BACKforty
Coalition9 is a Minneapolis-based, founder-led peer advisory community that offers recurring memberships ($250/month or $750/quarter) with monthly small group meetings, a private community portal, and SPARK events for entrepreneurs and business leaders, monetizing alongside premium adventures, branded merchandise, and corporate sponsorship.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What BACKforty does
Coalition9 is a Minneapolis, Minnesota-based peer-to-peer advisory community for entrepreneurs and business leaders, operating under the legal name Coalition9 with DBA "C9." Its core product is a recurring membership — $250 per month or $750 per quarter — that grants access to monthly half-day small group meetings run through the proprietary LeadForward™ facilitation process, a private online community portal (Slack-based), and SPARK Series educational/relationship-building events. Membership acceptance is gated by a completed application, references or member sponsorship, and a meetup with the team, reflecting a character-first, curated community model rather than open self-serve sign-up.
Beyond the membership core, the company operates a portfolio of supporting products. "Cece" is a text-based concierge that blends artificial and human intelligence to field member questions, make connections, and recommend resources. The Power of Nine podcast and a dedicated YouTube channel distribute interviews with Minnesota entrepreneurs as a top-of-funnel content engine. The C9 Signature Experience is an annual premium adventure (e.g., the 2027 Capitol Reef canyoneering trip at $4,990–$5,490 per person) co-developed with partner Four Corners Exploration. The seasonal C9 Store sells branded merchandise via partner Innovative Office Solutions. The Community Supporters Program generates B2B sponsorship revenue from roughly 10 corporate partners (Boulay, Insperity, Loffler, United Healthcare, Tradition Capital Bank, Versique, Caissa Wealth, Diversified Construction, Innovative Office Solutions, and EOS Worldwide Implementers) at Prospering, Thriving, and Evolving tiers.
Commercially, Coalition9 is a privately held, founder-led (Aaron Eggert, Chief Vision Officer) organization with no disclosed institutional investors and a small team of 20+ named facilitators spanning advisors, organizational psychologists, and leadership coaches. Revenue is a mix of recurring subscription dues, one-time premium experiences, limited merchandise transactions, and corporate sponsorship — all routed through a single Minneapolis headquarters and a regional U.S. distribution footprint, with content extending reach digitally.
BACKforty firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BACKforty
- Legal name
- Coalition9
- Website
- https://backfortymn.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Coalition9 is a Minneapolis-based, founder-led peer advisory community that offers recurring memberships ($250/month or $750/quarter) with monthly small group meetings, a private community portal, and SPARK events for entrepreneurs and business leaders, monetizing alongside premium adventures, branded merchandise, and corporate sponsorship.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BACKforty industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Peer Advisory Community / Leadership Development Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Corporate Meetings & Conferences (Internal/External Business Events) (MPAGAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Private Memberships & Invitation-Only Experiences (HSACAMAL), Corporate Hospitality, VIP Hosting & Client Entertainment (Internal-led) (THAHAIAI), Customer/User Conferences & Client Advisory Boards (THAHAMAD)
Keywords
Where BACKforty is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
BACKforty business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Recurring membership fees charged monthly at $250 or quarterly at $750, providing access to peer advisory groups, online community portal, SPARK Series events, and educational resources.
- C9 Merchandise Store: Seasonal pop-up merchandise store (spring and fall) offering Coalition9 branded gear. Orders fulfilled by partner Innovative Office Solutions. Revenue generated from branded apparel and accessories sales.
- C9 Signature Experience: Premium outdoor adventure experiences such as the Capitol Reef National Park hiking and canyoneering trip (May 4-7, 2027) priced at $4,990 double-occupancy or $5,490 solo-occupancy, with $1,000 nonrefundable deposit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Membership - Core peer advisory group access |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Quarterly Membership - Core peer advisory group access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | C9 Signature Experience 2027 - Capitol Reef National Park |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
BACKforty product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The company provides a private, character-gated peer advisory membership community for business leaders and entrepreneurs, anchored by monthly half-day small-group meetings run through its LeadForward facilitation process. Members gain access to a private online community portal, SPARK Series educational events, an annual premium outdoor adventure (C9 Signature Experience), the Cece text-based concierge, and the Power of Nine Podcast. Membership is sold via recurring monthly or quarterly dues supplemented by paid experiences, branded merchandise, and corporate sponsorship.
