Comparison · 14 material differences
REF vs TIGER 21
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 REF
CEOs, owners and presidents, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives reporting to the CEO and for high-potential managers on leadership programmes
Peer advisory
TIGER 21
Ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs, investors and executives with at least US$20 million in investable assets, many of them post-exit.
What the records say
- Role or title: REF: Top Executive track: CEO, owner, president or equivalent; TIGER 21: No published role or title.
- Minimum investable assets: REF: No published minimum investable assets; TIGER 21: At least US$20,000,000 in verifiable investable assets or qualifying net worth.
- Annual dues: REF: Not publicly disclosed. REF publishes no membership price; the Peer Resources directory also recorded fees as unavailable at publication. Members are described elsewhere as paying monthly dues.; TIGER 21: $34,000 a year.
Side by side
| REF | TIGER 21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Peer advisory | Peer advisory |
| Founded | 1994 (Entrepreneur's franchise directory records the company as founded in 1994 and franchising since 1994. REF's own site says only "Founded 30 years ago in the USA" and "With 30 years of experience", which is consistent.) | 1999 (Founded by Michael W. Sonnenfeldt with a single group of six entrepreneurs in New York City who had recently sold their businesses. The name is widely reported to stand for The Investment Group for Enhanced Returns in the 21st Century, which TIGER 21 does not state on the pages reviewed. Headquarters city reported by secondary sources; TIGER 21 does not state it on its about page.) |
| Headquarters | San Diego, United States | New York, United States |
| Geographic footprint | 51 locations across 20 countries in North America, Central and South America, Europe and Asia; the largest concentration is in Latin America | 162 groups across 54 cities worldwide, including North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Oceania, plus virtual groups |
| Members | 3,000as of January 2025 | 1,900as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | 51 | 162 |
| Primary audience | CEOs, owners and presidents, with parallel tracks for C-suite executives reporting to the CEO and for high-potential managers on leadership programmes | Ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs, investors and executives with at least US$20 million in investable assets, many of them post-exit. |
| Typical member | Members are CEOs, owners and presidents of non-competing businesses, plus CXOs and upper management reporting directly to the CEO in the Key Executive track and high performers selected for leadership programmes in the High Potentials track. REF publishes no revenue or headcount threshold, though its application form asks for employee count and revenue. | Members are wealth creators rather than salaried executives: current and former entrepreneurs, investment managers and senior executives, typically after a liquidity event, whose central problem has shifted from building a business to preserving and allocating capital. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | Top Executive track: CEO, owner, president or equivalentREF's own application page lists the candidate requirements for each track.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published role or title |
| Minimum investable assets | No published minimum investable assets | At least US$20,000,000 in verifiable investable assets or qualifying net worthExcludes personal-use assets. TIGER 21 states that meeting the minimum "does not guarantee admittance".verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | Sometimes | No |
| Sponsor required | No | Not documented |
| Application process | Applicants complete an online form selecting one of three tracks (Top Executive, Key Executive or High Potentials) and supplying title, industry, city, country, employee count and revenue. REF then contacts the candidate and, if accepted, places them in a local Forum of non-competing executives with a certified Forum Leader. | Candidates submit an inquiry and are assessed by a Membership Development Director against the 5Cs. Vetting includes extensive background checks and interviews, and TIGER 21 states the process typically takes about two months. Meeting the capital minimum is explicitly not sufficient on its own. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. REF describes its peer groups as "by invitation only" while operating a public application form, and publishes no acceptance data. | TIGER 21 states that meeting the US$20 million minimum "does not guarantee admittance" and that other qualitative requirements apply at its discretion. No acceptance rate is published. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | Not publicly disclosed. REF publishes no membership price; the Peer Resources directory also recorded fees as unavailable at publication. Members are described elsewhere as paying monthly dues.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | $34,000 a yearNorth America. TIGER 21 states dues vary by location and that annual dues cover all costs of the eleven regularly scheduled monthly meetings.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Initiation fee | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 | $5,000 one-timeOne-time initiation fee stated in TIGER 21's membership FAQ.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Membership term | Not documented | Annual dues covering eleven scheduled monthly meetings; TIGER 21 does not publish a minimum term |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | One Forum morning each month, plus webinars, community events and curated trips and retreats | Monthly group meetings, eleven times a year, with the calendar set up to a year in advance |
| Peer forums | Forums of 12-15 executives from non-competing industries, led by a certified REF Forum Leader, meeting monthly in a three-part structure: expert insight, round table, and a member case | Groups start with five founding members and grow selectively to a maximum of fifteen; members meet as a peer group with a moderating Chair. |
| Confidentiality | Forums are described as confidential, high-trust environments built on transparency and trust; one senior figure calls the Forum a "Circle of Trust" | Confidentiality is one of the four Conditions members must accept, alongside non-solicitation, participation and transparency. |
| Time commitment | One morning a month for the Forum, plus optional events | Eleven monthly meetings a year plus an annual Portfolio Defense presentation |
| Organized as | Forum-based, Chapter-based, Event-focused | Forum-based, Event-focused, Virtual |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Yes |
| Local chapters | Yes | Yes |
| Virtual membership | Not documented | Partial |
| Online community | Yes | Yes |
| Member directory | Yes | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Yes | Yes |
| Leadership development | Yes | Partial |
| Retreats | Yes | Yes |
| Travel | Yes | Partial |
| Family programming | No | Partial |
| Spouse and partner programming | No | Partial |
| Next-generation programming | Partial | Partial |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Yes |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | No | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | Medium |
| Social emphasis | Medium | Medium |
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