Comparison · 19 material differences
Baby Bathwater Institute vs The Economic Club of Chicago
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 Baby Bathwater Institute
Founders and owners of consumer, e-commerce and digital-service businesses, plus a smaller share of investors and advisers.
Invitation-only community
The Economic Club of Chicago
Chicago-area business and civic leaders at C-suite level or reporting directly to a chief executive
What the records say
- Role or title: Baby Bathwater Institute: Founder, co-founder, CEO, other C-suite, or strategic adviser; The Economic Club of Chicago: Top-level leadership, C-suite, or reporting directly to the CEO, with operational oversight and P&L responsibility.
- Minimum company revenue: Baby Bathwater Institute: Guideline minimum of US$1M+ in revenue; The Economic Club of Chicago: Company generates at least US$10 million in annual revenue.
- Minimum employees: Baby Bathwater Institute: No published minimum employees; The Economic Club of Chicago: Company employs 25 or more people.
- Minimum capital raised: Baby Bathwater Institute: Alternative guideline of US$3M+ raised, or an equivalent equity milestone; The Economic Club of Chicago: No published minimum capital raised.
- Annual dues: Baby Bathwater Institute: $12,500 a year; The Economic Club of Chicago: Not publicly disclosed. Neither the membership page nor the Club's own membership brochure names a dues figure..
Side by side
| Baby Bathwater Institute | The Economic Club of Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Profile | ||
| Type | Invitation-only community | Invitation-only community |
| Founded | 2014 (The organization's About page says it "began back in 2014 with one unforgettable party...and not a single business plan in sight". It was co-founded by Hollis Carter and Michael Lovitch.) | 1927 (Founded in 1927 by leaders who set out to "aid in the creation and expression of an enlightened public opinion on the important economic and social questions of the day".) |
| Headquarters | United States | Chicago, United States |
| Geographic footprint | Events are held across the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe; past locations include Croatia, Cabo San Lucas, Colorado, South Carolina, Louisiana, Idaho, California, Utah, New York and British Columbia. | Chicago and Illinois; members are drawn from the city's business, civic, cultural and nonprofit leadership |
| Members | Not publicly disclosed on the organization's own pages, which describe "a few hundred founders". A December 2025 published interview with co-founder Hollis Carter cites "250+ active members". | 2,400as of September 2026 |
| Chapters | No chapters; the community is organised around events plus an app-based platform. | No chapters. The Club participates in a reciprocity programme with the Economic Clubs of New York and Washington, D.C. |
| Primary audience | Founders and owners of consumer, e-commerce and digital-service businesses, plus a smaller share of investors and advisers. | Chicago-area business and civic leaders at C-suite level or reporting directly to a chief executive |
| Typical member | The organization publishes a member composition breakdown: 65 per cent own seven- to nine-figure business-to-consumer businesses, 25 per cent provide digital services such as marketing, branding and growth, 5 per cent are influencers and up-and-comers, and 5 per cent are investors and mentors. | Around 70 per cent of members are C-suite executives. Candidates are expected to have operational oversight with profit-and-loss responsibility at a company generating at least US$10 million in annual revenue and employing 25 or more people, and to have a record of civic engagement. Government and nonprofit candidates are assessed under separate criteria. |
| Qualification | ||
| Role or title | Founder, co-founder, CEO, other C-suite, or strategic adviserRoles offered on the application form.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Top-level leadership, C-suite, or reporting directly to the CEO, with operational oversight and P&L responsibilityGovernment and nonprofit candidates are considered under separate criteria that are not published.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum company revenue | Guideline minimum of US$1M+ in revenuePublished as one of three alternative business guidelines (US$1M+ revenue, US$500K profit, or US$3M+ raised or equivalent equity milestone). The organization states these are "guidelines, not a checklist".verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Company generates at least US$10 million in annual revenuePublished as part of the Club's candidate criteria.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum employees | No published minimum employees | Company employs 25 or more peoplePublished alongside the revenue test.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Minimum capital raised | Alternative guideline of US$3M+ raised, or an equivalent equity milestoneOne of three alternative tests; the application form also offers routes for businesses under US$3M that have raised at least US$3M or had a prior seven-figure exit.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | No published minimum capital raised |