Product overview
Coalition9 is a peer-to-peer advisory community for business leaders and entrepreneurs, offering a unified membership platform centered on the LeadForward™ facilitation process. The core offering consists of monthly small group meetings, a private online community portal, and access to SPARK Series events. Supporting products include Cece (AI-powered concierge service), The Power of Nine Podcast, annual C9 Signature Experience adventures, the C9 Store for branded merchandise, and a Community Supporters partnership program. The company operates on a membership model with monthly ($250) or quarterly ($750) dues.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Power of Nine: Podcast hosted by Aaron Eggert that explores what makes Minnesota entrepreneurs and leaders tick, featuring interviews and the '9 Questions' segment.
- Cece
- LeadForward
- SPARK Series
- C9 Well Series
Products and services
- Coalition9 Membership Subscription membership providing individual business leaders and entrepreneurs with monthly half-day peer advisory group meetings run through the LeadForward process, access to a private online community portal, SPARK Series events, and ongoing peer relationship building.
- Cece Concierge Text-based concierge service available to Coalition9 members, blending artificial intelligence and human support to answer questions, make introductions, and recommend resources on demand.
- C9 Signature Experience Annual premium multi-day outdoor adventure experience (e.g., hiking and canyoneering at Capitol Reef National Park in 2027) designed to deepen community bonds among members through shared challenges and facilitated reflection, with all-inclusive lodging, food, gear, guides, and transportation.
- The Power of Nine Podcast Public-facing podcast hosted by Founder Aaron Eggert that explores what makes Minnesota entrepreneurs and leaders tick, featuring interviews and a recurring '9 Questions' segment to give listeners insight into guests' personalities and stories.
- SPARK Series Events Recurring educational and relationship-building event series that gives members and prospects additional access to the broader Coalition9 community beyond their monthly small-group meetings.
- C9 Store Seasonal pop-up e-commerce store (spring and fall) selling Coalition9-branded apparel and accessories to members, supporters, and followers, with order fulfillment handled by partner Innovative Office Solutions.
- Community Supporters Program Tiered corporate sponsorship program (Prospering, Thriving, Evolving levels) allowing businesses to support the Coalition9 community in exchange for visibility and credibility among members and business leaders.
Companies that use BACKforty
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
BACKforty technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
BACKforty partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BoulaycoreAccounting and advisory firm sponsoring at the Prospering level. Boulay (Boulay Group) provides business expertise and supports the C9 Community through community supporter program.
- InsperitycoreHR and business services provider sponsoring at the Prospering level. Supports the leadership community through community supporter program.
- LofflercoreTechnology and office solutions provider sponsoring at the Prospering level. Supports the C9 Community as a community supporter.
- Tradition Capital BankcoreFinancial institution sponsoring at the Prospering level. Supports the leadership community as a community supporter.
- United HealthcarecoreHealthcare provider sponsoring at the Prospering level. Supports the C9 Community as a community supporter.
- VersiquecoreExecutive search and consulting firm sponsoring at the Prospering level. Supports the leadership community.
- Innovative Office SolutionscoreOffice solutions provider sponsoring at the Thriving level. Fulfills all C9 Store orders for Coalition9 merchandise pop-up stores.
- Diversified ConstructionminorConstruction services provider sponsoring at the Thriving level.
- Caissa WealthminorWealth management firm sponsoring at the Thriving level.
- Four Corners ExplorationcoreSignature Experience partner for Coalition9's outdoor adventure programs. Co-develops transformative experiences including the Capitol Reef National Park trip, providing workbook materials and facilitation for personal growth journeys.
