# YEC. Full site text for AI assistants > YEC is a selective, vetted council for established founders and operators. > Membership is application-based. Young is a mindset, not an age; there is no age requirement. > Official domain: yec.co. Operated by YEC Global, LLC. Established 2012. --- # Home (https://yec.co/) ## Operating at altitude. Isolation at altitude. Together at altitude. You have built something real. The higher you climb, the fewer people can see the whole of it, and the quieter it gets at your altitude. YEC is the council where that changes: peers who operate where you operate, and who tell you what they see. Do I have what it takes to get a seat at the table? → Scroll The real problem ## Internal altitude that has not caught up to external altitude. Externally you have climbed. The title, the team, the thing you built. Internally, the climb has been quieter and slower, and almost no one around you can see the difference. That gap is where the loneliness lives. It is where the mask comes from, and where the impostor feeling keeps its footing. What a council actually does → External altitude What others see. The visible climb. Title. Recognition. Results. Credibility. Responsibility. Milestones. Momentum. vs Internal altitude What you feel. The unseen depth. Self-doubt. Second-guessing. Impostor thoughts. Pressure. Loneliness. Disconnection. Zoom in ⊕ What YEC does ## Most of you sits below the waterline. Everyone sees your tip; the table is where the rest of it gets seen. You sit beside people carrying their own mass below the surface, who do not need the mask explained because they are wearing one too. For once, the mask can come off because it does not have to stay on. The mission We are the council where leaders grow fast enough to keep pace with what they’re building. One YEC creates the conditions. Two The community does the work. Three The people at the table become your council. What membership is built on ## Four legs hold the table up. 01 ## Access The people you would never get a meeting with are at the table, as peers, not prospects. 02 ## Visibility Be seen whole, not just by your output. The part below the waterline gets a witness. 03 ## Reciprocity You give as much as you take. The value compounds because everyone is building it. 04 ## Intentional Community Nothing here is accidental. Who sits at the table, and how the table works, is chosen with care. The spot ## A blind spot, made visible. The period in our name is not punctuation. It is the unknown made known, the thing you could not see until the council reflected it back. The council is the mirror. What it surfaces is the work. How the mirror works → Impostor syndrome The lonely call Burnout The mask You join people, not brands ## Meet Jessica and Drew. They met here as members, years before they ran it, and became each other’s counsel. Now they are building that for every founder who has been carrying it alone. Meet the people behind it → The invitation ## Earn a seat at the table Apply, and a person reads it. We reach out either way. The bar exists because the people at the table built it. Earn a seat at the table → See what membership is --- # About (https://yec.co/about) About ## Meet the people behind the table. Person first. Business second. YEC has been a council since 2012. Get to know the people behind it. Jessica Drew Who we are ## The people behind YEC. Jessica and Drew met here as members, years before they ran it, and became each other’s counsel without setting out to. They built this version of YEC from two states apart, across a screen. The table was never a place. It is the people at it. In our words Somewhere in the years of building, we both started to lose ourselves in it. You learn to perform the role. You put on the face that says everything is handled, and you keep it on so long you forget it is a face. When we took on YEC, we assumed we were bringing back the one we remembered. It took us a while to see that what we actually missed was something else. Not a better business network. A place to be a person again, and not only an operator. We had each spent the last few years learning that on our own: separating who we are from what we build, growing ourselves alongside the company instead of disappearing into it. We grew up. YEC needed to grow up with us. So that is what this is now. Person first, business second. A table of founders carrying the weight you carry, who become your counsel and not your contacts. The mask comes off because no one here needs it explained. The work stays the work. You just stop doing the hard part alone. If you know the quiet that comes with the altitude you have reached, you know why this exists. This chapter was built for it, and for you. Come as the person, not the performance. That is the whole point. The people behind it ## You join people, not brands. ## Jessica Head of Community and Vision Her work has always come back to one idea: belonging. She has spent years building services for the deaf and hard of hearing community and serving on the boards of communities she believes in. She was part of YEC long before she led it, and she shaped this version around a simple conviction. The best things are not built alone. ## Drew Head of Strategy and Technology An attorney by training, he has built and run companies across automotive parts, business liquidation, and tech, with nonprofit work alongside. He is the person who turns an idea into the thing that actually runs. He likes