Vistage Reviews
Real stories from CEOs who’ve been where you are.
Whether you’re a CEO scaling a team rapidly, navigating your first leadership role or steering through crisis, the reviews below come from Vistage members who faced the same crossroads you’re experiencing now.
Scaling CEOs: From $5M to $25M and Beyond
When your company hits the $5M mark, everything changes. You can’t be everywhere at once anymore, but letting go feels impossible. You need systems, processes and people who can execute your vision without constant oversight. Most importantly, you need strategic guidance from leaders who’ve successfully navigated this exact transition.
THE ACQUISITION ROUTE
Sean Forman hit a home run, creating Sports Reference, a leader in sports data. Today, his business is used in front offices and cited by media giants like ESPN. Moreover, he acquired the sports version of Wordle, Immaculate Grid, growing their total audience to more than 20 million unique users each month and their revenue by 350% over the last three years.
Sean Forman
President
Sports Reference, LLC.
THE 700% GROWTH STORY
As the CEO of Capital Bank, Ed Barry is guided by the principle of making a positive impact on those around him. Under his guidance, the bank has grown 700% in 12 years, expanding from 65 to over 400 employees. The company went public in 2018 and recently completed a major acquisition, boosting the stock price by 60% within the first four months.
Ed Barry
CEO
Capital Bank, NA
DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS
The first female President at Waterline, Alicia McLaughlin and her team have driven growth, with a 23% increase in revenue, 56% increase in their backlog and a 22% rise in ESOP shares from last year. Alicia is passionate about developing future leaders, evidenced by her 12-month leadership development program and participation in the National Women in Construction panel, empowering women in a male-dominated industry.
Alicia McLaughlin
President
Waterline Industries Corporation
SCALING CEOS WHO TRUST THE PROCESS
Since purchasing the family business in 2012, Brett and his brother have transformed it from a $36M enterprise into a $165M powerhouse. Over the last 12 years, they have driven 500% growth while staying true to their 26 fundamental values, known as the “MHS way.” By implementing an ESOP in 2022, Brett has instilled a culture of accountability and ownership while preserving his family’s legacy.
Brett Levin
President
MHS Lift, Inc.
ON TRYING TO DO IT ALL WHILE SCALING
“If I’m doing the job myself, I’m really stunting our growth. Vistage helps meet priorities. It helps me step back, look at my business, and say, okay, what is the most important thing I need to focus on today? It’s been critical for us in terms of evolving the way we think and how we address our business. It’s really been instrumental to our growth and I’m not sure we’d be without it.”
ROBBY SHAUL
President
PMMC
Turnaround and Crisis Leadership Reviews
Crisis leadership is lonely and high-pressure. Traditional advisors often lack the experience of steering companies through genuine existential threats. You need guidance from CEOs who’ve made the hard decisions, cut deep when necessary and emerged stronger on the other side.
THE DRAMATIC TURNAROUND
“Two years ago we were losing money and were on a dangerous downward spiral. My Chair pushed us to cut our staff by 30% and to dramatically change the way we do business. Within 2 months we went from losing money to making money, and with his continued coaching, our business has been more profitable in the last two years than at any time in our 30 year history.”
GENE EARHART
President
Wellington Security Systems
CRISIS NAVIGATION DURING COVID
“I am very thankful to my Vistage group and chair who I couldn’t have survived without. Most new projects froze and several stopped paying but we are surviving on small work that keeps cash flowing quickly and our full staff of 17 people has been maintained thanks to PPP funds. First order of business was survival and keep cash in the bank.”
LARRY ANDERSON
CEO of a Construction Company
Family Business Leaders Balancing Legacy with Growth
Family businesses face unique challenges that traditional advisors often don’t understand. You’re balancing family dynamics with business decisions, managing succession planning across generations and professionalizing operations while preserving core values. In this position, you need external perspectives that can see the situation clearly.
THE COURAGE TO CONFRONT FAMILY SUCCESSION
“My Vistage group actually processed this issue as our first issue in the new group. To stand up to our father and basically demand that he show us respect and allow us to take the business and move forward with it was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do in my life.”
GREG FRICKS
CEO
The Fricks Company
Greg nearly tripled company annual revenues from $12 million to $31 million in two years after taking control, earning him the 2012 Vistage Member Leadership Award.
SIX GENERATIONS OF LEADERSHIP WISDOM
“Being part of a diverse group of peers has opened my eyes to different practices and perspectives. But I think what I’ve come to value most is the opportunity to think through any issue that comes up with a whole group of peers who I trust and respect.”
BRAYDAN SHAW
CEO
Burns 1876
As the sixth generation leading the longest-running family-owned business in the western industry, Braydan credits Vistage with helping him focus on “setting future generations up for success.”
SCALING FAMILY CULTURE DURING RAPID GROWTH
“Their task to me was scaling this into a corporation without losing the culture, the family business aspect. I can walk upstairs, have a conversation and say, ‘Here’s why I think this is the best decision,’ and more often than not, they’re going to be super supportive in the decision that I make.”
LANDON HOBSON
CEO
Cosmos Corporation
Landon successfully grew the third-generation pet products business by 120+ employees since March 2020 while maintaining family culture with 7 family members in leadership positions.
Member Excellence Award Winners
Each Vistage region has the opportunity to recognize up to four outstanding members in the community.
Become a Vistage Member
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Frequently asked questions
What is a Vistage membership?
As a Vistage member, you’re part of a group of other CEOs, business owners or key executives who are committed to helping each other make better decisions, get better results and become better leaders.
How does Vistage work?
Vistage members set aside one day each month to meet with their peer advisory group and work on the big-picture vision for their business and address issues that may be holding them back. That means they make time to tackle strategic plans, as well as challenges and opportunities. During the meeting, they help each other vet ideas, troubleshoot strategies and find solutions together. Meetings are facilitated by an executive mentor (Vistage Chair) who uses a proprietary method for keeping the conversations focused and productive.
How many members does Vistage have?
Vistage has over 45,000 members in 40 different countries.
Is Vistage good for networking?
Vistage is much more than networking. It’s solving problems with a group of your peers in real-time. As a Vistage member, you also have access to Vistage Networks— a 24/7 online forum that helps you leverage the expertise of CEOs, business owners and executives around the world who share the same industry, affiliation, or area of interest. Members can connect online for feedback and critical advice, or meet in person at events featuring dynamic thought leaders.
Is Vistage worth it?
Our members think that Vistage is worth it. Vistage has helped 100,000+ CEOs and top executives around the world since 1957. Today we serve 45,000 members. Most members stay for more than five years and statistics have shown that they grow their businesses faster than non-members with comparable sized companies.
Is Vistage worth the money?
Our members say that Vistage is worth the money. The results speak for themselves. An analysis by Dun & Bradstreet shows that Vistage CEO members grew their annual revenue on average by 4.6% in 2020, while nonmembers with comparable small and midsize businesses saw revenue decrease by 4.7%.
How can I join Vistage?
Fill out an application to see if you qualify. If so, a Market Leader will be in touch to answer any questions, inform you of introductory events in your area and share exclusive content with you. You will also be matched with the right Vistage Chair (executive mentor) and peer group in your area.