Comparison · 14 material differences
Dynamite Circle vs Genius Network
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
Invitation-only community
Verified September 2026 Dynamite Circle
Founders of bootstrapped, profitable, location-independent businesses in software, e-commerce, services and media.
Paid mastermind
Genius Network
Founders and chief executives of established companies with at least US$1 million in annual revenue who can meet the annual fee.
What the records say
- Role or title: Dynamite Circle: Business founder; freelancers, employees, multi-level marketers, C-suite executives, upper management and department heads are excluded; Genius Network: No published role or title.
- Minimum company revenue: Dynamite Circle: At least US$100,000 per year in business revenue (standard DC membership); Genius Network: "You run a company that's making at least $1 million in annual revenue".
- Annual dues: Dynamite Circle: $697 a year; Genius Network: Not publicly disclosed. The membership page states only that "No one comes as a guest. Every Member and Attendee pays to participate" and that no discounts or free passes are offered..
Side by side
| Dynamite Circle | Genius Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Invitation-only community | Paid mastermind |
| Founded | 2011 (Founded in 2011 by Dan Andrews and Ian Schoen, who had started the Tropical MBA podcast in 2009.) | 2004 (The organization's About page dates its formation to 2004, when Joe Polish converted a client's request for a year-long group into Genius Network.) |
| Headquarters | Not documented | Tempe, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Members in 50+ countries and 200+ cities, with in-person meetups across seven continents and annual conferences in Bangkok and Mexico City. | Member meetings are held at the organization's Tempe, Arizona offices; the public annual event is held in Scottsdale, Arizona. |
| Members | 1,400as of September 2026 | Not publicly disclosed |
| Chapters | No formal chapters. The organization runs local meetups in cities including Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Tokyo, Barcelona and Portland, and states it holds 200+ in-person meetups a year. | No chapters; the group operates from a single Arizona base. |
| Primary audience | Founders of bootstrapped, profitable, location-independent businesses in software, e-commerce, services and media. | Founders and chief executives of established companies with at least US$1 million in annual revenue who can meet the annual fee. |
| Typical member | Members are business owners rather than freelancers or executives, running bootstrapped companies with consistent recurring revenue above US$100,000 a year; the premium tier is limited to founders above US$1 million. | The organization's FAQ states that "the average member or attendee in Genius Network runs a $9 million dollar per year company". Published member testimonials come from consumer-brand founders, authors and marketing operators. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | Business founder; freelancers, employees, multi-level marketers, C-suite executives, upper management and department heads are excludedCertain professional categories are also excluded, specifically coaching, consulting and recruiting.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published role or title |
| Minimum company revenue | At least US$100,000 per year in business revenue (standard DC membership)The organization also requires consistent recurring revenue rather than one-off income.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | "You run a company that's making at least $1 million in annual revenue"Stated on the membership page as a membership requirement.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | No |
| Sponsor required | No | Not documented |
| Application process | Applicants confirm they meet six published requirements, agree to the code of conduct and submit an application with written answers about themselves and their business. A team member reviews each application personally and notifies the applicant within 48 business hours. DC BLACK adds a discovery call with the founder and revenue verification through a signed profit-and-loss statement, followed by facilitator-led placement into a mastermind group. Referrals from current members are encouraged. | Prospective members complete an application, described on the site as a confidential waitlist application, and are vetted against the published revenue floor and a contribution test. Non-members may separately apply to attend the annual event, the one meeting each year opened to the public. |
| Selectivity | "Only a fraction of applicants are accepted", per the requirements page; no acceptance rate is published. | Not publicly disclosed. The organization says applicants must "qualify" but publishes no acceptance rate or waitlist length. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $697 a yearStandard DC membership: "$697 per year - one-time annual payment", covering the online community, app and free local meetups.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed. The membership page states only that "No one comes as a guest. Every Member and Attendee pays to participate" and that no discounts or free passes are offered.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Event costs | Not publicly disclosed in aggregate. The events page states that local meetups and Juntos are typically free, and that "Global conferences and retreats have ticket prices that are listed on each event page".verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed. The annual event page shows the November 5-7, 2026 Scottsdale event as sold out and routes non-members to an application rather than a published ticket price.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Annual | Annual; the membership page recommends committing for at least three years |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | 200+ local meetups a year plus 13+ organised events annually; DC BLACK masterminds meet monthly | Two member meetings per year chosen by the member, plus the annual event |
| Peer forums | Online community and mobile app for all members; DC BLACK members are placed in facilitated mastermind groups of five to seven peers matched by track | No assigned confidential forums are published; the group meets as a room, with Ten Minute Talks and facilitated problem-solving sessions, supported by a private online community |
| Confidentiality | Not publicly disclosed beyond a published code of conduct | Not publicly disclosed |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Virtual, Event-focused, Forum-based | Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Partial |
| Local chapters | Partial | No |
| Virtual membership | Yes | Partial |
| Online community | Yes | Yes |
| Member directory | Yes | Partial |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Partial | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Yes |
| Retreats | Yes | No |
| Travel | Partial | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | Not documented |
| Next-generation programming | No | No |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | No | Partial |
| Philanthropic component | Not documented | Not documented |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | High | Medium |
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Dynamite Circle · Genius Network