitator and business coach, with an MBA from Kellogg in entrepreneurship. Zbig previously owned and led a traditional CEO group franchise for 12 years. He facilitated almost 200 group meetings and held approximately 1,000 coaching sessions.
What is the facilitator's experience with clean tech?
Zbig has a degree in engineering, 25 years in software development, and an MBA in entrepreneurship. His unique combination of strategic and technical skills allow him to understand the key aspects of an industry. One of his specialties is asking "stupid" questions that challenge prevailing wisdom. If Zbig pretends to be the industry expert in the group, then he's performing the wrong role.
Why are we meeting virtually instead of in-person?
Most communities do not have enough clean tech companies to support the formation of in-person groups. Meeting virtually also allows for greater diversity, by including rare specialties and those individuals for whom getting away for 1/2 day at a time would be challenging. We hold 1-2 in-person meetings per year so that members can develop stronger interpersonal relationships, including with members of other groups.
Why do you emphasize diversity within the group?
Research has demonstrated that diverse and inclusive teams foster greater insights and better performance. We are consciously building a diverse peer group membership to give you a broad perspective on the clean tech sector from people with different life experiences.
Is the Triple Bottom Line a new concept?
The Triple Bottom Line (3BL) was introduced by John Elkington in a Harvard Business Review article in 1994. He followed this up by restating 3BL as “People, Planet, Profit” the following year. The Balanced Scorecard, a classic way of creating business metrics, introduced a 3BL version in 2020. While the idea has been established for more than 25 years, the triple bottom line has taken on new urgency as we live in a climate-challenged world.
Will I risk the profitability of my business by incorporating the Triple Bottom Line?
The approach that we take emphasizes improvement on all three elements of people, planet, and profit. As a clean tech business, you are by definition already focused on all 3 of these elements. It's then a question of consciously incorporating all 3 elements into key business decisions. A 3BL culture will lead to higher employee satisfaction, an improved business image, and higher valuation.
What framework do you use? How flexible are you on its use?
Our overarching approach is centered on continuous improvement on people, planet, and profit. We recognize the value of different frameworks and are open to their use by members. We adjust our topics and speakers based on the needs of our members.
What if I don’t like the other group members?
Before joining the group, you will receive a bio of each group member. You can decide whether they are a fit for you. You also receive a money back guarantee after your first month's meeting. In special circumstances, we may allow you to attend a meeting as a guest before becoming a member.
What if I don’t like the facilitator/coach?
You will talk with Zbig, the facilitator/coach, several times before attending your first group meeting. This includes at least one coaching session. You also receive a money back guarantee after your first month's meeting and coaching.