There’s a reason people call it lonely at the top. Inside your company, almost nobody is a true peer. Outside it, your inbox fills with pitches from people who want to sell, invest or recruit. A networking app for CEOs can help, but only if it protects your time instead of selling access to it. Here’s how C-suite leaders build a peer network that’s worth the hours.
Want to talk to peers, not pitches? Kradoz opens a chat only when both people say yes, and there’s no paid tier, so nobody can buy their way into your inbox. Free on Android.
Why networking gets harder at the top
When you’re a manager, peers are everywhere. When you’re the CEO, the people around you report to you, and they filter what they say. Board members help, but they also judge your performance.
Meanwhile, the outside world gets louder. Vendors, recruiters and investors all want a slice of your calendar. So the contacts that do reach you are often the ones with something to sell.
Confidentiality adds another layer. You can’t talk through a layoff plan or a tough board dynamic with just anyone. As a result, many leaders end up with a huge network on paper and very few people they can call on a bad day.
What CEOs need from networking
Most executives want four things from a peer network. First, peers who’ve faced the same decisions, at a similar scale. Second, a setting where confidential topics stay confidential. Third, a filter, so you control who can reach you. Fourth, a way to give back, like mentoring founders or advising younger leaders.
That’s also the test for any networking app CEOs consider. Does it protect your time, or does it sell access to it?
Peer groups: YPO, EO and Vistage
Structured peer groups are where many chief executives find their closest outside peers.
YPO is for chief executives who took the top job before age 45 at a company that meets set revenue and headcount thresholds. Members meet in small, confidential forums, and chapters operate around the world.
EO (Entrepreneurs’ Organization) is for founders and owners. Full membership generally requires at least US$1 million in annual revenue, and EO says it has more than 20,000 members in over 100 countries. If you’re below that mark, EO Accelerator is the on-ramp.
Vistage runs CEO peer advisory groups led by a trained chair, with one-to-one coaching on top. It started in the US and has expanded through acquisitions in Canada, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
All three cost real money and real time. So ask current members about attendance, confidentiality and fit before you join.
Communities for every C-suite role
Not every leader at the top is a CEO. Fortunately, most C-suite roles have their own peer spaces.
- CTOs and engineering leaders: Rands Leadership Slack had more than 30,000 members as of late 2025. You request an invite by email.
- CROs, CMOs and other go-to-market leaders: Pavilion offers paid membership tiers, including one for VP and C-suite leaders.
- CHROs and people leaders: Lattice runs Resources for Humans, a free Slack community for HR and people professionals. Membership needs an application.
- CFOs, COOs and CIOs: accounting bodies, industry associations and local executive roundtables tend to be the best source of peers.
- Senior women leaders: Chief is a paid network with clubhouses in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Presidents and managing directors often get the most from industry associations and alumni networks, where a shared history makes trust easier. Building the bench below you? Share our guides on networking for managers and networking for HR professionals with your team.
Where a networking app fits for CEOs
A networking app won’t replace a peer group, but CEOs can use one for things a group can’t do. For example, you can meet someone outside your industry, find a founder to mentor, or line up meetings before a trip.
For most CEOs, LinkedIn is the networking app they already have. It’s great for visibility and credibility checks. However, it’s also an open inbox.
Kradoz is a networking app built for the opposite problem CEOs have: too much inbound. A chat opens only when both people swipe yes, and if you skip someone, they’re never notified. You can set mentoring as your goal and give an hour a month to founders who fit your experience. There’s no paid tier, so nobody can pay to reach you. LinkedIn verification is optional but recommended. Two limits to know: it’s Android only for now, and it’s a younger network. For partner and supplier deals, our B2B networking guide goes deeper.
A networking routine CEOs can actually keep
Even the right networking app won’t help CEOs who never open it. So keep the routine small and recurring:
- Monthly: attend your peer group or forum, and protect that date like a board meeting.
- Monthly: give one hour of mentoring to a founder or a rising leader.
- Every trip: have one coffee with someone new in that city. Our coffee chat questions help it go past small talk.
- Quarterly: reconnect with ten people you value, with no ask attached.
Let your assistant handle scheduling. Still, write introductions yourself. People can tell the difference.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a networking app for CEOs?
Yes. LinkedIn is the general option, but it leaves your inbox open to anyone. Double opt-in apps like Kradoz keep cold pitches out, because a chat opens only when both people agree. Many peer groups also give members their own private tools.
How do CEOs network?
Mostly through peer groups, boards, industry events and trusted introductions. Many also mentor founders or rising leaders, which builds relationships while giving back. Online tools come second, and the best ones filter who can reach you.
What’s the difference between YPO, EO and Vistage?
YPO is for chief executives who reached the top role before 45 at a qualifying company. EO is for founders and owners, with a revenue threshold for full membership and an accelerator below it. Vistage runs facilitated CEO peer advisory groups with a chair and one-to-one coaching.
Are executive networking groups worth the cost?
They can be, but fit matters more than the brand. Ask current members how often they attend, how confidential the group really is, and what changed in their business. If you can, sit in on a meeting first.
How can other C-suite leaders find peers?
Look for role-specific communities. CTOs often use engineering leadership groups, go-to-market leaders use communities like Pavilion, and HR leaders use spaces like Resources for Humans. Industry associations work well for CFOs, COOs and CIOs.
Try a networking app for CEOs built on consent
Kradoz is a free networking app for CEOs, founders, mentors and researchers. You choose a goal, see people who fit it, and talk only when you both agree. If you’d like to mentor, our page on mentorship and advisory explains how matching works. For the rest of your toolkit, here are the apps CEOs use day to day. And if privacy matters to you, our Safety Center covers reporting and blocking.
Get Kradoz free on Google Play and set your first goal today.
