Thrive
Highly vetted peer groups for founders.
The best founders know that the hardest way to build a company is alone.
That is me on the left in the photo. I’m Eric, building Thrive with my co-founder Jack (on the right). We’re lifelong friends from the midwest and now just a couple of guys in their late 20’s who are building something special. We started this because I was sick of building companies without the right people around me. You will be hearing a lot more from me soon.
Thrive is for humble, ambitious founders. The good guys. The ones who care about what they are building and who they are becoming. I vet every founder myself, and Jack makes sure I am always talking to the right people in the first place.
Our average member runs about a million in annual revenue. Some are far below that, and plenty are far above. But the number has never mattered to me. What matters is who you are. Ambition. Curiosity. Humility. That is what I am looking for.
Why We Built This
When I was building my first company, I did not need another event with a hundred people in a room shaking hands. Those networking events were honestly the worst. I needed five or six founders I could tell the truth to.
I needed people who understood what it felt like to be up at 2 a.m., staring at the ceiling, wondering how to make payroll. I needed people who knew the pressure of making calls that could not be undone. I needed people who would not let me bullshit my way through the hard stuff.
That room did not exist. So we built it.
What Happens Inside
Every founder who joins Thrive is placed into a peer group of six. Six is the number because it works. It is small enough that no one can hide, and big enough that you get perspective from different angles.
It starts with a three day retreat in Milwaukee (where we’re based). On day one, you are strangers. By day three, you are a peer group. You set goals, you share the parts of your story you usually keep to yourself, you make commitments that will follow you back into your business. You leave different than you arrived.
Then the rhythm begins. Twice a month, you meet for 90 minutes virtually. These are not surface-level chats. Every session is facilitated by us. We ask the questions you do not see coming, the ones you have been avoiding, the ones that make you stop and rethink how you are building. And you answer them honestly, surrounded by people who get it.
You will be a better founder after every conversation you have in here, and no two conversations will feel the same.
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“Eric [Harrison] nailed my peer group. It is hard to find people who are at your stage and who you would be friends with in real life. He really did find the perfect five for me. Every conversation is different from the last and the people I have met are worth more than I can put a price on.”
Eric Gordon, Founder of Parakeet
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“You’d think running a seven figure business would mean we had it figured out. That I don’t experience roadblocks. That is wrong, we do, and it happens daily. Having a group to share the stories of the hard days and the highs of the best days has reminded me why this is all worth it. Good people are the difference maker, and I found mine here.”
Jessica Gay, Co-founder of Integrity Advantage
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“Every conversation I’ve had in here has made me realize how much potential my business has. I spent most days coding on my laptop. Now I’m actively being challenged, daily. I’m having hard conversations. I’m texting my peer group daily. It’s made me rethink a ton, in a good way. I’m here for as long as this group exists.”
Cameron Kelliher, Founder of Elementix
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“Thrive is the reason I’m going to run a million dollar business. I was content doing six figures when I joined. But being around Thrive’s founders, and pushed to be more bold, is what’s motivated me. The people I’ve met have changed my life.”
Max Doucet-Benoit, Founder of Midnight Drive
Who It’s For
This is not about what industry you are in, whether you raised money, or what revenue you are at today. We have founders still pushing for their first hundred thousand, and founders who bootstrapped to eight figure exits. We have people who built technology that changes lives, people who create jobs in their cities, and people who use their profits to give back.
The common thread is not what they have built. It is who they are.
Thrive is for founders who want to be surrounded by people who are sharp, humble, and serious about what they are building. Founders who know that building alone is the hardest way. Founders who care about the life they are creating as much as the company.
What Happens Next
We’ll sit down with you, listen to your story, and ask questions. We’ll want to know what you are building, what feels heavy, and where you want to go next. Together, we’ll decide if Thrive is the right fit for you.
If you are ready to find your people, the next step is simple.