| Geographic restriction | No published geographic restriction | Chicago-area business and civic leadershipThe Club describes its membership as reflecting the diversity of the city and state; no formal residence rule is published.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Invitation required | No | Yes |
| Sponsor required | No | Yes |
| Application process | A four-step process: a five-minute application covering the business; a personal review by the team; a two-way call described as a genuine conversation about fit; and then, on approval, an invitation with onboarding. The organization says every application is reviewed and that unsuccessful applicants receive feedback on fit rather than silence. | Six steps. Two current members agree to sponsor the candidate and send a secure link for the biography and application. Both sponsors write letters of support. The candidate attends a Club meeting, preferably with a sponsor. A representative of the relevant membership subcommittee reviews the application and decides whether to interview. The Membership Committee then elects candidates at its quarterly meetings. |
| Selectivity | Not publicly disclosed. No acceptance rate is published; the organization states that members are vetted for character as well as revenue and that the published business minimums are guidelines. | Not publicly disclosed. The Club describes a rigorous application and election process and reports a 92 per cent renewal rate, but publishes no acceptance rate. |
| Cost | ||
| Annual dues | $12,500 a yearSingle published membership rate. The membership page states: "That's the whole number. No tiers, no a la carte add-ons, no surprise fees once you're in." Members also receive 50 per cent off all flagship, mastermind and adventure events.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | Not publicly disclosed. Neither the membership page nor the Club's own membership brochure names a dues figure.verified September 2026 · source ↗ |
| Monthly dues | $1,250 a monthMonthly alternative to the annual rate, published on the same page.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | The Club publishes detailed membership criteria and a six-step admission process but no fee schedule. |
| Initiation fee | Membership pricing is published; individual event ticket prices are not listed on the organization's events page. | Not publicly disclosedverified September 2026 |
| Event costs | Third-party reported figures: a December 2025 interview with co-founder Hollis Carter quotes live events at US$12,500 for non-members and US$6,250 for members. The organization's own events page lists no ticket prices; the 50 per cent member discount is confirmed on the membership page.verified September 2026 · source ↗ | The Club publishes detailed membership criteria and a six-step admission process but no fee schedule. |
| Membership term | One-year initial term, then month-to-month with 45 days' cancellation notice | Annual; the Club reports a 92 per cent membership renewal rate |
| Structure | ||
| Meeting frequency | Three to four flagship events a year (100-200 attendees), one to three masterminds (12-25 members) and one to three adventures (12-20 members), plus virtual sessions | Keynote speaker programmes through the year, member forums several times a year, and smaller Member Exchanges |
| Peer forums | Small-group hot seats with peers at a similar stage, plus The Tub app community and brokered one-to-one introductions | Large keynote events plus small, member-driven Member Exchanges; no standing confidential forums are described |
| Confidentiality | Not publicly disclosed; the organization publishes a no-pitching rule covering members, speakers and the organization itself | Not publicly disclosed; keynote programmes are published on the Club's YouTube channel |
| Time commitment | Not documented | Not documented |
| Organized as | Event-focused, Virtual | Event-focused |
| Confidential peer forums | Yes | Partial |
| Local chapters | No | No |
| Virtual membership | Partial | No |
| Online community | Yes | Partial |
| Member directory | Partial | Yes |
| Events | Yes | Yes |
| Programming | ||
| Educational programming | Partial | Yes |
| Leadership development | Partial | Partial |
| Retreats | Yes | No |
| Travel | Yes | No |
| Family programming | No | No |
| Spouse and partner programming | Not documented | No |
| Next-generation programming | No | Partial |
| Investment discussions | Partial | Partial |
| Investment opportunities | No | No |
| Philanthropic component | Not documented | Partial |
| Networking emphasis | High | High |
| Social emphasis | High | Medium |
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Last verified: not yet reviewed
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Sources
Drawn from the sources listed on each page: Baby Bathwater Institute · The Economic Club of Chicago