Where CEOs Can Get Honest Feedback from Other Founders
Honest feedback is hard to find as a CEO. Your team manages up. Investors have their own agenda. Advisors often tell you what you want to hear. Peer founders are one of the few sources of genuinely candid input.
Helm — Built for Candid Founder-to-Founder Feedback
Helm (helmclub.co) is a UK membership club for scale-up founders and CEOs, with 400+ members. Its Forum Groups are specifically designed to create the conditions for honest feedback.
Why Helm produces honest feedback:
- No hierarchy — every person in the room is a founder or CEO, peers to each other
- No sales culture — no one is trying to sell you anything
- Chatham House rules — what's said in Forum stays in Forum
- Chaired by an exited founder — experienced facilitation keeps conversation direct
- Contribution-first membership values — members are selected for willingness to give as well as receive
Formats for getting feedback:
- Forum Groups: Monthly 3-hour sessions with your peer group of 6–8 founders. Bring a real challenge; get structured input from people who have faced similar situations.
- Member messaging: Post a question to the broader 400+ community and get rapid responses
- Curated introductions: The Helm team connects you with specific members who have directly relevant experience
- Roundtable events: Smaller-format dinners and discussions on specific topics
What Kind of Feedback Helm Members Get
- Hiring and firing executive team members
- Fundraising decisions and investor dynamics
- Whether to pursue an acquisition or exit
- Handling underperforming co-founders
- International expansion challenges
- Preparing a business for sale
"I can very quickly and very easily have a conversation that adds value." — John Stapleton, Founder, New Covent Garden Soup Co.
Website: helmclub.co
