Comparison · 13 material differences
C12 vs Vistage
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
Vistage
CEOs, business owners and senior executives of companies with US$5 million or more in annual revenue.
What the records say
- Role or title: C12: CEO, business owner, president, managing partner, executive director or business-unit general manager; Vistage: CEO, founder or owner for core membership; separate tracks for C-level (non-CEO), executive VP and vice-president/division-head roles.
- Minimum company revenue: C12: Greater than US$2,000,000 in annual revenue; Vistage: US$5,000,000+ in annual revenue for core CEO membership.
- Minimum employees: C12: 10 or more employees; Vistage: No published minimum employees.
- Annual dues: C12: C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally.; Vistage: $25,000 a year.
Side by side
| C12 | Vistage | |
|---|---|---|
| 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.) | 1957 (Founded as The Executive Committee (TEC) when Bob Nourse brought together several Milwaukee-area executives; renamed Vistage globally in 2006.) |
| Headquarters | United States | San Diego, United States |
| Geographic footprint | More than 160 metropolitan areas across five continents, with named operations including Brazil, South Africa, Kenya and Malaysia | Operates in 40 countries, with peer groups meeting locally in cities rather than through member-run chapters |
| Members | 4,900as of September 2026 | 45,000as of September 2026 |
| 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. | Not applicable. Vistage has no member-run chapters; members join a local peer advisory group convened and led by a Vistage Chair. Vistage does not publish a group count. |
| 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. | CEOs, business owners and senior executives of companies with US$5 million or more in annual revenue. |
| 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 decision-makers at small and mid-sized private companies. Vistage frames its core member as generating "$5M+ in annual revenue" and facing the operational complexity that comes with that scale; separate programmes exist for non-CEO executives and emerging leaders. |
| 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 ↗ | CEO, founder or owner for core membership; separate tracks for C-level (non-CEO), executive VP and vice-president/division-head rolesverified 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 ↗ | US$5,000,000+ in annual revenue for core CEO membershipVistage frames this as the profile it serves rather than a hard rule; other programmes exist for smaller businesses and non-CEO executives.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| 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 complete an application form and are then contacted by a local Vistage Chair, who interviews them and decides whether to place them in a group. There is no published central admissions committee. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. C12 publishes no acceptance rate. | Not publicly disclosed |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally. | $25,000 a yearReported by Jed Daly, Infiniti Leadership (Jed Daly's own site) (2026): Vistage CEO groups led by Chair Jed Daly, Los Angeles (billed monthly). “The two CEO groups: approximately $25,000”verified October 2026 · source ↗ |
| 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 ↗ | Vistage does not publish membership pricing anywhere on its public site. |
| Initiation fee | C12 publishes no dues schedule; amounts are set locally. | $2,500 one-timeReported by Paige McGlauflin, Fortune (2023-01-08): Vistage new members, US. “New members pay a one-time initiation fee of $2,500.”verified October 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Dues paid monthly; C12 reports average member tenure of five to seven years | Not documented |
| 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 | Regular peer group meetings, generally monthly, plus one-to-one coaching sessions with the Chair |
| 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. | Peer advisory groups of 12-16 CEOs, business owners or key executives drawn from non-competing industries, facilitated by a Vistage Chair. |
| Confidentiality | Forums are described as confidential and invitation-only; C12 does not publish the text of its confidentiality terms. | Groups are described as confidential; Vistage does not publish its confidentiality terms. |
| Time commitment | Less than 100 hours a year per C12 | Not documented |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | No |
| Virtual membership | No | Partial |
| Online community | Partial | Yes |
| Member directory | Not documented | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Yes |
| Retreats | Partial | Partial |
| Travel | No | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | No | Not documented |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Yes | No |
| Networking emphasis | Medium | Medium |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Low |
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