Entrepreneurs' Organization Expands as Entrepreneurship Rises with Third San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
World's Leading Peer-to-Peer Network of Business Owners Plans for Growth in Entrepreneurship Due to Pandemic, Expands to East Bay & Sets Intentions Around Diversity
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), the world's leading peer-to-peer network of successful business owners, recently launched its third San Francisco Bay Area chapter to specifically serve the East Bay community.
In addition to this new chapter, EO also has a Silicon Valley chapter which is going on its 30th year and has 47 members and a San Francisco chapter which is also going on its 30th year and has 87 members. The new East Bay chapter already has 20 members and plans to add 20-30 new members in 2021.
EO is made up of entrepreneurs who are founders/co-founders or majority shareholders of a business that exceeds $1 million in annual revenue. In total, these San Francisco Bay Area businesses employ over 4,000 people and are responsible for annual sales in excess of $350 million. Companies such as 1-800-Got-Junk, Spanx, Cold Stone Creamery, Sanctuary Clothing, Mary Frances Accessories, and Bun Mee, to name a few, make up the EO network globally.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the number of applications for new businesses in the U.S. is rising at the fastest rate since 2007, when the nation was in the middle of The Great Recession. While hundreds of thousands of businesses are closing doors due to the pandemic, new entrepreneurs are emerging out of the pandemic at the same rate.
"Despite the insane and unexpected challenges 2020 brought, many of which we're still facing today, we are optimistic because of the number of new entrepreneurs that are emerging in the local landscape," said Mike Birdsall, Area Director of EO West Region. "Entrepreneurs' Organization has been a critical support network and catalyst for strategic growth for entrepreneurs in the San Francisco Bay Area and around the world, and we are excited to continue the momentum and offer support to this new wave of business owners through all three area chapters."
Among the three Bay Area chapters, 27 percent are minority-owned businesses.
"We recognize that diversity in each of our chapters is critical to the entire member experience," said Sia Bani, Membership Chair and President Elect of EO Silicon Valley. "We are committed to finding new ways to reach more of our minority population including Black, indigenous, people of color, women, and more of our LGBTQIA+ community. Successful entrepreneurs come from all economic backgrounds, races, religions and beliefs and we plan to increase our diversity numbers this year by at least 20 percent."
Unlike its competitor organizations like Vistage which is led by a paid facilitator, EO is member-led and focuses on building a global network to serve the unique needs of the complete entrepreneur. Members have the opportunity to take part in a forum, which fosters peer-to-peer sharing between a small group of 7-12 members in a trusted and confidential environment. Forum offers a format where the complex intersections between an entrepreneurs' business, personal life and community engagement can all be addressed head-on, so that members can achieve fulfillment in all of their endeavors. Members also enjoy learning events featuring global business leaders, access to prestigious training and tools, global leadership conferences and more.
Globally, the organization boasts more than 14,000 members in 61 countries. Founded in 1987, EO is the catalyst that enables leading entrepreneurs to learn and grow, leading to greater success in business and beyond. This innovative process that EO offers has sustained a growing organization that has withstood—even flourished—during times of economic uncertainty.
In addition to its flagship program, EO also offers a program called EO Accelerator, where entrepreneurs who have anywhere from $250,000 to under $1 million in annual revenue can join and attend quarterly learning events as well as a monthly forum meeting with a goal to grow their business to over $1 million in revenue and join EO.
Interested area entrepreneurs are invited to attend an upcoming "Test Drive" event on Friday, February 26 from 12-2:30 p.m. to experience a light version of what EO offers. For more information, please fill out the interest form at https://get.eobayarea.com.
About the Entrepreneurs' Organization
Entrepreneurs' Organization is a high-quality support network of 14,000+ like-minded leaders across 61 countries. We help entrepreneurs achieve their full potential through the power of life-enhancing connections, shared experiences and collaborative learning.
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SOURCE Entrepreneurs' Organization
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