About Membership

Tugboat Institute is a unique community dedicated to serving CEOs and Presidents of Evergreen companies. These remarkable leaders possess the vision, creativity, resourcefulness, patience, and grit to build and scale market-leading businesses that stay Private indefinitely. They understand that building a great business takes time and believe in treating employees fairly, serving customers well, embracing innovation, and sharing in their success.

As an unrivaled resource for Evergreen leaders, we offer extensive opportunities for connection and growth. Through our in-person and virtual events, small group forums, and curated content, we foster a collaborative environment where members can learn from each other, share insights, and advance the Evergreen movement. Our programs, publications, and thought-leader expertise provide rich, diverse perspectives on business, family, and life.

Going Evergreen Doesn’t Mean Going Alone

Our members are extraordinary leaders of Evergreen companies who value building and maintaining trusting relationships with values-aligned peers and thought leaders. While diverse in background, perspectives, ideas, and expertise, each member meets specific criteria to join our welcoming and inclusive community. These leaders are committed to fostering strong and productive bonds and are driven by their desire for growth and learning in all aspects of their lives.

Tugboat Institute is a welcoming community defined by the sharing of wisdom and trust. We create in-person and virtual gatherings dedicated to the unique issues and interests of world-class Evergreen leaders. We curate immersive opportunities for networking, best practice sharing, and inspiration throughout each year. Specifically, we host the Tugboat Institute Summit event, held each summer in Sun Valley, Idaho, the Exemplar Visit at an Evergreen business each fall, and the Gathering of Teams experience for members and key company executives in February.

One of our primary objectives at Tugboat Institute is to bring together like-minded CEOs, who support each other in the leadership of their Evergreen businesses and families. Our Forums are a fundamental feature in direct service to this commitment.

Our Forums provide a structured environment that balances personal growth and business insights. By fostering open exploration of leadership and values, these forums offer a safe space for Evergreen leaders to align their business success with purpose-driven leadership, creating deeper connections and more meaningful peer exchanges compared to traditional CEO networks. We offer both in-person, local Forums based on a member’s geography and elastic forums that meet virtually throughout the year and in-person at our Tugboat Institute events.

Tugboat Institute collaborates with members to research, develop, and share best practices, insights, and inspiration around Evergreen business, family, and self.

Through Evergreen Journal articles, the Evergreen Journal Quarterly (our print magazine), Bi-Annual Member Surveys, whitepapers, and Seminars, members have access to an extensive library of print and digital Evergreen resources.

Tugboat Institute aspires to shine a light on Evergreen business that are often under-appreciated by highlighting their practices and insights, and confirming the value they bring to our communities and society in general. From the insights and wisdom from our community that we share weekly in our Evergreen Journal newsletter to our celebration of the annual Best Evergreen Companies™ list and Evergreen Company of the Year™ award, we are dedicated to raising awareness of what it means to be an Evergreen company and publicly celebrating these remarkable companies.

At Tugboat Institute, we don’t claim to have all the answers. Instead, we serve as conveners and curators; we believe that the collective wisdom of our Evergreen community holds the keys to enduring success. By joining us, you connect with a network of Purpose-driven peers committed to leading Private companies without the intention of an exit, staying true to their values, and contributing positively to society.

Tugboat Institute Criteria

An organization is all about the people who are a part of it. At Tugboat Institute, it’s the Evergreen CEO or President: experienced leaders with the vision, creativity, resourcefulness, patience, and grit to build and scale a market-leading, impactful business that can stay Private indefinitely. Tugboat Institute members are leaders who understand that building a great business takes time and means treating employees fairly, serving customers well, reinventing oneself and one’s business continually, and sharing in the success. These are the heroes we are dedicated to serving.

Our goal is to be an unrivaled resource for Evergreen CEOs and Presidents. Above all else, Tugboat Institute is a place where members help one another through advice, expertise, guidance, and support.

Applicants and the companies they represent must meet the following criteria:

CEO or President

Prospective members must be the CEO, President, or Executive Chairperson of an Evergreen company with a significant ownership stake.

Evergreen

Has evaluated alternatives and made a conscious decision to take the Evergreen path (vs. the venture path or IPO path) and is committed to the Evergreen 7P® principles.

Experienced

CEO or President of current company for five years or has prior CEO or President experience.

Ownership

Business is closely held with value-aligned owners oriented to participating in the ongoing profits of the private business, with no legal right to compel a sale or IPO of the company.

Financials

At least $10M in annual revenue; cash-flow positive for two years; consistent growth.

If you’d like to join us, we’d love to hear from you.

If you meet the member criteria and are interested in joining Tugboat Institute, please complete the preapplication by clicking on the button below. We review all pre-applications in detail, and we look forward to reading yours. Once your application has been reviewed, a member of the Tugboat team will get in touch to discuss next steps.

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A Trusted Network for Values-aligned CEOs and Presidents of Evergreen® Companies

Going Evergreen Doesn’t Mean Going Alone

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