Comparison · 12 material differences
C12 vs The Alternative Board
This comparison was generated on request from the records. It carries no editorial verdict and is not indexed. The published comparisons are listed on the compare page.
Read down each column for one organization, across a row for the difference. A bronze mark at the left of a cell means the organizations differ on that row. A dash or “not published” means the organization does not disclose the fact; it is not a zero.
Verified September 2026
Peer advisory
Verified September 2026 C12
Christian chief executives, business owners and executives of growth-stage companies with at least ten employees and more than US$2 million in annual revenue.
Peer advisory
The Alternative Board
Owners and leaders of privately held, growth-focused small and mid-sized companies.
What the records say
- Role or title: C12: CEO, business owner, president, managing partner, executive director or business-unit general manager; The Alternative Board: Business owner or leader of a privately held, growth-focused company.
- Minimum company revenue: C12: Greater than US$2,000,000 in annual revenue; The Alternative Board: No published minimum company revenue.
- Minimum employees: C12: 10 or more employees; The Alternative Board: No published minimum employees.
- Monthly dues: C12: Not publicly disclosed. C12 states it is "a dues-based membership paid monthly" and that "dues amounts are determined locally based on market economics and dynamics". Dues cover monthly meetings, materials and one individual coaching session.; The Alternative Board: Not publicly disclosed. TAB states that membership dues are billed monthly with no binding contract and 30 days' written notice to leave, but terms and amounts are set locally by each franchise owner and no schedule is published..
Side by side
| C12 | The Alternative Board | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Peer advisory | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 1992 (Founded in October 1992 by Buck Jacobs, reportedly in Florida, to bring Christian business owners and chief executives together in small peer groups.) | 1990 (Founded by Allen Fishman, reportedly in St. Louis, Missouri, after his own experience of the value a board of directors provided when his company went public. TAB began franchising in 1996.) |
| Headquarters | United States | Westminster, United States |
| Geographic footprint | More than 160 metropolitan areas across five continents, with named operations including Brazil, South Africa, Kenya and Malaysia | Boards in 25 or more countries across the Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia, delivered through independently owned franchises |
| Members | 4,900as of September 2026 | Not disclosed as a current headcount. TAB's own FAQ states it has "supported more than 25,000 businesses worldwide", with "members representing over 1,100 industries" who "collectively generate $29.3 billion in gross revenue". Secondary sources report more than 4,600 current members globally; TAB does not publish that figure. |
| Chapters | Not publicly disclosed as a forum count. C12 states it operates in "more than 160 major metropolitan areas" and is guided by "over 250 full-time Chairs", but publishes no total number of Forums. | 500 |
| Primary audience | Christian chief executives, business owners and executives of growth-stage companies with at least ten employees and more than US$2 million in annual revenue. | Owners and leaders of privately held, growth-focused small and mid-sized companies. |
| Typical member | Members are Christian CEOs, owners, presidents, managing partners, executive directors and business-unit general managers. C12 reports an average member tenure of five to seven years, with some members of several decades' standing. | Members are owners and senior leaders of privately held companies, recruited locally by the franchise owner who facilitates their board; competing businesses are excluded from the same board. TAB states members represent over 1,100 industries and collectively generate US$29.3 billion in gross revenue, and reports an average member tenure of 4.7 years. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | CEO, business owner, president, managing partner, executive director or business-unit general managerKey Player Forums exist separately for senior executives and managers below CEO level at member companies.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Business owner or leader of a privately held, growth-focused companyTAB publishes no revenue, employee or net-worth threshold.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum company revenue | Greater than US$2,000,000 in annual revenueStated in C12's FAQ; C12's apply-to-join page states the employee test without repeating a revenue minimum.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum company revenue |
| Minimum employees | 10 or more employeesverified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum employees |
| Invitation required | Yes | No |
| Sponsor required | Not documented | No |
| Application process | Candidates complete an application covering personal, business and financial information, and agree to a membership covenant on attendance and doctrine. C12 describes membership as invitation-only but open to any qualifying Christian CEO, owner or executive who meets the employee and revenue tests. | Prospective members contact a local TAB board through the site's board finder. The local facilitator coach screens and hand-selects members, excluding competitors of existing members, and places them on a board. There is no central admissions process. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. C12 publishes no acceptance rate. | Not publicly disclosed. Secondary reporting describes TAB as effectively invitation-based, with most members joining through referrals from existing members; TAB does not state this on its own pages. |
| Cost | ||
| Monthly dues | Not publicly disclosed. C12 states it is "a dues-based membership paid monthly" and that "dues amounts are determined locally based on market economics and dynamics". Dues cover monthly meetings, materials and one individual coaching session.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed. TAB states that membership dues are billed monthly with no binding contract and 30 days' written notice to leave, but terms and amounts are set locally by each franchise owner and no schedule is published.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Dues paid monthly; C12 reports average member tenure of five to seven years | Monthly billing, no binding contract; 30 days' written notice required to leave |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Monthly in-person Forum plus a monthly one-hour FOCUS60 coaching session; C12 states the total commitment is less than 100 hours a year | Monthly board meetings of about four hours (described elsewhere on TAB's site as half-day sessions), plus a monthly one-to-one coaching call |
| Peer forums | Monthly invitation-only Forums of Christian CEOs, owners and executives led by a full-time C12 Chair, described as sitting with around a dozen proven leaders. C12 does not publish an exact average Forum size. | Boards of non-competing business owners, given as up to eight members on TAB's peer-advisory page and 8-10 on its membership page, each led by a TAB Certified Facilitator Coach. |
| Confidentiality | Forums are described as confidential and invitation-only; C12 does not publish the text of its confidentiality terms. | Boards exclude direct competitors and operate as private advisory groups; TAB does not publish its confidentiality terms. |
| Time commitment | Less than 100 hours a year per C12 | About four hours a month for the board meeting plus a monthly coaching call, with a commitment to at least 12 meetings a year |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | No | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Yes |
| Member directory | Not documented | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Partial |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Partial | Not documented |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | No | No |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | No |
| Networking emphasis | Medium | Medium |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Low |
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Last verified: not yet reviewed
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: C12 · The Alternative Board