- EOS Worldwide Implementers (Tom Halloran, Mike Jones, Justin Cox)minorEOS (Entrepreneurial Operating System) implementers who help entrepreneurs and businesses through the EOS framework. Listed as community supporters offering services to members.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BACKforty competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Tiger 21: Peer membership organization for high-net-worth investors running monthly group meetings, asset allocation reviews, and curated experiences. While Tiger 21 focuses on wealth rather than leadership development, the curated membership, premium pricing, and experiential events align with Coalition9's Signature Experience model.
- Genius Network: Curated high-level entrepreneur community founded by Joe Polish, offering curated meetups, masterminds, and relationship-building events. Similar application-gated exclusivity and premium experience layering as Coalition9, targeting similar entrepreneur personas.
Direct peers
- Renaissance Executive Forums: Mid-market peer advisory firm running facilitated monthly peer groups for CEOs and business owners. Closest direct competitor to Coalition9 in product offering, member profile, and meeting cadence - a strong comparable for sizing and unit economics.
- Strategic Coach: Coaching and peer group program for entrepreneurs with structured quarterly sessions and tool-based frameworks. Strategic Coach's signature tools and proprietary methodology parallel Coalition9's LeadForward process in creating differentiated, repeatable member experiences.
- C12 Group: Faith-based peer advisory for Christian CEOs and business owners with monthly group meetings and structured facilitation. Comparable in monthly meeting cadence, peer group structure, and character-oriented membership philosophy, though differentiated by faith-based framing.
- The Alternative Board (TAB): Peer advisory boards for business owners with monthly facilitated meetings, similar subscription model, and comparable member screening. TAB operates franchised chapters regionally, providing a useful comparison for Coalition9's potential multi-metro expansion.
Broad incumbents
- YPO (Young Presidents' Organization): Premier peer community for chief executives with forum groups, learning experiences, and global events. YPO's curated membership model (application-based, character-screened) is structurally similar to Coalition9's gating approach, though operating at vastly larger scale and international footprint.
- EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization): Global peer network for entrepreneurs with monthly forum groups, learning events, and community programming. EO's structured forum-based peer meetings closely parallel Coalition9's LeadForward small group format, with shared focus on founder-to-founder relationships.
- Vistage Worldwide: Largest peer advisory organization for CEOs, executives, and business owners globally. Operates monthly facilitated peer groups with similar LeadForward-style meeting structures, making it the most direct incumbent peer to Coalition9 in product model, though at much larger scale and broader geographic reach.
Others
- EOS Worldwide: Entrepreneurial Operating System provider offering implementer network, peer resources, and business framework tools used by many of Coalition9's facilitator community. Functions as an adjacent ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor, with overlapping member demographics.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BACKforty social profiles
Digital presenceBACKforty financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BACKforty leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
BACKforty funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BACKforty M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BACKforty
What does BACKforty do?
The company provides a private, character-gated peer advisory membership community for business leaders and entrepreneurs, anchored by monthly half-day small-group meetings run through its LeadForward facilitation process. Members gain access to a private online community portal, SPARK Series educational events, an annual premium outdoor adventure (C9 Signature Experience), the Cece text-based concierge, and the Power of Nine Podcast. Membership is sold via recurring monthly or quarterly dues supplemented by paid experiences, branded merchandise, and corporate sponsorship.
Is BACKforty a public or private company?
BACKforty is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was BACKforty founded?
BACKforty was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BACKforty based?
BACKforty is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does BACKforty make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are C9 Merchandise Store and C9 Signature Experience.
Who are BACKforty's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Tiger 21 and Genius Network. Direct peers are Renaissance Executive Forums, Strategic Coach, C12 Group and The Alternative Board (TAB). Broad incumbents are YPO (Young Presidents' Organization), EO (Entrepreneurs' Organization) and Vistage Worldwide. EOS Worldwide is listed as an others.
Does BACKforty have an API?
No public API is recorded for BACKforty.
What industry is BACKforty in?
BACKforty's product category is Peer Advisory Community / Leadership Development Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGAHAA, Corporate Meetings & Conferences (Internal/External Business Events), with a secondary code of HSACAMAL, Private Memberships & Invitation-Only Experiences. Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.