I'm Starting Something New—And Last Thursday Proved It's Exactly What People Need
I'll be honest: I was a little bit nervous going into last Thursday.
Hosting the first Birthing of Giants info session for Central Texas, introducing Lewis Schiff to a room of business owners I'd invited, putting myself out there as the Regional Cohort Leader for a program I deeply believe in.
What if nobody showed up? What if people weren't engaged? What if this didn't resonate?
None of that happened.
The room was full. People were locked in. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
And what became crystal clear: this is exactly what business owners are starving for.
The Feedback Validated Everything
After the session, participants filled out surveys. Reading through them, I felt something I haven't felt in a long time:
Confirmation that I'm building something that matters.
What Resonated Most:
✓ Connecting with other business owners - This came up over and over. People weren't just there for content—they were desperate for community.
✓ Learning about the proven curriculum and frameworks - The "6 Steps to a Bigger Business" model gave them a roadmap they could trust.
✓ The practical exercises - We worked through real scenarios and people immediately saw where their businesses stood.
✓ Understanding the cohort accountability model - The idea of the same group meeting quarterly, holding each other accountable? That landed.
✓ Hearing Lewis Schiff's expertise - His insights on mega trends and private company success created lightbulb moments.
What Really Hit Me:
People left with clarity. They made real connections with other business owners. They got actionable insights they could implement immediately.
Some exchanged contact information and started building relationships before they even left the room.
And that's exactly what the session was designed to do: create value whether people join or not.
Why This Program Is Great (And Why It Works)
Here's what I know after going through Birthing of Giants myself in 2021:
This program changes lives.
Not because of some revolutionary new strategy. Because it gives business owners what they're missing:
1. Proven Frameworks That Actually Work
The "6 Steps to a Bigger Business" curriculum has 25+ years of research behind it. It's been tested by hundreds of Inc. 5000 companies. It's not theory—it's what actually scales businesses.
2. World-Class Expertise
Lewis Schiff. The Board of Experts. Practitioner-faculty who've built, scaled, and exited real companies. You're learning from people who've done it, not just studied it.
3. Cutting-Edge AI Tools
The Private Deal Team. "What Do You Think" tool. Real-time strategic insights that weren't even possible a few years ago.
4. A Two-Year Timeline That Actually Works
Quarterly sessions give you time to implement between gatherings. Monthly isn't sustainable. Annual is too slow. Quarterly is the sweet spot for real transformation.
But here's what makes it great:
It's not just the curriculum. It's the cohort.
CEOs and Business Owners Are Lonely As Hell
This is what last Thursday really proved:
Successful people are isolated.
Not because they lack relationships. Because they have the wrong relationships for what they actually need.
Multiple people listed their biggest challenges as:
- Finding trusted peers to navigate challenges with
- Implementing proven frameworks vs. figuring it out alone
- Being the bottleneck in their own business
- Scaling team and operations
- Strategic clarity on their next growth phase
Think about what that means:
- They're making million-dollar decisions with no one to talk to
- Their teams can't hold CEO-level weight—they need the boss to have answers
- Their old friends don't understand the complexity of scaling
- Their families mean well but give advice from a world they're not living in
They're surrounded by people all day and completely alone.
Business owners running $5M-$50M companies came to this session with the same underlying need: community with people who actually understand.
Why Cohorts Are The Answer
Here's what I watched happen Thursday night:
The most powerful moments weren't during the presentation.
They happened before we started—owners introducing themselves, finding common ground, realizing they weren't alone.
And after, over food and drinks. People exchanged numbers. Made plans to connect. Started building trust.
Simon Sinek says trust is built between meetings, not in meetings. I watched it happen in real time.
That's the power of cohorts:
- Same group, meeting quarterly over two years
- Non-competing businesses, so you can be completely honest
- Shared challenges, so someone always understands what you're facing
- Real accountability, not cheerleading
- Trust that builds over time, not transactional relationships
You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
A cohort intentionally puts you in a room with the right five people.
What I'm Building (And Why I'm So Excited)
Starting this Regional Cohort for Central Texas is one of the most meaningful things I've done.
After building woom from zero to $20M (3x Inc. 5000, EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist), I know what it's like to scale alone.
After going through divorce and rebuilding my life, I know what isolation costs.
After going through Birthing of Giants myself in 2021, I know what changes when you finally find your people.
Now I get to create that for others.
