Top Local Business Peer Groups in Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles business leaders face complex challenges that require strategic peer input to navigate successfully. From managing growth in competitive markets to handling the isolation that comes with executive decision-making, CEOs need trusted advisors who understand the stakes involved in high-level leadership roles.
This guide examines the premier peer advisory options available to LA-area business leaders, with particular focus on Vistage’s established groups throughout the region. You’ll discover specific group structures, member demographics and the strategic advantages that peer advisory provides in Los Angeles’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“When I joined Vistage, our business was just coming into its own. Since then, I’ve learned how to better run meetings, ask better questions, and we implemented new processes that have resulted in our business growing 55% in the past 4 years. Being in Vistage is like taking a PhD for business owners.”
—Nils H. Rasmussen, CEO, Solver USA
Here’s what you’ll learn about peer advisory groups in Los Angeles:
- Established Vistage Chairs and their group specializations throughout the LA market
- Member success stories and measurable outcomes from peer advisory participation
- Meeting structures and confidentiality protocols that enable strategic vulnerability
- Competitive advantages of peer groups in LA’s diverse business landscape
- How to evaluate peer advisory fit for your business stage and growth goals
Why Los Angeles CEOs Need Peer Advisory Groups
It’s lonely at the top. Vistage offers support from a curated group of CEOs, founders and business owners like you.
Strategic isolation presents one of the most significant challenges facing today’s business leaders. As the final decision-maker, you need more than advice from internal advisors or business coaches who lack executive experience.
The Compound Effect of Multiple Perspectives
Solo coaching gives you one expert’s viewpoint. Your Vistage peer advisory group gives you 12-16 different approaches to the same challenge. These leaders help you see patterns and possibilities that only emerge when diverse experience converges on your specific situation.
Consider the CEO facing a potential acquisition. A consultant might provide due diligence frameworks. An executive coach might help with decision-making confidence. But your peer group includes executives who’ve acquired companies, been acquired, walked away from deals, and lived with the consequences of each choice.
Proven Results Across Economic Cycles
Vistage members consistently outperform during economic downturns, industry disruptions, and market uncertainty. During the 2008 recession, member companies demonstrated 5.8% growth while nonmember companies declined 9.2% over the same period.
More recent data shows Vistage CEO members grew their annual revenue by 4.6% in 2020, while comparable nonmember businesses saw a revenue decrease of 4.7%. Member companies also stay in business 21+ years on average, while most businesses fail within 5 years, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Vistage Peer Advisory Groups in Los Angeles
Vistage operates multiple peer advisory groups throughout the Los Angeles area, each led by accomplished Chairs with extensive CEO experience. For more than 65 years, Vistage has been helping CEOs solve their greatest challenges through confidential peer groups and one-to-one executive coaching sessions.
| Group Structure and Membership Criteria | Vistage Los Angeles groups consist of 12-16 CEOs from non-competing industries, all leading companies with $5M+ annual revenue. Monthly full-day sessions combine confidential peer advisory with expert speaker presentations and individual coaching, using a proprietary issue-processing methodology. |
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| Professional Chair Facilitation | Every Vistage group operates under professional Chair facilitation. Chairs are former CEOs with real-world executive experience who guide discussions using proven frameworks. When you’re facing a decision that could reshape your business, you get guidance from someone who can spot blind spots you might miss. |
| Confidentiality Protocols | The non-competing membership structure creates environments where CEOs can discuss sensitive strategic issues openly. Vistage groups operate under strict confidentiality agreements that enable honest examination of strategic vulnerabilities and breakthrough thinking. |
Featured Los Angeles Vistage Chairs and their Groups
Brian Oken: Established CEO Groups
Brian Oken Chairs 2 Vistage CEO groups in the Los Angeles area, bringing more than 20 years of CEO experience, plus 17 years as a Vistage member before becoming a Chair. The groups he Chairs focus on CEOs who want to make great decisions, test ideas and overcome obstacles.
Bonita Inza: Executive Leadership with Global Brand Experience
Bonita Inza launched her Los Angeles Chief Executive (CE) group in 2021, bringing 30 years of executive leadership experience from respected global brands including Lacoste, T-Mobile, Bath & Body Works, Vera Bradley and Williams-Sonoma. Her background includes P&L responsibility ranging from $1M to $7B in revenue and leadership of teams exceeding 10,000 employees.