building, and of everything he has made, he says this one is a favorite. Since 2012 ## A council with history, built for who founders are now. YEC has existed since 2012, and it has grown a great deal in the years since. Today it is built for the founder who is climbing faster than they can process and who needs a council more than a network. Driven by Ambition. Empowered by Community. The tagline is not decoration but a description of the exchange: you bring the ambition, and the community shows up for you in return. ## See if the table is yours Earn a seat at the table → What membership is --- # The Council (https://yec.co/the-council) The Council ## A board of directors for your life. Networks collect contacts, but councils solve problems. A seat here is not a directory or a feed; it is a small circle of peers who act as a mirror and tell you what they see. The mission We are the council where leaders grow fast enough to keep pace with what they’re building. The conditions YEC creates the conditions. The work The community does the work. The outcome The people at the table become your council. The name does real work ## YEC, defined. Young. ## Not age or stage, but mind. Curious enough to learn, humble enough to listen, and ambitious enough to keep evolving. The young mind is the qualifier, whether you are 28 or 58. Entrepreneur. ## You already are one. We will not condescend by defining it. The council is for the operators actually in the arena: founders, co-founders, CEOs, builders carrying the weight of what they made. Council. ## Wise peers, alongside you. Not above you and not below you, but a sounding board that reflects you back to yourself and says what it sees. A council without the mirror is just a networking group. The four legs ## What holds the table up. 01 · Access ## The table you could not get to Founders and operators you would never land a meeting with are here as peers. Not gated behind a sales call. At the same table, on the same footing. 02 · Visibility ## Seen whole, not by output The part of you below the waterline gets a witness. You are known for more than your last result, which is the only way real counsel becomes possible. 03 · Reciprocity ## You give as much as you take Value compounds because everyone is building it. The member who only extracts does not last. The council protects that, on purpose. 04 · Intentional Community ## Nothing here is accidental Who sits at the table, and how the table works, is chosen with care. Intention is the difference between a council and a crowd. What a seat is, and is not ## You are not buying access to a list. ## What you are not buying A bigger contact list or a busier inbox. A feed to scroll and a logo wall to admire. A stage to perform success from. A shortcut that skips the work. ## What you are buying A small circle of peers who tell you the truth. A mirror for the things you cannot see alone. Counsel from people who operate where you operate. A place to take the mask off and still be respected. Selectivity as care ## The bar exists because the people at the table built it. Selectivity is not a brag but the care we take to protect the people who already earned their seat. The review is honest in both directions, and the standard is the same for everyone, including the people who set it. Earn your seat, and keep it by showing up. ## Earn a seat at the table Do I have what it takes? → See what a seat includes --- # Membership (https://yec.co/membership) Membership ## What a seat actually includes. A seat is valuable for two reasons: what members do for each other, and what YEC puts within reach. Asks and gives ## What members do for each other. Bring a real problem. Get real help. Offer the same when it is your turn. Hiring calls, vendor referrals, warm introductions, candid feedback, pressure-tested decisions, all from people with nothing to sell you. This is the culture, and it is the larger half of the value. Member access ## What YEC provides. The infrastructure under the culture: the council itself, publishing through YEC and its partners, live sessions with operators, the member directory, dinners and gatherings, and partner arrangements negotiated for the group. Member access ## What a seat puts within reach. 01 ## The council itself A vetted circle of founders and operators at altitude comparable to yours. Searchable when you need a specific kind of mind. Present when you need a sounding board that has already made the call you are weighing. 02 ## The member home A private community space that holds it all: the feed, the directory, asks and gives, session recordings, and every resource. One place, members only, no public performance. 03 ## The member directory Search the table by industry, location, expertise, and stage. Built for finding the one person who has navigated exactly what you are walking into. 04 ## Sessions with operators Live conversations with people who have done the specific thing you are working through, recorded for the weeks you cannot make it. No keynote energy. The kind of talk you would want over dinner. 05 ## Publishing, with substance Placements through YEC and its partners, including Inc. Expert panels distribute real questions, members contribute real answers, and the work ends up in front of readers who come for signal. 06 ## Tables in person Small, member-hosted dinners and gatherings. The kind of evening where one conversation resets how you think about the next year. 07 ## Member spotlights Profiles that put members at the head of the table: who they are, what they build, and where they could use a door opened. Visibility that drives introductions, not vanity. 