In January, 2024, Chris Kuban, Founder and CEO of Chemistry PR & Multimedia,  joined EO (Entrepreneurs Organization), a “tribe” that has provided rocket fuel for his 15-year-old PR agency, has positively impacted his personal life and has helped him grow personally.

“It’s exciting to watch your company grow 800% in one year, especially if it’s your own company” Kuban says. “EO has helped us do that. We’re going to generate more than $2 million in revenue this year. EO helped me look at the future and realize there’s a lot about business that I didn’t know.”

Early on, Kuban imagined his love of Legos might lead to a career in engineering, but something clicked in another direction when he became editor of his high-school newspaper. He fell in love with journalism, politics and business storytelling.

Kuban looked around as a 17-year-old high-schooler and realized, if he hoped to make his professional dreams come true, he would have to become a more confident public speaker and a respected leader, so he surrounded himself with high-level executives to put him through his paces.

Where did he find top executives willing to give him the time of day? Toastmasters. As fate would have it, practically in his own backyard, he found the top-rated Toastmasters club in the world and started delivering speeches to those executive members, leading meetings and even dishing out tips to improve their speeches. He says it felt brave and scary, but, those collaborations changed his life.

Over the years, Kuban mustered his courage and joined every relevant “tribe” he could find – Public Relations Society of America, Counselors Academy, The American Society of Association Executives, Meeting Planners International, Chambers of Commerce and more.

Think of the personal and professional tribes you’ve pursued (or avoided) from childhood forward. Even if you haven’t always been as intentional about connecting as Kuban has, it’s never too late to build your network.

Fast forward to 2023. Word of mouth from a colleague sent Kuban to explore another tribe, first as a participant in Entrepreneurs’ Organization Accelerator program, and now as a graduate of that program and a full-fledged member of EO.

Kuban recalls, “A friend said joining EO was the best business decision she ever made, so I looked into it. Every EO member said the same thing; they found it transformative for their company … working on the business and not just inthe business. Strategic thinking, networking, Learning Days.”

The Accelerator’s Mission: “To empower you with the tools you need to grow your business to more than US$1 million in sales and provide you with the skills to make yourself a better entrepreneur and leader.”

Once again, Kuban said, “Sign me up!”

Along with structured educational content focused on the core areas of scaling-up businesses, the Accelerator Program delivers a unique learning experience that connects members with the world’s most influential entrepreneurs.

At a recent Mentorship Program, Kuban says he met many people running companies of $25 million, $100 million and more.

To qualify for the Entrepreneurs Organization Accelerator program, entrepreneurs must:

Be the owner or founder of an operating business with gross yearly revenues between US$250,000 to US$1 million.

To apply for admission to the Accelerator program, candidates must:

Complete an application and verify sales criteria.

Meet with the local Entrepreneurs’ Organization liaison.

Find details here: https://eonetwork.org/membership/

Pricing and Payment Options

In 2024, the Accelerator Program cost US$1,750 per participant (excluding additional local fees which vary by program location). The fee grants access to four quarterly Boot Camps (Cash Day, Strategy Day, People Day and Execution Day – the good kind of execution) as well as numerous networking opportunities with peers.

Kuban considers EO’s Accountability Groups among the most valuable ROI of his membership.

“We set goals then hold each other accountable,” he says. “The group acts as an unofficial Board of Directors, so, when we have challenges or a major issue arises as business owners or in our personal lives, we can share them in a confidential setting. We’re supportive, accepting and helpful to one another. We share experiences but don’t necessarily offer advice.”

EO and EO Accelerator press entrepreneurs to think hard about their businesses … what’s going to make the biggest difference in the coming 30 to 90 days to grow the business.

Whether you explore EO or other professional associations, Kuban predicts great payoffs for being brave.

Even with all the previous organizations he joined, Kuban found no other group that invited business owners to challenge each other in a goal-setting atmosphere like the one EO offers.

“Other organizations have helped me focus on providing better services as a PR agency, but none focused on building the business.” Kuban adds, “The unique thing about EO and EOA is that they pair you up with other service-based business owners. I might not have thought a restaurant, an accounting firm, a law firm or a car dealership had much in common with what we do, but they’re all service-based organizations. We’ve all faced the same challenges. I learn a lot from hearing how my fellow EO members have worked through similar challenges.”

For example, Kuban needed to grow and knew he needed to hire someone but couldn’t get past the mental block against hiring someone who would earn a higher salary than he paid himself. The group helped him get over that.

“One EO member told me he pays several of his employees more than he makes. He considers it an investment in the future of his company. That opened my eyes. Since then, I’ve met several EO members who said the same thing,” Kuban says.

“Having your feet held to the fire to be accountable has helped grow my company exponentially.

My EO peers forced me to focus on process and procedures so that, whether I’m there or not, the company runs smoothly.”

EO tells you, “You know how to do what you do, but you don’t know what you don’t know.”

EO often offers two to three events per week. “It will sound weird,” Kuban admits, “but entrepreneurs think differently. We don’t always have a lot of close personal friends because people don’t understand us. Entrepreneurs getting together on a regular basis spurs creativity and personal growth – like-minded people who understand the opportunities and frustrations business owners face. They joke that EO is a cult once you get into it. Not exactly, but I do find the EO experience pretty magnetic – meeting so many like-minded individuals.”

EO provides lots of opportunities to meet successful people. They pair mentors with proteges once/year using a Culture Index program + a survey based on each entrepreneur’s company and personal goals. EO pairs each new protégé with someone whose Culture Index aligns.

Even if you think you know what you’re doing, it helps to have a sounding board.

Kuban appreciates the personal friendships he has found and fostered through EO Affinity Groups, too — poker, wine, international dinners, travel.

“Each forum plans its own retreat, and we hold chapter-wide retreats, too,” Kuban says. “I find it intellectually stimulating. We read the same books, challenge ourselves in the same ways.”

If someone is on the fence about joining EO, Kuban says, “Come to one event, and see what it’s all about. I can almost guarantee you’ll want to become part of the organization.”

Share your own experiences with professional “tribes” below …