Not Another Conference Table: Inside a Whole-Person CEO Peer Group In Phoenix
Not Another Conference Table: Inside a Whole-Person CEO Peer Group in Phoenix
By Bill Goodwin, Founder, CEO and Chair of Complete.CEO
Complete CEO is an innovative in-person peer group in Phoenix and Scottsdale for CEOs and founders of $5M to $50M companies. Groups of no more than 10 CEOs meet monthly, and every month includes hands-on work with one of our expert advisors: a longevity physician, a psychiatrist, an executive psychologist, a registered dietitian or an athletic performance coach.
Why did I start Complete CEO?
I was a Vistage member, and many of the CEOs in Complete CEO have been in Vistage, EO or YPO too.
I started it because not only the groups I had been in, or any other executive peer group program for that matter, was dedicated to CEOs and working on the whole person. The current groups in the market today absolutely helped with business value, but there are stories of founders who just work themselves to death, literally to death.
If you want to be an optimal CEO, if you aren’t intentionally working on your emotional health, mental health, nutritional health, and have a group of CEOs to hold you accountable for growth, not just in your business but outside of that, I don’t think you can be the optimal version of yourself. And because of that, you’re leaving greater growth and higher valuation on the table. You may have a history of being successful when performing at 85% to 90% of your potential, but imagine what you could accomplish at 95%, all while enjoying the ride a little bit more. That’s why I created Complete CEO.
What is a whole-person CEO peer group?
A traditional peer group asks, “How is the business doing?” A whole-person group also asks, “How are you doing, and what is that costing the business?” It is a small, confidential group of CEOs who hold each other accountable for growth in the business and in their own health, with credentialed experts guiding each area.
Who are the Complete CEO expert advisors?
- KeriLyn Bollmann, MD, FACP, executive health span physician. Double board-certified in Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, fellowship-trained at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, and a PHOENIX Magazine Top Doc in Integrative Medicine five years running.
- Mona Amini, MD, MBA, executive psychiatrist. Board-certified, with more than 12 years of clinical and consulting experience with high-performing leaders.
- Merle Riepe, PhD, executive psychologist. Helps leaders understand how thoughts, narratives and emotions shape action, and gives them tools that last instead of advice.
- Chrissy Barth, MS, RDN, executive dietitian. Nationally recognized registered dietitian and Assistant Teaching Professor at Arizona State University, who has done work with the Arizona Cardinals and other pro sports teams.
- Jake Coyle, executive athletic coach. 16+ years of experience, NASM Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist, focused on strength and injury prevention.
They aren’t guest speakers. Our expert advisors are embedded in the program, always adding value throughout the CEO’s journey.
What happens at a Complete CEO immersive day?
A mat, a water bottle and a towel at every seat. This is what a CEO peer group looks like when it works on the whole person. Our most recent immersive was a full day built around four expert-led sessions, and none of them involved a PowerPoint.
A power breakfast designed by Chrissy Barth
The whole menu was custom designed by our dietitian, Chrissy Barth, really to make sure we were putting food in throughout the day that fueled us, that allowed us to think better and perform better. So to kick off the day, we had a power breakfast where Chrissy was working with the CEOs at a kitchen counter as they were eating this specially prepared food.
Breathwork with Dr. KeriLyn Bollmann
We then shifted to our longevity physician, Dr. KeriLyn Bollmann, who was talking about the importance of breathing and its impact on performance and longevity. Right we practiced various breath work techniques that can be used in different situations, not sitting at a conference table, but on mats. A lot of CEOs don’t understand the power of breath and how to use that, not just for longevity, but for handling daily interactions or frustrations. I certainly didn’t understand that until recently.
Communication practice with Dr. Merle Riepe
We then had our psychologist, Dr. Merle Riepe, working intensely on understanding different communication models and practicing those live to help make difficult conversations more effective. This is where the peer group matters most. Hearing how your habits land on a room of fellow CEOs is feedback your own team rarely gives you.
Sonic immersion with Dr. Mona Amini
And then we finished with our psychiatrist, Dr. Mona Amini, who’s done research on the power of EDM music and crafted sonic immersion to help CEOs get to a greater depth of meditation. That session was a perfect way to finish the day. It was both relaxing and empowering, lining everyone up to make it a great fourth quarter.
How does a normal monthly session work?
Each monthly session is a full day, split into three parts. We have a third dedicated to proven business tools and education. That’s where I’m bringing in different tools and best practices that they can implement in their business. The next thirds is dedicated to issue processing and peer accountability, where the different CEOs together are solving tough issues for each other’s personal and professional lives, with all members holding each other accountable for growth. And the final third is where we have one of these expert advisors working hands-on with the team in the session.
Each group is led by me as founder and chair. I also work with members directly as their executive coach, drawing on my years as CEO of multiple companies over the last 20 years, including a telemedicine company that I scaled and sold to Walmart for 9X revenue, as well as being a Certified Scaling Up Coach and previously a Professional EOS Implementer.
How is Complete CEO different from Vistage, EO and YPO?
Complete CEO is different give the importance we are placing on the human element, not just the business element. Some other programs will occasionally have a speaker parachute in for a session, but rarely if ever is that person staying with the group and working with them over time.
| Complete CEO | Vistage | EO | YPO | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group size | Up to 10 CEOs | 12 to 16 CEOs | 6 to 10 members per Forum | About 8 per forum |
| Led by | Bill Goodwin, founder, chair and executive coach, with expert advisors | A Vistage Chair | A trained peer moderator | Peer-led forum |
| Health and performance experts | Embedded every month | Speakers at workshops and events | Not part of Forum | Not part of the forum |
Sources: Vistage, EO membership, EO Forum, YPO, David Cummings on EO and YPO forums.
What changes for members have we seen?
The changes have been significant and not limited to one per member. Many have made changes to their diet, started to build a better practice of prioritizing sleep, and most have brought up a tough business issue that the group has helped them work through (example: reduction in force and how do to so gracefully.) The conversations in the room, and the support of each member to help each other member growth across personal and professional domains, has been great to see and experience.
Frequently asked questions
What is Complete CEO?
An in-person peer group in Phoenix and Scottsdale for CEOs and founders of $5M to $50M companies. Groups of up to 10 CEOs meet monthly, with embedded expert advisors in medicine, psychiatry, psychology, nutrition and fitness.
Why did Bill Goodwin start Complete CEO?
Because no executive peer group was dedicated to CEOs and working on the whole person. If you aren’t working on your emotional, mental and nutritional health, you’re leaving growth, revenue and valuation on the table.
How does a Complete CEO month work?
A third business tool education, a third issue processing and peer accountability, and a third hands-on work with one of the expert advisors.
What should you do next?
Ask yourself one question: if your peer group only ever talks about the business, who is helping you with everything else that decides how well you lead?
If that question hits home, book an exploratory conversation about Complete CEO.
About the author
Bill Goodwin is the founder of Complete CEO and Growth Optimized, based in Phoenix. He is the former CEO of MeMD, the telehealth company he scaled and sold to Walmart at 9X revenue, and a former Vistage member. He also coaches leadership teams as a Certified Scaling Up Coach. Read more about Bill.