08 ## Access negotiated for the group Curated introductions and partner arrangements across travel, software, and growth, chosen because they are useful. Nothing included to pad a list. 09 ## Playbooks and templates A working library of the practical stuff: templates, SOPs, checklists, and session materials. Tools you can put to work the same day. Built next ## Growing as the council grows. We would rather under-promise here. These are being built with the Founding Cohort, in the order members actually need them. On the way ## City tables Local circles in founder cities, for the relationships that need a zip code. On the way ## Focus groups Small cohorts built around one challenge, with the accountability to move it. On the way ## Sprint groups Less discussion, more action. Goals, timelines, and check-ins that hold. On the way ## Monthly topics One focused conversation across the whole table, instead of random posting. The point of it The resource is not an amenity. It is a table of people who make you better, and a standard high enough to keep it that way. ## Earn a seat at the table Membership is decided through a short application, a conversation, and a review by YEC leadership. We are reading for fit and contribution, not credentials. Do I have what it takes? → Plain answers first --- # Events (https://yec.co/events) Events ## Sessions worth your hour. Some are open to anyone building something real. Some are for members only. All of them are small, specific, and built to send you home with something you did not arrive with. Open seats Select sessions are open to everyone. Come sit in, hear what the table sounds like, and see who is around it. The full calendar comes with a seat. Upcoming ## What is on the calendar. Past events Jun 10 Open to all ## Leveraging PR for Greater Visibility Claire Angelle, Founder & CEO of Elevia, former diplomat turned PR strategist · Wed, Jun 10 · 12:00 PM ET · Virtual (Zoom) A working session on using PR for real visibility. You leave with a media-kit framework, a sharper story, and pitching practice you can use the same week. Replay · members only Link (opens in new tab) Jun 18 Open to all ## The Frontier AI Playbook Will Taubenheim, 2× NASA-award-winning AI engineer, founder of Lost Frame Ventures · Thu, Jun 18 · 1:00 PM ET · Virtual (Zoom) A working roundtable with live hot seats. Bring a real AI challenge and Will maps it on the spot. No demos, no pitch, just where AI is and how to keep moving. Replay · members only Link (opens in new tab) Jul 01 Open to all ## Together at Altitude Jessica Aiello and Drew Golub · Wed, Jul 1 · 11:00 AM ET · Virtual (Zoom) Jessica and Drew sit down to talk about YEC: how they came together, what it was, what it has become, and where it is headed. They get into the rebrand and the thinking behind the new direction, and tell the real story of how they met and how that is shaping YEC. Less presentation, more conversation. Bring your questions. Replay · members only Link (opens in new tab) Jul 08 Open to all ## Build a Personal Brand That Drives Results: Live Q&A Caleb Ralston · Wed, Jul 8 · 1:30 PM ET · Virtual (Zoom) A live Q&A on building a personal brand that actually moves the business: what works, what does not, and how to start. Bring your questions. Replay · members only Link (opens in new tab) Jul 14 Open to all ## The Doors Open: Applications Go Live The YEC team · Tue, Jul 14 · 12:00 PM ET · yec.co At noon ET, YEC opens to the world and applications to the Founding Cohort go live. Be first in line: the application takes minutes. Replay · members only Apply now → Sep 15 Open to all ## Founding Cohort Announcement Jessica Aiello and Drew Golub, Head of Community and Vision · Head of Strategy and Technology, YEC · Tue, Sep 15 · 12:00 PM ET · Virtual The first members of YEC's new era, announced. These are the founders and operators who earned their seats first, before anyone else was at the table. We will introduce the founding cohort, share what they are building, and outline what comes next for the council. Applications remain open. If you have been waiting to see who is in the seats, this is the day you find out. Replay · members only Oct TBA By Invitation ## Ohio Member Dinner Drew Golub, Head of Strategy and Technology, YEC · TBA · In Person A private dinner for members and invited founders in Ohio. Small table, real conversation, no agenda beyond the people in the seats. Come with a question worth asking and something worth offering. Details and venue shared with registrants. Replay · members only Nothing on the public calendar right now. New sessions post here first, and members hear about them before anyone else. Earn a seat at the table → Past events See more Beyond the public calendar ## The table sets its own calendar. Member dinners in founder cities. Working sessions on the decision you are sitting on. Quarterly councils, facilitated and entirely off the record. The public list is the smallest part of it. Replays ## Missed one? Members never do. Every session is recorded and lands in the member library. The weeks you cannot make it, the table waits for you. ## The best seat is the one with your name on it Earn a seat at the table → --- # Stories (https://yec.co/stories) Member stories ## The proof is quiet, and that is the point. We do not run a logo wall. The people here