The Brain Trust is a CEO Peer Group comprised of up to 18 non competing business owners/top executives. Once a month, you can escape the isolation of being the top person at your company and share your issues and opportunities confidentially with a group of highly successful executives .... all with bright, experienced minds who are interested in helping each other learn and grow, make good decisions and avoid making mistakes.

People in the same business tend to know each other's minds and have the same blind spots. Having a variety of businesses represented offers members a strong range of possibilities and will stimulate you to think "out of the box".

To ensure there are no "axes to grind" and no hidden agendas, it is required that members not be in competition with each other, or have any possible conflict of interest.

Membership available only to a select few: Membership in The Brain Trust is not for everyone. You must be a CEO, president, business owner, general manager or managing partner of a company willing to help other group members...and open to accepting advice and ideas.

Some of the benefits of membership include:

• Experience a force field of business ideas...an exclusive think tank environment.
• Avoid making mistakes others have made.
• Use other chief executives as a sounding board for your ideas.
• Share resources.
• Save time and money by avoiding reinventing the wheel or proceeding without independent advice.
• Practical advice (not theory) and candid feedback from people who have no reason to hold back from being honest, no political agenda and no need to be a "yes man".
• Cross fertilization of ideas.
• Get honest, real life, battle scarred information.
• Resolve problems and identify opportunities.
• Personal and professional growth.
• It's no longer lonely at the top when the CEO has a group of peers who share similar experiences and perspectives.
• Learn how others have coped with the stress of being a CEO.

Meeting Agenda

Monthly meetings are scheduled to minimize time away from the office. The meetings are run by the Chairperson, Tom Cramer. Tom's 36 year career has included founding and presiding as CEO of four corporations.

• Instructional Element - The rapidly changing business environment we operate in today mandates that chief executives stay abreast of new developments, information and knowledge. At each meeting, you will benefit from the knowledge of speakers who are leading consultants and or authors in their fields of specialization.

• Member Focus - One member gives a presentation to the group for peer review. This might be a marketing plan, a business plan, a new product launch or any other topic that a member wishes to have reviewed by Brain Trust members. Although the main benefactor of this portion of the meeting is the presenter, you will also benefit by applying the advice given to your business.

• Roundtable Discussion - Each member is given the opportunity to throw out an issue for discussion and brain storming. Members can question each other on any topic: financing, competitive positioning, strategic planning, personnel moves, sales and marketing plans, coping with an uncooperative partner, motivating and rewarding key staff, balancing business versus personal issues, etc. Any new idea can be tested and the risk appraised. It's really exciting what can happen when a group of sharp minds are focused on a particular problem or opportunity. You will take back to your company every month ideas and solutions from this very provocative session.

One On One

Once per quarter you will have a meeting with the Chairperson tailored to your specific needs and preferences. Some suggested topics are:

• Follow-up on action items developed at prior meetings.
• Identification of additional personal and business needs.
• The preparation of issues you will be presenting to your fellow members.
• Review of personal and business strategic plans.
• Problem solving...direct input from the chairperson on your business.

Most Brain Trust members don't have a formal board of directors

They use the Brain Trust instead because:

• No costly liability premiums
• No fiduciary responsibilities
• No expensive honorarium fees

Some members do have a formal board, but use the Brain Trust in addition because it offers unbiased, alternative advice. At every Brain Trust meeting, you'll benefit from the collective experience of other business leaders at your level.

Meeting Time and Location

• We meet the same Thursday of every month from 12:00 - 6:00 P.M.
• Our meeting location is The Buckhead Club.

Investment

• Approximately one half day a month
• One time initiation fee
• Monthly dues (see FAQ section for fees)

Fringe Benefits of Membership

• Unaccompanied access to the Golf Club of Georgia (Alpharetta) for your own pleasure and for the entertainment of your guests. Even if you do not play golf, read on as this is also available on a limited basis for your key employees as well. For example, your sales manager (or other key employee) could use this benefit to entertain important clients. You can use this benefit to entertain your clients, have a company or client meeting combined with lunch and golf, reward key employees or even take your buddies out for some fun. Fees are billed to your credit card.
• Unaccompanied access to The Buckhead Club for meetings (includes room rental discount).
• Highly reduced fees for optional Business Seminars