Small Giants Community · Requirements

Small Giants Community membership requirements

Every criterion Small Giants Community publishes, with its source, the date it was verified and how confident we are in it — plus superseded figures, so you can see how the tests have moved.

Read a requirement as the organization's published floor, not as a promise. A revenue test may have alternative versions for different business types, chapters can set stricter local tests, and invitation-only bodies publish criteria that describe members rather than admit them.

Current published criteria

4 rows

Criterion	Published requirement	Note	Provenance
Other criterion	No eligibility requirement for community membership; the free tier is open to anyone	"Everyone's welcome in the door for free". Paid membership is a purchase rather than an admission.	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Role or title	The community is designed for founders, chief executives and next-generation leaders of small and mid-sized businesses	Stated as the intended audience rather than an enforced test.	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Other criterion	Leadership Academy: application, a Zoom interview and a fit review before payment is accepted	The organization says candidates should have "the support and autonomy to implement the leadership development practices they gain from the program" and that alignment with Small Giants values is key.	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗
Other criterion	Sounding Board mentorship: in-depth application and assessment, a Zoom interview, and a twelve-month commitment	Mentors are described as tenured Small Giants leaders; matching is on values, growth goals and industry.	Verified September 2026High confidenceSource ↗

There is no revenue, net-worth or title threshold for membership. Screening applies only to the paid cohort programmes.

How admission works

Application process

Community membership requires no application: prospective members join the free tier online and upgrade to Individual or Company membership when they choose. The cohort programmes are screened. The Leadership Academy runs an application, a Zoom conversation covering cost and curriculum, a fit review and then acceptance and payment, with onboarding ahead of a January launch. Sounding Board uses an in-depth application and assessment followed by an interview.

Invitation required

Sponsor required

Selectivity

Not applicable to general membership, which is open. For the Leadership Academy the organization says it will "review your application and ensure a good fit before accepting payment", but publishes no acceptance rate.

Membership term

Annual, billed annually, cancellable at any time; the free tier has no term

Primary audience

Founders, chief executives and next-generation leaders of small and mid-sized privately held companies that deliberately prioritise culture, purpose and quality over growth - the model described in Bo Burlingham's book.

Typical member

The organization describes members as ranging "from solo founders to growing companies to established purpose-driven organizations", covering founders, C-suite executives and rising leaders. Company memberships bring whole leadership teams into the community. Published member quotes come from operating executives at privately held United States firms.

Do you appear to meet them?

The qualification tool reads these rows against a profile you give in ranges and explains which criteria appear met, unclear or unmet. Check your profile

If not: alternatives to Small Giants Community — Entrepreneurs' Organization, Tugboat Institute, Vistage, Convene.

Last verified: 6 September 2026 Report an error on this page

Sources

Small Giants Community, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
About us - Small Giants Community, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
Member Directory - Small Giants, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 1
Join the Community - Small Giants, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Small Giants Summit, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Leadership Academy - Small Giants, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Small Giants Journey, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2
Sounding Board mentorship - Small Giants, Small Giants Community. Accessed 6 September 2026.tier 2

Source tiers follow the published hierarchy: 1 official site · 2 official membership materials · 3 application documents · 4 annual reports · 5 government filings · 6 reliable business publications · 7 credible interviews · 8 other reputable secondary sources. Sources and data policy.