trade discretion for honesty, so these are voices, not case studies. Depth, without exposure. “YEC is this place where extremely talented, extremely thoughtful entrepreneurs are there to connect, to help, and cheer you on. It’s just been remarkable.” Jonathan Steiman · CEO, Peak Support “Everybody was talking about growth, the things they’d learned, and the challenges they’d had along the way. It was about bringing these people together in the same place.” Chris Ronzio · CEO, Trainual “I’ve made so many good friends from YEC that I know will be in my life for a long time.” Rachel Beider · Founder, PRESS Modern Massage “Every time I had an interaction with YEC, particularly with the editors, I was floored. They were total professionals, easy to work with, and responsive.” Alyssa Rapp · CEO, Surgical Solutions Your turn ## Have a story from the table? If YEC changed how you carry it, we would like to hear it, in your own words. A few honest sentences are plenty, and nothing runs without your say-so. Tell us your story → ## See if the table is yours Earn a seat at the table → What membership is --- # FAQ (https://yec.co/faq) The facts ## Plain answers to real questions. We keep it straight here, so if a question is missing, write to us and we will answer it the same way. The short version ## Three things, before the details. 01 ## A council, not a network. A small circle of peers who act as a mirror, not a directory you scroll. 02 ## A person reads every application. No algorithm decides this. We reach out either way, honestly, in both directions. 03 ## You give as much as you take. Earn your seat, and keep it by showing up. This is a gym, not a spa. Do I need to have it all figured out? No. You do not need it all figured out. You need to be building something real, and to be willing to be seen while you do it. Certainty is not the bar. Honesty is. What makes this different from a networking group? Networks collect contacts. Councils solve problems. This is a small circle of peers who act as a mirror, not a directory you scroll. The difference is intention, and you feel it the first time you sit down. How does the application work? You apply through our secure form, a person reviews it against the same bar the members built, and we reach out either way. If the timing is not right, we will tell you honestly. Upfront in both directions. What does the table ask of me? That you show up, give counsel as readily as you take it, and be honest about what is below your waterline. Earn your seat, and keep it by showing up. This is a gym, not a spa. Is this only for a certain kind of founder? It is for founders, co-founders, CEOs, and builders who are in the arena right now. Young is the mind, not the age: curious, humble, still a sponge. If that describes how you operate, the door is open. Can members do business with each other? Yes, and on purpose. The vetting is intense enough that we want members hiring each other, working together, and opening real doors for each other. Most groups forbid it. We built for it. Where do events happen? Online and in person, through our Luma calendar. Some gatherings are open to anyone building something real, and some are members only. You can see what is current on the Events page . I am already a member. Where do I log in? Use the Member Login link in the navigation, which takes you to the member home. This site is the front door, not the home. ## Still have a question? Write to us. A person answers. Contact us → See if the table is yours --- # Apply (https://yec.co/apply) Apply ## Do I have what it takes to get a seat at the table? Honest answer: probably, if you are building something real and willing to be seen doing it. This is the right place to find out. We will be upfront, in both directions. By application only The 2026 Founding Cohort is seating now. A seat is earned, not bought, and a person reads every application. Set the bar honestly ## This is a gym, not a spa. You do not come here to be comfortable. You come to be sharpened. A council asks something of you, every time you sit down at it. If you want a place that only flatters, this is not it. If you want a table that makes you better, read on. You belong here if You are building something real, right now. You will give counsel as readily as you take it. You can be honest about what is below your waterline. How it works ## No black box, start to finish. 1 ## Tell us the basics A short form to start: who you are, what you are building, and how to reach you. A few minutes, no essays. 2 ## Confirm it is you We send a quick confirmation to your email. It keeps the table real, applicants only. 3 ## The real application Once you confirm, the full application lands in your inbox. This is the one that counts, so take your time with it. 4 ## We reach out, either way A person reads every application. Yes or not yet, you hear from us. Upfront in both directions. 