Last Thursday validated everything:
-People are desperate for community
-They're tired of figuring it out alone
-They want proven frameworks, not more theory
-They're ready to invest in themselves—if it's the right fit
- The cohort model works because it addresses the real problem: loneliness
Even the people who said they weren't ready still got value. They left with:
- Connections with other business owners
- Clarity on where they stand
- Understanding of what's possible when timing is right
- Real insights they can implement immediately
That's a successful session.
What People Are Actually Looking For
Based on the feedback and conversations, here's what business owners need:
1. Trusted Peers Who Get It
Not consultants. Not advisors. Peers in the arena who understand the weight.
2. Proven Frameworks They Can Trust
They're tired of reinventing the wheel. They want what's been tested by hundreds of other businesses.
3. Strategic Clarity on Next Growth Phase
They're stuck between where they are and where they want to be, unsure what actually needs to change.
4. Real Accountability
Not cheerleaders. People who will push them to follow through on the hard stuff.
5. Community That Lasts
Not another networking event. Real relationships with people who show up for each other over time.
The Birthing of Giants cohort delivers all of this.
Why I'm Confident This Will Work
Here's what gives me confidence:
1. The program is proven. 25+ years of research. Hundreds of successful companies. This isn't experimental—it works.
2. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Even people who aren't joining said the session was valuable. That tells me we're solving a real problem.
3. People are starving for community. The mega trend is clear: isolation is the norm at this level. And people are desperate for something different.
4. I've lived this. I'm not teaching theory. I'm creating the community I wish I had when I was scaling alone.
5. Lewis Schiff and the Board of Experts are world-class. I'm not doing this alone—I'm bringing in the best minds in entrepreneurial education.
The Central Texas Cohort Launches February 27th
If you're a business owner doing $5M+ and you're tired of lone-wolfing it, let's talk.
This isn't just a program. It's a community.
Here's what you'll get:
✓ Proven "6 Steps to a Bigger Business" curriculum
✓ Quarterly full-day sessions with your cohort
✓ Monthly accountability partner calls
✓ Access to Lewis Schiff and world-class expertise
✓ AI-powered strategic tools
✓ Two-year transformation timeline
✓ Your people—the ones who understand
Final Thought
Last Thursday night, I walked out of the Indeed Tower feeling something I haven't felt in a long time:
Deep gratitude.
Gratitude for the business owners who showed up. Gratitude for Lewis Schiff's wisdom and partnership. Gratitude for Banc of California and The Well for supporting this. Gratitude for the positive feedback that validated this vision.
But most of all, gratitude that I get to do this work.
I'm starting something new. And it's exactly what people need.
Not because I'm special. Because I've been where they are. And I know what changes when you finally find your people.
Thanks for being part of this journey.
Mathias
Ready to stop carrying the weight alone?
The Central Texas Birthing of Giants cohort launches February 27th.
Schedule a conversation: https://lnkd.in/gUcWmPre
About Mathias
Mathias Ihlenfeld is father of Luca (13) and Sofia (11) and an award-winning entrepreneur and the Austin, TX Cohort Leader and Coach for the Birthing of Giants Regional Cohort (birthingofgiants.com/regional-cohorts), a selective fellowship program for growth-focused founders and CEOs building high-impact companies. He is also the creator of The R.E.C.L.A.I.M. Code (Elite Personal Optimization Framework for divorced high performers). His proprietary 6-stage framework helps divorced founders rebuild identity, attract aligned love, and ignite purpose-driven business performance.
As the founder of woom bikes USA, Mathias built one of North America’s fastest-growing direct-to-consumer kids’ bike companies, earning multiple Inc. 5000 honors—including a 742% three-year growth rate in 2020—and recognition as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the U.S. In 2021, he played a pivotal role in merging the U.S. and European operations, leading the combined $100M global business as CEO in 2022 and 2023. His leadership has been recognized with honors such as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist and the Vistage Impact Leadership Award.
A graduate of the Birthing of Giants Fellowship Program, Mathias brings decades of expertise in entrepreneurship, business transformation, and conscious leadership. Through his coaching practice, he works with founders, executives, and high-achieving men navigating personal reinvention, guiding them through identity rebuilding, emotional mastery, business growth, and relationship alignment.
Today, Mathias mentors with SKU, invests in purpose-driven brands, and writes on his Substack—sharing hard-earned lessons, strategic insight, and stories from his journey building global brands and leading life transformations.
