Vistage Virtual Chair Academy

A 5-day virtual experience to become a world-class CEO Coach.

What’s next for you?

As a former CEO or business owner, you’ve logged a lifetime of experiences and successes. Perhaps you’ve sold your company, retired or left your previous position. Now, you’ve spent time off in retirement and you’re contemplating what’s next.

This may be an unfamiliar place for you. You’re no longer climbing the same ladder of success. You’ve already proved yourself and achieved a measure of financial security. You’ve run and grown companies. You’ve worked long hours, perhaps with significant sacrifices in your personal and family life. You’ve walked the path of leadership. You’re now ready to own your own practice with the flexible schedule and good income you’ve always wanted.

Make big impact as a Vistage Chair

Our Vistage Chairs are some of the most prestigious and renowned CEO coaches in the world. As a Vistage Chair, you have the rare opportunity to guide top business leaders through their greatest challenges, so they can make better decisions to benefit themselves, their companies and their communities. What you do matters, and the impact you make ultimately creates a better world.

Benefits of having a Chair practice

Help leaders succeed

Create an impact that ripples from the C-Suite, through company ranks and into your community.

Earn recurring income

There’s no limit on the number of groups you can launch. Chief executive members stay 5+ years on average.

A Flexible schedule

As an independent contractor, you can build a practice that suits your schedule and ambition.

Stay local

Travel is minimal as your monthly meetings and one-to-one sessions are all local. *Virtual meetings & protocols are in place during quarantine to use at your discretion.

Vistage Chair Academy 
Learn everything you need to know to coach other CEOs to success
Vistage has developed a specialized curriculum that prepares new Chairs to build and lead their first executive peer advisory group. Chair Academy is a virtual, week-long, highly engaging executive-level program that equips new Chairs with tools, skills, and best practices for sourcing and leading Vistage members and groups.

Learn from the absolute best CEO coaches & subject matter experts in the world

Chair Academy is conducted by a faculty of successful, high-performing and long-tenured Master Chairs, as well as subject-matter experts in leadership, communication, coaching and business development. Facilitators use a variety of methods and tools to fully engage participants in the principles and behaviors of being a Chair. This includes small breakout sessions, live demonstrations, role plays and lectures. The curriculum also covers problem-solving and skills practice.

Attend the next Virtual Chair Academy

There are two upcoming training events now accepting qualified applicants.

• Virtual Chair Academy: September 14 – 18
• Virtual Chair Academy: November 2 – 6

This week long, highly engaging executive-level program equips new Chairs with tools, skills, and best practices for sourcing and leading Vistage members and groups. If you are interested in Chairing and think you qualify, please save your spot.

Register Now

Everything in store for you at Virtual Chair Academy

  1. How to implement business development practices to build a new group.
  2. Steps to help identify and select your group members.
  3. How to conduct effective one-to-one selection conversations.
  4. How to speak to Vistage’s proprietary Issue Processing model.

Do you have what it takes?

Vistage Chairs come with strong financial acumen, superb management skills and an innate entrepreneurial spirit. They’ve realized the kind of success to which most only aspire. Now, they have the opportunity to greatly impact the lives of other business leaders in their communities.

We look for candidates that meet the following criteria:

  1. Previous or transitioning president, CEO, founder or executive leader
  2. Have 12-15+ years of C-level experience with $5M+ P&L responsibility
  3. Experience in leading a high-performing team with a passion for mentoring others
  4. Have a large network of other executives
  5. Entrepreneurial spirit and drive to embark on building your own business

Secure your spot at the Vistage Virtual Chair Academy training event

What actual Vistage Chairs have to say

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Tonya Twitchell

Vistage Chair since 2018

First as a Member, and now as a Chair, Vistage continues to be the place where I am “seen”, challenged, and championed at a level that is consistently higher and more rigorous than any other area of my life.

Arturo Lopez

Houston, Chair since 2014

Chairing is one of the most difficult things I have done so far in my life and it is also the most rewarding to date. The impact as a guide for our Members is exceptional.

Ozzie Gontang

San Diego, Chair since 1986

Chairing is a calling. It has been the most rewarding work I’ve done in my life and also the most challenging. The community helped me grow, develop, and become a life-long learner. The foundation of Trust allowed for the Growth to take place because of the Care and Challenge of the Chair Community.

Christiaan Vandenberg

Denver, Chair since 2008

The Vistage community continues to inspire my personal and professional growth. It keeps my mind sharp and challenges my own ideas and bad habits. It keeps me young and vibrant and supplies one of the reasons to get out of bed, out of my house, out of my office, and mostly out of my comfort zone.

Frequently asked questions

If I meet the criteria to be a Vistage Chair, what are my next steps?
If you meet all of our qualifying criteria, the first step into your Chair journey will be a phone interview with one of our Executive Recruiters. They will contact you within two business days to determine if this opportunity is a good fit. You’ll be asked about your leadership experience and personal goals while you learn more about the Chairing opportunity available right now in your area.
What happens when I graduate from Academy?
Once you graduate from our training course, you will start building your first group. You are paired with a Build Coach, who is your go-to expert for all things Vistage, and will have access to robust online resources for sales, marketing and new group best practices.
How do I become a Chair?
We have a collection of training sessions throughout the year that we call Chair Academy. We discuss all of the tools needed to become a successful Chair and provide resources and best practices to get you started.
If I don’t qualify to be a Chair, what else can Vistage offer me?
The Vistage Research Center regularly publishes free content and hosts live webinars from leading economists and experts in all areas of business. Vistage is also actively searching for new members, expert speakers, and event sponsors. If you think these opportunities better align with your business needs, we encourage you to apply.
How much does Virtual Chair Academy cost?
It doesn’t cost anything to attend Virtual Chair Academy if you’re qualified.
What do I need to attend Virtual Chair Academy?
You need access to a computer with a webcam and a stable internet connection. You will need to attend all sessions to qualify for graduation. Please ensure that you have full availability for the event dates.

Vistage Chair Application

Vistage Chairs mentor high-integrity executives, helping them make better decisions, become better leaders and achieve better results.

To learn more about this role, complete this short form and upload your resume/CV/biography. Our Chair selection team will be in touch shortly.

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