5 ## The interview Make it through, and the last step is a conversation. The interview is how we both find out if the table is right. Step one ## Start your application A few details to begin. We confirm your email, then send you the full application. A person reads every one. --- # Contact (https://yec.co/contact) Contact ## Write to us. A person answers. For questions, press, and partnerships. If you are ready to join, the application is the better door. Direct ## hello@yec.co The fastest way to reach us. We read everything, and we answer like people, not a queue. Members Already at the table? Use Member Login (opens in new tab) for anything inside the member home. Applicants Start with the application . We reach out either way. What to expect ## Reach out for the right reasons. ## Questions Anything about the council, what membership is, or whether the timing is right for you. We answer straight. ## Press Writing about YEC or the people at the table? Tell us what you are working on and we will get you what you need. ## Partnerships If you build something genuinely useful to founders at altitude, we want to hear it. We are selective here too. ## See if the table is yours Earn a seat at the table → What membership is --- # Links (https://yec.co/links) Now open The doors are open Apply to YEC → The Table Is Being Rebuilt A conversation before the doors open → Upcoming Events Tap to see them › Wed, Jun 10 · 12:00 PM ET · Virtual (Zoom) Leveraging PR for Greater Visibility with Claire Angelle Thu, Jun 18 · 1:00 PM ET · Virtual (Zoom) The Frontier AI Playbook with Will Taubenheim Wed, Jul 1 · 11:00 AM ET · Virtual (Zoom) Together at Altitude with Jessica Aiello and Drew Golub Wed, Jul 8 · 1:30 PM ET · Virtual (Zoom) Build a Personal Brand That Drives Results: Live Q&A with Caleb Ralston Tue, Jul 14 · 12:00 PM ET · yec.co The Doors Open: Applications Go Live with The YEC team Tue, Sep 15 · 12:00 PM ET · Virtual Founding Cohort Announcement with Jessica Aiello and Drew Golub TBA · In Person Ohio Member Dinner with Drew Golub Member Login Enter the community → Contact Us Press & partnerships → Now open Apply to YEC Apply for membership → Now open The Council How it all works → Now open Member Stories Voices from members → Coming soon Resources Playbooks & guides → --- # Privacy (https://yec.co/privacy) Legal ## Privacy Policy Effective June 1, 2026  ·  Last updated June 17, 2026 This Privacy Policy explains how YEC Global, LLC (“YEC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and shares information about you when you visit our websites, including yec.co (the “Sites”), apply for or hold a YEC membership, attend our events, or communicate with us by email, text, or phone. We wrote this policy to be readable. If anything here is unclear, contact us using the details at the end and we will explain it. ## The short version Here is the summary. The rest of the policy fills in the detail. We collect the information you give us (such as your application and account details) and some information collected automatically when you use the Sites (such as device and usage data through cookies). We use that information to run YEC, review applications, deliver your membership, communicate with you, and market our own programs and events to you. If you become a member, featuring and promoting you is part of membership. We may collect information from your public social media and use your name, likeness, and content to spotlight you and cross-promote with you across our channels. We do not sell your personal information for money. We do use advertising and analytics tools (such as pixels from Google, Meta, and similar platforms) that some state laws treat as a “sale” or “sharing” of information, and you can opt out. We use trusted service providers, such as our CRM and payment processor, to operate. They handle your information on our behalf under contract. You can opt out of our marketing email and text messages at any time, and depending on where you live you may have additional rights over your information. We record our calls with you and use the recordings for quality, training, our records, and resolving disputes. YEC membership and the Sites are for adults. They are not intended for anyone under 18. ## Who this policy covers This policy applies to applicants, members, event attendees, newsletter and campaign subscribers, and general visitors to the Sites. We refer to all of these people as “you.” It does not cover the practices of other companies or services we link to, or information you share in places we do not control. It also does not cover any separate agreement you sign with us, which governs where it conflicts with this policy. ## Information we collect Information you give us directly. This includes: Application and membership details such as your name, email address, phone number, company, role, industry, location, website and social profiles, and the information you provide in your application responses. Account and profile information, including anything you choose to add to a member directory or profile. Payment information when you pay for membership or other offerings. Card details are processed by our payment processor and are not stored by us. Communications you send us, including emails, text messages, support requests, survey responses, and event registrations. Information we collect automatically. When you use the Sites, we and our analytics providers may collect: Device and connection data, such as IP address, browser type, operating system, and general location inferred from IP. Usage data, such as the pages you view, links you click, the campaign or referral source that brought you to us (including UTM parameters in links), and the dates and times of your visits. Cookies and similar technologies, described in the “Cookies and tracking” section below. Information from third parties. We may receive information about you from: Public sources and your public profiles, which we may review as part of evaluating an application. Referrals, when a member or partner introduces you. Service