It Doesn’t Have to be Lonely at the Top

As a business owner, it is not unusual for you to feel somewhat isolated. After all, you are the top dog in your own company. However, there are times when it would be helpful to have other top dogs to throw bones to, so to speak. In other words, no matter how much of an expert in your industry you are, it's always helpful to discuss challenges with your contemporaries.
But where do you turn when you are in a class by yourself?

The answer may lie in a professional peer group consisting of fellow business people from a variety of (non-competitive) industries who are facing similar problems and issues as you. Unlike traditional networking groups, many peer groups cater exclusively to top C-level business leaders and owners who are looking to solve problems in a more informal environment than an oak-paneled boardroom.

This "board of advisors" comes at a cost; a year’s membership dues will typically cost you several thousand dollars per year. But those dues include advice that is hard to come by at any price.

A Board of Advisors

"The best thing about a peer advisory board is that the business owner is not beholden to a high priced, biased board of directors," said Jason Zickerman, COO, The Alternative Board (TAB), a Denver-based peer group with chapters in the tri-state area. "The advice comes from professionals who have absolutely nothing to gain by whether the member takes their advice or not."
Plus, peer groups provide camaraderie that many business owners just don't get anywhere else.

"It makes me realize that I'm not the only one out there going through these problems and facing these issues," said Tony Carnesi, president, APCCPA Profitability Consultants in Manhattan and a member of the Let's Talk Business Network (LTBN). "I get refreshing perspectives from a mix of different types of business owners who aren't other CPAs like me."