Founder Peer Groups
Get the right support to bootstrap, launch, and grow a valuable startup faster by joining a Founder Peer Group with serious founders like you.
Join the Inspiring Founders Peer Group
At Inspiring Founders, we understand that the journey of entrepreneurship can be both exhilarating and challenging. That’s why we created our Founder Peer Group—a space where founders come together to share their stories, tackle common hurdles, and inspire one another through genuine dialogue. With Mash (Michael Ashley) facilitating our discussions, you'll tap into a wealth of real-world experience and insights.
In our intimate circles, you’ll bring your lived experiences and your questions, while your peers contribute their unique perspectives. Together, you'll cultivate a sense of focus, clarity, and accountability that propels your business forward.
Who It's For:
Builders of startups who have gained initial traction and are ready to scale.
Individuals who prize honesty, humility, and hands-on execution.
Leaders eager for steady progress, steering away from mere theatrics to meaningful growth.
Focus Areas:
We connect founders into targeted tracks, ensuring every discussion is relevant and directly applicable:
Launch: Transform your early traction into sustainable success.
Growth: Recruit your first key team members, fine-tune pricing strategies, and establish a straightforward market entry.
Scale: Navigate complex challenges, fortify your systems, and lead teams while preserving your product's essence.
What You Can Expect:
Curated Circles: Engage with 6-8 fellow founders at a similar stage, sharing complementary journeys.
Structured Meetings: Participate in monthly 3-hour Zoom sessions with your cohort, guided by Mash's expertise.
Practical Tools: Access actionable playbooks for hiring, pricing, onboarding, retention, and founder-led sales strategies.
Open Dialogue: Share insights freely in a confidential environment, discussing key metrics, people matters, and strategic choices.
The Process:
Apply: Share your company's story, current challenges, and future vision.
Interview: We’ll explore your fit and identify the best track for you.
Match: You’ll be aligned with a peer group tailored to your needs.
Kickoff: Set shared expectations, goals, and a straightforward scorecard.
Engage: Join in monthly conversations, complemented by light check-ins to keep you on track.
Why Inspiring Founders:
Founder-first: Built for people doing the work, not just talking about it.
Practical and real: We focus on actions that move the business forward.
Confidential: What’s shared in the circle stays in the circle.
Optional On-Ramp:
If you’re pre-traction and want help getting launch-ready, we occasionally run a short Startup Launch Bootcamp. Graduates who gain traction can apply to join a Inspiring Founders Peer Group. Ask us about it why you apply.
Ready to Join?
If you’re a founder who wants honest peers, practical help, and steady progress, we’d love to hear from you.
Meet Mash, Your Host
Mash is the Founder and CEO of Foclarity, a go-to-market (GTM) strategy platform for CEOs. Foclarity helps executives develop comprehensive GTM strategies and lead their execution, continually optimizing based on performance data to drive growth and focus organizational energy on what works.
With over 25 years at the intersection of innovation, strategy, and execution, Mash has co-founded and scaled startups—including four successful exits—guided dozens of companies from concept to traction, and launched a university-based incubator at San José State University. These experiences have honed his ability to see patterns in market entry, product adoption, and growth levers, and to translate them into repeatable GTM playbooks.
As an Adjunct Professor at San José State’s College of Business, Mash has taught and mentored hundreds of aspiring founders, blending real-world entrepreneurial depth with academic rigor. His passion lies in helping leaders cut through complexity, focus resources on the highest-impact opportunities, and transform bold strategies into measurable results.
Today, Mash applies that same expertise in Inspiring Founders Peer Groups, where he facilitates structured, strategy-focused conversations among CEOs. Each session is designed to help leaders test ideas, sharpen their GTM approach, and leave with clear next steps. Having lived the founder’s journey firsthand—the wins, the setbacks, and the persistence required—Mash ensures every interaction is grounded, practical, and execution-driven.