providers and platforms that help us run our marketing, events, and operations. We may combine information from these sources to give you a better and more relevant experience. Social media information. When you give us your social media handles, or when you interact with us on social platforms, we may collect and review information from your public social media accounts, such as your handles, profile information, public posts and other content, and public engagement and follower information. We use this to evaluate applications, verify who you are, understand your work, and, for members, to feature, promote, and cross-promote you as described below and in our Terms and Conditions . We collect this information from you and from your public accounts, and we do not access private or non-public content. ## How we use your information We use the information we collect to: Review and respond to membership applications. Provide, maintain, and improve your membership and the Sites. Process payments and manage renewals, including sending billing and renewal notices. Communicate with you about your account, applications, events, and important changes. Send you marketing about YEC programs, content, events, and offerings, including through email and text message campaigns and funnels, where you have not opted out. Personalize what we show you and measure how our content and campaigns perform. Run our member directory and any networking or community features you choose to use. Feature, spotlight, and promote you and other members, including using your name, likeness, title, company, statements, and social media handles and public content, across our Sites, member channels, newsletters, and social media. Cross-promote and collaborate with you, including tagging, mentioning, resharing, and creating content together on social media and other channels. Maintain the security of the Sites and prevent fraud or misuse. Comply with our legal obligations and enforce our agreements. ## Email, text, and phone communications Email. When you apply, subscribe, or become a member, you may receive emails from us about your account and about YEC programs and offerings. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link. You can opt out of marketing email at any time. We may still send you non-marketing messages about your account, billing, or membership even after you opt out of marketing, because those messages are necessary to provide the service. Text messages. If you provide your mobile number and opt in, we may send you text messages such as account notifications, event confirmations and reminders, and, where you have agreed to it, marketing messages. The following applies to our SMS program: We send text messages only after you have given consent, for example by checking an opt-in box on a form or replying to confirm. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP to any message. You can reply HELP for help, or contact us using the details below. We do not share your mobile phone number or your text-message opt-in information with third parties or affiliates for their own marketing or promotional purposes. We may share it only with service providers that help us deliver our messages, and only for that purpose. Phone calls. We record our calls, including sales, onboarding, member, and support calls. We use these recordings to train our team, maintain quality, keep accurate records, improve our programs, and resolve disputes, and we may use them in a legal proceeding to the extent permitted by law. When you speak with us on a recorded line, you consent to being recorded. If you prefer not to be recorded, tell us at the start of the call and we will continue with you in writing instead. ## Cookies and tracking We and our providers use cookies and similar technologies (including web beacons and pixels) to operate the Sites, remember your preferences, understand how the Sites are used, and measure and improve the performance of our content and advertising campaigns. You can usually control cookies through your browser settings, and you can refuse or delete them. Some parts of the Sites may not work properly if you disable certain cookies. We honor recognized browser-based opt-out preference signals, such as Global Privacy Control (GPC), where required by law. See “Your choices and rights” below. Advertising and retargeting. We use advertising and analytics tools from third-party platforms. Today that is Google (Analytics) and Meta; as our advertising campaigns expand, these may also include LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest. These platforms place cookies and pixels that let us measure our campaigns and show YEC ads to people who have visited the Sites or who resemble our audience. To do this, certain online identifiers (such as cookie and device IDs) and information about your activity on the Sites are made available to those platforms. Under California and several other state laws, this activity can count as a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information, even though we receive no money for it. You can opt out. See “Do not sell or share my personal information” below. ## How we share information We share information in the following limited ways: Service providers. We use vendors to run YEC, including our CRM and marketing platform, payment processor, email and text message delivery providers, analytics providers, and event tools. They process information on our behalf under contracts