What NETWORK OF TRUSTED ADVISORS does

Trusted Advisor Network (TAN), also referred to as the Network of Trusted Advisors, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization founded in 2008 and restructured as a non-profit in 2018. It operates as a regional consortium serving professional advisors and business owners in New Mexico and Arizona, with regular hybrid meetings in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Scottsdale. The organization's core offering is the TAN System Methodology, a 15-video training program developed by co-founder Michael Podolny that covers 12 best practices for relationship-building, referral generation, and collaborative practice development among vetted professional advisors including accountants, attorneys, bankers, financial advisors, HR professionals, IT specialists, insurance professionals, marketers, and consultants.

TAN's product surface consists of four core components: the TAN System Methodology video course, monthly educational meetings featuring guest speakers, an online searchable member directory, and an ongoing membership benefits program that includes referral networking, mentoring, and collaborative opportunities. The organization runs all operations on Wild Apricot membership management software, supports SSO via Google, Microsoft, and Apple, and offers hybrid meeting participation through Zoom (Albuquerque) and Microsoft Teams (Scottsdale). Member-to-member engagement is also facilitated through a dedicated LinkedIn group and a YouTube channel hosting education meeting recordings and methodology videos. No proprietary technology, patents, trademarks, APIs, or AI capabilities are disclosed.

The business model is a subscription-based membership organization generating revenue primarily through membership dues from individual professional advisors. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective members apply through the website and are reviewed by leadership before acceptance. Growth is community-led via member referrals and a give-to-get philosophy, with a vetted onboarding process requiring attendance at meetings and 4x4 introductions before full membership is granted. Leadership is provided by an 11-person board and moderator structure, including co-founders Craig Dill and Michael Podolny, President Mark Johnson, Vice President Allison Rae, Treasurer James Wojcik, and Secretary Ed Risley, among others. No external funding, acquisitions, or M&A activity is disclosed.

Name

NETWORK OF TRUSTED ADVISORS

Legal name

Trusted Advisor Network

Website

https://trustedadvisornetwork.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trusted Advisor Network (TAN) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization in New Mexico and Arizona that provides vetted professional advisors — accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, and consultants — with structured referral networking, monthly educational meetings, and a proprietary methodology-based training program to grow their practices through trusted relationships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Albuquerque

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: TAN generates revenue through membership dues from professionals who join the Trusted Advisor Network to access referral networking opportunities, educational programming, and collaborative business development resources.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Network of Trusted Advisors is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization that provides vetted, structured referral networking for professional advisors such as accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, and consultants who serve business owners and C-level executives. Its core offering is the TAN Membership Benefits Program, supplemented by the proprietary TAN System video course, recurring education meetings, and an online member directory that together formalize trust-based, give-first referral relationships across local chapters.

Product overview

Trusted Advisor Network (TAN) operates as a regional consortium offering a membership-based networking platform for professional advisors. The core offering consists of the TAN System methodology (a 15-video training program), supplemented by monthly educational meetings, a searchable member directory, and ongoing membership benefits including referral networking, mentoring, and collaborative practice development. The organization serves business professionals in New Mexico and Arizona through in-person and hybrid meetings in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Scottsdale, with all operations powered by Wild Apricot membership software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TAN Membership Benefits Program Annual membership in a vetted, locally-rooted network of professional advisors that delivers structured referral opportunities, access to an online member directory, and participation in regular education meetings. Designed for accountants, attorneys, financial advisors, and consultants who serve business owners and C-level executives.
• TAN System Methodology Video Course
• TAN Education Meetings
• TAN Online Member Directory

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of member work attributed to TAN membership (per Steve Etkind testimonial)

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• WaFd InsuranceminorOthersWaFd Insurance hosts TAN's Albuquerque hybrid meetings at their office location (5601 Office Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque, NM 87109). This appears to be a venue hosting arrangement rather than a formal partnership.
• BBSIminorOthersBBSI (Barrett Business Services Inc.) hosts TAN's Scottsdale hybrid meetings at their location (8840 E Chaparral Rd, Unit 105, Scottsdale, AZ). This appears to be a venue hosting arrangement rather than a formal partnership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• The Alternative Board (TAB): TAB runs peer advisory boards for business owners, combining structured monthly meetings with advisory content. It targets SMB owners similar to TAN's secondary segment and competes for similar local markets across the U.S.
• Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO): EO is a global peer-network for founders/owners of companies above $1M revenue, offering member forums, events, and learning. It overlaps with TAN's business-owner segment via member-driven learning and connection rather than direct referral passing.

Broad incumbents

• Vistage Worldwide: Vistage is a large, established peer-advisory and executive coaching organization serving CEOs and business owners. It competes for the same C-level executive time and budget but with a paid coaching/peer-group format rather than a referral-networking format.

Others

• SCORE: SCORE is a U.S. non-profit network providing free business mentoring and workshops to SMBs. It is thematically adjacent to TAN — both are 501(c)(3)s serving the SMB advisor ecosystem — but does not operate as a referral-passing member group.

Direct peers

• BNI (Business Network International): BNI is the largest referral-based business networking organization globally, running structured chapter meetings in which members pass qualified referrals. It is the most direct comparison to TAN's vetted-membership, in-person referral networking model.
• ProVisors: ProVisors is a national networking organization exclusively for "trusted advisors" — attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and consultants — built around vetted groups, structured meetings, and cross-referrals. It targets the exact same advisor persona as TAN with a near-identical methodology.
• LeTip International: LeTip is a long-standing referral-networking franchise with weekly chapter meetings, mandatory referral passing, and vetted membership. It directly overlaps with TAN's referral-networking value proposition for local business professionals.

Regional players

• Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce: The Albuquerque Chamber is a regional membership association that connects local business professionals via events, committees, and member directories. It competes with TAN in the same geography for members seeking trusted local business connections.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCMoRrlAglJETFu2CjDWQaJQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/network-of-trusted-advisors

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NETWORK OF TRUSTED ADVISORS