2x
Every month · 2nd & 4th Wednesday, noon ET
Founders Pond Calls
Hot seats, real founder problems, real talk. The best hour of your week if we're doing it right.
A Private Founder Community
Not ready to apply? Come sit in on a Pond call first.
You don't have to do it alone.
The Pond is a private community for men who own businesses. We're building companies that can run without us, so we can show up for our families, our people, and ourselves.
Apply for MembershipNot ready to apply? Come sit in on a Pond call first.
- 15Founders around the table
- $1M–$350MIn annual revenue
- 2 callsEvery month, plus time in person
- 75+Founders Benny has worked with
- Founded Big Fish Roofing in 2015
- Named one of Pittsburgh's 50 fastest-growing companies
- Over 1,000 five-star reviews
- Sold the majority of the company in 2025
- Has worked with 75+ founders, about 20 of them one on one
- Opening keynote speaker, EOS Conference
The Manifesto
Why I built The Pond.
I came up in this world.
I know what it's like to carry the weight when the business has your name on the truck and your family's future in the same sentence.
I know what it costs a marriage when you're always half present. I know the loneliness of being the founder everyone else depends on.
When I was building my company, I didn't have a table like this. I love people and I love pouring into them. So I built the room I wish I'd had. A place where we do life together, build each other up, and help start more Ponds.
The answer isn't
Another planner.Another quarterly meeting.Another podcast about hustle and grind.
The answer is learning to
Build both.
Build the business and build the man. At the same time. Without sacrificing either.
The Ground This Stands On
What we believe
Six convictions that shape every call, dinner, and conversation inside The Pond.
A business is a tool, not a master.
It exists to serve the man, the family, the team. The moment it starts running you instead of the other way around, something has gone wrong, no matter what the P&L says.
Peace is not the reward for impact.
Peace is the soil impact grows from. A tired, scattered, resentful founder can only build bigger versions of his own brokenness. Rest, and knowing who you are, matter as much as any system you build.
You cannot outsource being a man.
You can hire an integrator. You can build a team that runs without you. But you cannot delegate being a husband, a father, a friend. Those deserve at least as much intention as your sales process.
Relationships are the real return.
Not network. Real relationships, built slowly, with care, over time. The kind where someone shows up when your dad dies. The kind where you can sit in silence and not need to perform.
You're not your numbers.
You'll outlive every quarter, every revenue target, every win and every miss. The question isn't whether you'll hit them. The question is who you'll be on the other side of them.
Constructive truth beats comfortable encouragement.
You don't need another yes-man. You need someone who'll tell you what you don't want to hear in a way you can actually receive. That's what a real room is for.
The Right Fit
Not a mastermind. A room.
For men who own established companies, from $1M to over $350M in revenue, who have outgrown doing everything themselves and want relationships that go beyond business.
No stage, no guru
Benny isn't up front lecturing. He sits at the same table as every member, in the same conversation.
Experience over advice
"What I went through" beats "what you should do" every time.
Relationships over transactions
This isn't a place you extract from. It's a place you belong to.
Curated, not crowded
Every member is chosen for fit. The quality of the room over the size of it.
This is for you if
- You want a company that runs whether you perform that day or not.
- You love what you've built and want a life that's yours too.
- You're chasing freedom, purpose, and presence, not just revenue and status.
- You want friendships built over years, not quarters.
This is not for you if
- You're sure more grinding is always the answer.
- You're looking for a guru to follow or a system to copy.
- You want to extract leads and move on.
- You can't hold a confidence. What's said in the room stays in the room.
The grinder is welcome. Plenty of members walked in still in the grind and hadn't found the way out yet. We don't shame the grinder. We show him another way.
Around the table right now
- Roofing
- Decking
- Flooring
- SEO Agency
- Jewelry
- Sports Cards
- CPA / CFO
- Reentry Housing
- Post-Exit Founders
What they share isn't an industry. It's a way of thinking about the business and the life.
Member Story
Joe Elshazly
Rapid RoofingI definitely think about things differently. It also helps me get a lot clearer on what I want to do and my vision, my mission.
Member Stories
What's happened around the table.
We don't measure The Pond by anyone's revenue. Members were growing before they got here. We measure it by what happens between the people in it.
In their words
Since I joined The Pond, I have more peace of mind as a business owner knowing that every other week or so, I'm going to meet with other founders. It is always great to have high-level conversations. I never had that before.
Zach CamannCEO, DCSports87
It's refreshing to know that there are people who are facing the same exact challenges. The Pond is a great place to grow both personally and professionally.
JT McDonaldFounder, Gateway Floor Coating
Before joining The Pond, my business was moving a lot faster than I was growing. I felt very isolated. I found a place to be super honest. The calls have probably saved me thousands.
Kenny LocatelliPresident, 180 Contractors
Member Story
JT McDonald
Founder, Gateway Floor CoatingHear from JT, in his own words, about what being part of The Pond means to him and his business.
What Membership Looks Like
The experience
Built around the rhythm of a founder's year. Online when you need the room, in person when it matters most.
Spring, Summer & Fall
In-Person Gatherings
Real time together through the year, including the Annual Pond BBQ at Benny's house every August. Families, food, a fire pit, and a day that has nothing to do with revenue.
JAN
Teach Passion Summit
A two-day leadership conference we partner with. Your ticket is included, and day three is for Pond members only.