Fred Carpenter: Turnaround and Growth Specialist
Fred Carpenter operates 3 Vistage groups in Los Angeles, including two Chief Executive groups launched within 36 months. He brings more than 25 years of C-level executive experience across real estate, technology, financial, and educational businesses, including startup launches, acquisitions, and companies experiencing turnaround opportunities. His 20-year membership in Vistage, prior to becoming a Chair, provides a member’s perspective on the peer advisory process.
Dr. Maryam Malek: Fortune 500 Executive
Dr. Maryam Malek has been a senior executive with IBM, Xerox, and Gallup, collaborating with CEOs and Fortune 500 companies globally to set strategic direction and develop leadership. She is the founder of Corporate Development Consulting and Center for Applied Emotional Intelligence in Southern California, working with organizations globally to improve leadership effectiveness, strategic planning and employee effectiveness. Dr. Malek is also a professor of Organizational Leadership and MBA programs at Pepperdine and Chapman universities in Southern California.
Meeting Structures and Accountability Systems
| Element | Description | Member Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Session Structure | Full-day sessions are held once a month, designed to maximize strategic value while respecting time commitments. | Dedicated space for reflection, planning and problem-solving. |
| Issue Processing | Members present real challenges and receive unfiltered peer feedback using Vistage’s proprietary framework. | Keeps discussions focused, productive and actionable. |
| Expert Speakers | High-caliber speakers address current business, leadership and personal development topics. | Sparks innovative thinking and introduces proven strategies. |
| Individual Coaching integration | Monthly one-on-one sessions with Chairs that complement group insights. | Personalized leadership development, goal tracking and targeted support. |
| Accountability Framework | Members commit to actions in front of other CEOs and business leaders. | This approach creates accountability deeper than traditional coaching, since peers understand the real stakes of leadership decisions. |
Success Stories from Current LA Members
Alexander Cohen
COO, Enhance Therapies | Member since 2023 | Impact Award
Alex Cohen expanded Enhance Therapies from 1,800 clinicians to nearly 8,000, implementing technology solutions that save the company $1.75 million annually. At 35, he’s already reshaping one of the nation’s largest therapy providers.
Inna Tuler
President & CEO, Maintco Corp. | Member since 2017 | Leadership Award
From concert pianist to CEO, Inna has grown Maintco Corp. 100% in the last decade, serving Fortune 500 clients while sustaining a near-zero turnover, people-first culture.
Mark Shinbane
CEO, SK Food Brands | Member since 1998 | Lifetime Achievement Award
With 42 years in the seafood industry, Mark led SK Food Brands through cost-cutting offshore operations and a 2024 rebrand that fueled 200% revenue growth.
Mercy Tolentino Steenwyk
President & CEO, ForensisGroup Inc. | Member since 2000 | Legacy Award
Mercy built ForensisGroup into a top 100 minority- and women-owned business in LA, serving 30,000 cases. Her Force for Good™ initiative has planted 7,000 trees and awarded 100 scholarships as she transitions leadership to the next generation.
How Peer Groups Support Leadership Growth and Business Performance
When you commit to action in front of other CEOs, accountability runs deeper than in traditional coaching. These leaders understand what’s truly at stake, which drives execution and measurable results.
| Professional Development at Your Level |
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Better leaders. Better decisions. Better outcomes.
Vistage isn’t for everyone — and that’s by design. We work exclusively with CEOs and senior executives who’ve moved beyond survival mode and are committed to strategic growth. If you’re leading a $5M+ company in the Los Angeles area and ready for the accountability that drives measurable results, this is where strategic leadership development begins.
With 45,000 members across 40 countries and 65+ years of proven methodology, Vistage remains the world’s most trusted peer advisory network for growth-minded executives. Los Angeles benefits from multiple experienced Chairs leading established groups throughout the region.
Ready to see if Vistage is right for you and your business?
Schedule your group visit to experience how professional peer advisory works before making any commitment. Most CEOs know within the first meeting whether this is the strategic partnership they’ve been looking for.
About the Author: Vistage Staff
Vistage facilitates confidential peer advisory groups for CEOs and other senior leaders, focusing on solving challenges, accelerating growth and improving business performance. Over 45,000 high-caliber execu
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