The
Founders
Guild

A community of builders.

We're building a community of entrepreneurs dedicated to supporting each other.

You don't have to chase unicorns
to be a real entrepreneur.

The Guild is how we liberate ourselves from the unicorn-industrial complex.

Some people build because they have to.
The Guild is for people who can't imagine doing anything else.

Classes, coaches, collaboration tools, and peer support ... built by founders, for founders.

How It Works Who's in the Guild? Join the Guild You accessed: /
 

Who's in the Guild

31
Active ventures
239
Years of startup experience
152
Years of leadership experience
Founders
Active Past Future
Specialties
Product Marketing Engineering Sales
Leadership experience
Intermediate Experts Veterans
Industry backgrounds
Software Finance Healthcare Retail Consumer tech Packaged goods Sustainability Other

We think entrepreneurship is a calling.

Not a path to an wealth or a shortcut to fame -
a way of solving human problems, pooling resources, sharing risk and reward,
making peoples' lives meaningfully better
... and being able to do it again tomorrow.


The best founders share something that has nothing to do with funding or exits.
They love the process. They show up for each other. They’re here.

Learn how to join
OUR PHILOSOPHY

Unicorns should be the exception,
not the rule.

Maybe we should chase real animals instead.

What kind of company are you building?

The real opportunity is building a business that can thrive for decades.

High-growth billion-dollar game-changers:
Unicorn
  • Headline-making stories, compelling personalities
  • High-risk, founder-unfriendly ten-year journeys
  • Chance of success: worse than the lottery
Businesses that can thrive for decades:
Elephant
Buffalo
Camel
Gazelle
Wolfpack
Mustang
WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM

Entrepreneurship
is a team sport.

No matter how good you are, you can't do it alone.

We all need collaborators, brainstorming partners, accountability partners, advisors, coaches, and just plain friends to lean on.

It's way harder to find those people than it should be.
That's where the Guild comes in.

 

What Guild members say

Doug Sattler

"Starting a company is sometimes a lonely experience. It's always easier with a few friends."

- Jessica Hennessey,

Founder, BetterSites.ai

"Sometimes I need a sounding board. I know Guild members will give me honest feedback."

- Thiago Braz,

Founder, Jobbyo
Doug Sattler

"In less than a month, my Guild coach helped me transform my journey from navigating an uncertain landscape into pursuing my strongest path forward."

- Amanda Cheng,

Founder, Townhalls.ai
Doug Sattler

"Starting a company is tough. But in the Guild it's like we're all on the same team."

- Doug Sattler,

Founder, FantasyFootballHawaii

Built in Boston. Applicable everywhere.

Sure, we started in Boston.
But our community is global. Our values are universal.
And our philosophy matters anywhere people are trying to make the world better.

World
Interactive map of the Boston ecosystem

Upcoming Guild events

Mentor Matching for Early-Stage Founders
Monday, June 15, 2026
5:30 PM
User #31
Founders' Breakfast: Life Science & BioTech Edition
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
9:00 AM
User #31
Connection Lab
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
12:00 PM
The Only Thing That Matters: Product Market Fit Strategy
Thursday, June 18, 2026
6:00 PM
Startup Storytelling for Fun and Profit
Thursday, June 25, 2026
4:00 PM
Connection Lab
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
12:00 PM
Connection Lab
Wednesday, June 24, 2026
12:00 PM

No upcoming events in this category right now. See the course catalog

Mentor Matching for Early-Stage Founders
Monday, June 15, 2026
5:30 PM
User #31
Founders' Breakfast: Life Science & BioTech Edition
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
9:00 AM
User #31

From the Guild

Featured Insight

The Death of the Product Manager and the Rise of the Build Team

I’ve had a lot of conversations over the past year about jobs in the digital economy.More specifically, I’ve had conversations about the jobs involved in creating software, building products, and growing businesses. And one thing has become increasingly clear: the landscape we’re operating in is shifting beneath our feet.Not gradually. Not predictably.Quickly. Shockingly.… Read more

More articles

We're interested in building
real, durable businesses.

We don't chase hype,
we don't raise money before we're ready,
and we try to avoid bad advice.
The Guild exists to smooth the path to startup success
through education, community, and practical tools that support real execution.

Why Join the Guild?

Collaborators
and Collaboration Tools

Connect with Guild members who can volunteer or join your venture - technical help, feedback, introductions, or just an extra pair of eyes on something hard. An extra set of eyes or hands can make a big difference.

How collaboration works at the Guild

Classes and Workshops

Live classes on practical topics
from founders and operators who've been in the room you're in now.

Coaching

Connect with people who've navigated what you're facing
— from incorporation to finding product market fit to fundraising. Pick your coach from a bench of experts.

How coaching works at the Guild
Discussions

Hear it straight

Ask the questions you can't ask anywhere else. Get real feedback from people who have no reason to sugarcoat it.

How Guild discussions work

Peer Support Groups

Small, confidential cohorts of founders at similar stages — meeting every two weeks for honest conversations.

Building solo is hard. It's nice to feel less alone.

How support groups work at the Guild

What kind of founder are you?

There's more than one kind of entrepreneur.

Not every founder is built for the same path. The Guild uses founder archetypes to describe how you’re wired to build — what motivates you, what drains you, and what kind of work you’ll actually sustain.

We've built an assessment to find out what kind of founder you are.

Artisan Artisan
Operator Operator
Maker Maker
Sovereign Sovereign
Steward Steward
Disruptor Disruptor
Learn more about founder archetypes

Don't miss out.

Guild membership is free for a limited time.

What kind of company are you building?

There's more to life than unicorns.

We believe in building durable businesses that can thrive for decades. If a unicorn is the goal, that's great. But if it's not, that's also great.

Each archetype is designed to summarize the goals and ambition of each venture and help founders focus on the right things. If you're building a Mustang, don't think too much about raising outside capital. If you're building a Buffalo, think about meeting a need that can be replicated. It's also helpful to connect with other founders who are building similar ventures.

Take our assessment to find out which archetype your venture fits into.

Elephant Elephant
Buffalo Buffalo
Camel Camel
Gazelle Gazelle
Wolfpack Wolfpack
Mustang Mustang
Learn more about how the Guild thinks about companies

Join the Guild now. Free for a limited time.

Wanna help us build the Guild?

Founding Guild Member

  • 4 class sessions/month
  • 4 roundtable sessions/month
  • 2 hours of coaching sessions/month
  • Dedicated Peer Support Group
  • Unlimited Collaborator Directory access
  • Unlimited community discussion access
  • Unlimited idea sharing and concept validation

$0

for 60 days during our launch. $25/month after that.