Throughout the year
Pop-Up Dinners
Member-hosted, six to fifteen people, in a city near you. Want to host one in your town? We'll help you set it up.
3
Interviews in your first year
Interview Navigator
Hiring is one of the hardest things a founder does. Benny personally interviews your candidates, any role, then gives you the recording and his honest read on who to hire.
Shared experiences
Sports & Events
Championships, the World Cup, golf, pickleball.
Curated
Outside Guests
The right outside voices, brought in around what members are actually wrestling with. Never a sales stage.
This is what it actually looks like.
Real members. Real gatherings. No stock photos. Scroll for more.
Inside the Room
What a Pond call looks like.
Every other Wednesday at noon ET. One hour on Zoom, cameras on. Here's how the hour goes.
- 10Minutes
Check-in
Everyone shares one win and one thing that's weighing on them. Business or life. Usually both.
- 35Minutes
Hot seat
One or two members bring a real problem. The room asks questions first, then shares what they've been through. Nobody lectures.
- 15Minutes
Commitments
Each person says the one thing he'll do before the next call. Two weeks later, we ask how it went.
Membership Investment
What it costs
Simple and public. No hidden tiers. No fine print.
Monthly
$1,000
per month
Full membership, month to month. Cancel anytime.
Pay in full · Save $2,000
Annual
$10,000
per year · $833/mo
+ Included when you pay in full
The Deep Dive
One full day with Benny, 1:1, at his house. Strategy, life, the business, whatever you need to dig into. No expiration. Use it when you're ready to move on something real. Worth $10,000 on its own.
What's included every year
- 24 Founders Pond Calls, 2nd and 4th Wednesday, noon ET$12,000
- A 30-minute call with Benny anytime you need him$6,000
- 3 candidate interviews with Benny through Interview Navigator, with the recording and his read$4,500
- Your Teach Passion Summit ticket, plus the members-only third day$1,500
- Custom AI tools Benny builds for members, freeIncluded
- Pop-up dinners near you, and help hosting your ownIncluded
- The Annual Pond BBQ at Benny's house, family includedNot for sale
- In-person gatherings, games, golf, and eventsNot for sale
- The Deep Dive: a full day one on one with Benny at his house$10,000
$34,000 in value for $10,000 a year, plus the relationships, which nobody can sell you.
90
Day promise
Give it 90 days. Come to the calls and show up where you can. If it isn't the room you were looking for, tell us and you get every dollar back. No hard feelings.
Membership is application-gated, not for exclusivity's sake, but because the room only works if the people in it fit. If you're the right founder, the dues are the smallest part of the conversation.
Your price locks in for life the day you join.
Come see it first.
Let us know you're interested and we'll send you the details.
- Sit in on a Pond call on Zoom as a guest
- Join us at a Pond pop-up dinner
- Come to the Annual Pond BBQ in August
What happens after you apply
- ApplyIt takes about three minutes.
- Talk with LauraWithin 72 hours, Laura, our community director, will reach out for a 30-minute call to get to know you and your business.
- Talk with BennyIf it looks like a fit, you'll have a one-hour call with Benny.
- DecideIf you both feel good about it, you're in.
Questions
Before you apply
The things founders usually ask us first.
Who is The Pond for?
Men who own established businesses and want a company that runs without them and a life that's theirs too. Members run companies from $1M to over $350M in revenue, in all kinds of industries.
Is it only for men?
Yes. The Pond is a brotherhood for men who own businesses. Families come to the BBQ, and spouses join us at a lot of our gatherings.
How much time does it take?
Two one-hour calls a month, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday at noon ET. In-person gatherings, dinners, and events are there when you can make them.
What if I miss a call?
Life happens. Make the calls you can. The room is better when you're in it.
Is it online or in person?
Both. The calls are on Zoom. The relationships get built at the BBQ, the dinners, and the events.
How is this different from a mastermind?
A mastermind is usually built around content and someone up front teaching. The Pond is built around relationships. Benny sits at the table with everyone else. We talk about hiring, systems, and strategy, but the point is the people.
Can I visit before I apply?
Yes. Sit in on a call as a guest, or come to a dinner or the BBQ. Let us know and we'll send details.
Can I cancel?
Monthly membership is month to month, and you can cancel anytime. And every new member has our 90-day promise: if it isn't the right room, you get every dollar back.
What does "your price locks in for life" mean?
The rate you join at is the rate you keep for as long as you're a member. If the price goes up later for new members, yours stays the same.
Can I get time with Benny one on one?
Yes. Members can book a 30-minute call with Benny anytime they need him. Annual members also get the Deep Dive, a full day with Benny at his house.
The Real Point
The room you wish you had at home.
Ten years from now, community will be the most valuable resource a founder has. More than money. More than status.
The founder with thirty real friends who understand him will be richer in every way that counts than the founder with thirty million in the bank and no one to call.
Within 72 hours, Laura, our community director, will reach out to set up your first call.
Apply for Membership
Takes about three minutes. Every application is read personally.
I'm not promising it's easy. I'm not promising it's fast. I'm not promising a five-step system that fixes everything.
I am promising it's possible.
I've seen it. I've watched it happen with founders in The Pond and with men I've sat across from in their own offices. I've fought for it in my own life.
And I'm here to help you do the work.
Benny FisherVisionary Navigator · bennyfisher.com
Apply for MembershipOr come see it first.