Founder conversations are at the center of each Network of Directors gathering in Austin. Once a month, founders and business owners meet at North Kollective for a free two-hour event built around conversation, shared experience, and connections with other entrepreneurs.
During the event, a founder or business owner takes the stage for a live interview about how they built their company. Instead of using the stage to sell a product or service, the conversation focuses on the real experience behind the business, including what worked, what nearly broke, and what the founder would do differently.
What Happens During the Founder Conversation?
The founder interview gives attendees an opportunity to hear directly from someone who has built and operated a business. The conversation is less about presenting a polished version of success and more about exploring the decisions, challenges, systems, and lessons that shaped the company.
The interview is part of the overall two-hour gathering rather than the entire event. The current format includes a meet and greet, the featured business interview, and additional time afterward for networking, golf simulator activities, and conversations sparked by what attendees heard on stage.
Hear How a Business Was Actually Built
Each featured founder brings a different business story to the room.
Past conversations have covered topics ranging from building systems that allow a company to operate without its founder to marketing, revenue, podcasting, and AI. The subjects change depending on the guest, but the focus remains on sharing firsthand business experience rather than delivering a commercial presentation.
That gives attendees an opportunity to hear not only what worked, but also the challenges and decisions behind the outcome.
Keep Sales Off the Stage
Network of Directors follows three clear ground rules: no egos, no negativity, and no sales.
Nobody sells from the stage, including speakers and sponsors. Sponsors who take part in the conversation are interviewed about their own founder journey rather than being given stage time to promote what they sell.
This keeps the founder conversation centered on experience and learning rather than turning the interview into a product presentation.
Ask the Questions Behind the Success Story
The interviews explore more than the polished version of a company's growth.
Network of Directors describes the conversation as covering how the founder built the company, what carried it, what nearly broke it, and what they would do differently. That creates room for challenges and lessons alongside wins.
For attendees, those details can provide a closer look at how another business owner approached decisions they may eventually face themselves.
Who Will You Hear and Meet at Network of Directors?
Network of Directors intentionally brings together entrepreneurs with different levels of business experience. The room is not restricted to founders who have reached a particular revenue threshold, nor is there an application or invite requirement for the regular monthly gathering.
The attendee mix is deliberately varied so newer founders, established operators, and entrepreneurs who have already built and exited companies can participate in the same room.
New and Early-Stage Business Owners
Roughly one-third of the room consists of newer entrepreneurs, including people who may still be building their businesses alongside another job.
They are there to listen, learn, meet other business owners, and gain exposure to perspectives they may not yet have encountered in their own businesses.
There is no minimum revenue requirement preventing a newer founder from attending.
Owners of Growing Companies
Another portion of the room consists of owners operating businesses generating roughly $2 million to $10 million annually.
These founders bring experience with the realities of operating and growing established companies. Mixing them with newer and more experienced entrepreneurs creates opportunities for conversations across different stages of business.
Experienced and Exited Founders
The final group includes owners of larger businesses and entrepreneurs who have previously built and exited companies.
Their experience adds another perspective to the room, particularly for founders encountering challenges that more experienced business owners may have already faced. The roster itself is intentionally presented with no order or ranking.
How Do Founder Conversations Become Real Connections?
The founder interview gives everyone in the room a shared experience to discuss, but Network of Directors is not limited to what happens on stage. The event also creates time before and after the interview for attendees to meet other business owners and continue the conversations the featured discussion started.
That structure supports the larger idea behind Network of Directors: entrepreneurs can gradually develop their own personal network of experienced people they can turn to when they need another perspective.
Start With the Meet and Greet
The event begins with a short meet and greet.
Attendees can grab a drink or snack and talk with other founders, business owners, and Kollective members before the featured interview begins.
For someone attending for the first time, this provides an opportunity to meet people before everyone turns their attention toward the stage.
Continue Talking After the Interview
The conversation does not stop when the founder leaves the stage.
The remainder of the event includes golf simulator activities, contests, and additional networking. Attendees can continue discussing ideas raised during the interview or start conversations with other founders in the room.
This combination of a shared interview and open conversation is an important part of the event format.
Build Your Personal Network of Directors
The name Network of Directors comes from a simple idea: large companies have boards of directors filled with people whose experience can help guide important decisions, and entrepreneurs can benefit from developing their own network of experienced people.
The goal is not necessarily to create a formal board. Instead, founders can meet people ahead of them, behind them, and at similar stages. Over repeated interactions, some of those relationships may become people they can call when they need perspective.
Can You Watch Previous Founder Conversations?
Yes. Network of Directors records and publishes talks from past events, allowing founders to watch conversations they missed or revisit particular discussions.
The website currently features recordings from previous founders and panels, including conversations about operations, marketing, podcasting, business growth, and AI.
Watch Previous Founder Interviews
Past event pages include recordings along with information about the featured founder and key ideas from the discussion.
For example, previous interviews have featured Austin Netzley discussing systems and building a business that can operate without its founder, Austin Distel discussing marketing and revenue, and Abby Roberge discussing the growth of Melrose Podcasts.
Learn Even If You Miss an Event
Publishing the conversations online means the lessons shared on stage are not limited to the people who attended that month.
Founders can explore previous talks and learn about different business challenges before deciding to attend a future gathering.
Join the Next Conversation in Person
Network of Directors meets monthly at North Kollective, 9185 Research Blvd in Austin.
The regular monthly gathering remains free, with no application, invite gate, or revenue floor. Founders can reserve a seat ahead of the next event and experience the founder conversation in person.
Hear Real Founder Stories in Austin
Founder conversations at Network of Directors give Austin entrepreneurs an opportunity to hear directly from people who have built businesses at different stages and in different industries.
The focus is not on presenting a perfect success story or selling something from the stage. It is on understanding what happened behind the business, including the decisions, challenges, lessons, and experiences that shaped it.
Combined with time to meet other entrepreneurs before and after the interview, those conversations support the broader purpose of Network of Directors: helping founders build relationships with people whose experience they may be able to draw on when they need another perspective.
Frequently asked questions
What are the founder conversations at Network of Directors?
They are live interviews with founders and business owners about how they built their companies. The discussions focus on real business experiences, including challenges, decisions, lessons, and what the founder might do differently.
How long is the founder interview?
The entire Network of Directors event lasts approximately two hours, but the interview is only one part of that schedule. The current event flow includes a meet and greet, the business interview, and networking and activities afterward.
Are the founder conversations sales presentations?
No. Network of Directors explicitly prohibits selling from the stage. This rule applies to speakers and sponsors.
Can I watch previous Network of Directors talks?
Yes. Previous talks are filmed and published online, and the Network of Directors website provides recordings from past events.
Do I need a certain amount of revenue to attend?
No. The regular monthly event has no revenue floor, application process, or invite requirement.
Where does Network of Directors meet?
The event takes place at North Kollective, 9185 Research Blvd in Austin, Texas.