that require them to protect it and use it only to provide their services to us. Other members. If you choose to use our directory, profile, or community features, the information you put there may be visible to other members. Share only what you are comfortable sharing. Legal and safety reasons. We may disclose information to comply with the law or a valid legal request, to enforce our agreements, or to protect the rights, safety, and property of YEC, our members, or others. Business transfers. If YEC is involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will require the recipient to honor this policy or notify you of any material change. Advertising platforms. When you use the Sites, certain online identifiers and activity data are made available to advertising and analytics platforms (Google and Meta today; LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest as our campaigns expand) so that we can measure our campaigns and show YEC ads. The categories made available are online identifiers and internet or device activity. We do not sell your personal information for money, and we do not give your contact details to unrelated companies for their own marketing. The advertising activity described above is treated as a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information under California and similar state laws, and you can opt out using the controls below. As noted in the text message section, we never share your phone number or text-message opt-in information with anyone for their own marketing. ## Your choices and rights Marketing opt-outs, available to everyone. Email: use the unsubscribe link in any marketing email. Text messages: reply STOP to any message. Cookies: adjust your browser settings. You can also contact us at any time using the details below to update your preferences. Do not sell or share my personal information. Because we use the advertising tools described above, you can opt out of that activity in these ways: Use the “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link in our website footer (it brings you to this section and reopens the cookie banner so you can change your choice). Click “Decline” on the cookie banner shown on your first visit. Turn on a recognized browser opt-out signal such as Global Privacy Control (GPC). We treat a valid GPC signal as a request to opt out of sale and sharing for that browser. Adjust cookie settings in your browser, and use the ad-preference controls offered by Meta, Google, LinkedIn, TikTok, and Pinterest. Opting out of advertising cookies does not stop you from using the Sites, and it does not opt you out of our own emails or texts, which you control separately. State privacy rights. Depending on the state you live in, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding the personal information we hold about you: The right to know and access the personal information we have collected. The right to correct inaccurate personal information. The right to delete your personal information, subject to legal exceptions. The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted advertising. The right to receive a copy of your information in a portable format. The right not to be discriminated against for exercising these rights. As of 2026, residents of roughly twenty states, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, and Texas among others, have comprehensive privacy rights of this kind. California residents also have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, as amended. To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. We will verify your request, which may mean confirming details we already hold about you, and we will respond within the time required by the law that applies to you. You may use an authorized agent where the law allows. Where required, we honor recognized opt-out preference signals such as Global Privacy Control. ## Data retention We keep your information for as long as you have an account or membership with us, and afterward for as long as we need it to meet the purposes described in this policy, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and comply with our legal obligations. When we no longer need it, we delete it or de-identify it. Some information may remain in routine backups for a limited period before it is overwritten. ## Data security We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect your information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you have an account, you are responsible for keeping your password confidential and for activity under your account. ## Children The Sites and YEC membership are intended for adults. They are not directed to children under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it. ## Links to other sites and services The Sites may link to or integrate with services we do not operate, such as partner sites, payment pages, or social platforms. This policy does not cover those services. Review their privacy policies before sharing information with them. ## Where we operate YEC is based in the United States and offers its services to people in the United States. If you access the Sites from outside the United States, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local law, and you understand that your information will be processed in the United States. ## Changes to this policy We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the date at the top, and if the changes are material we will provide a more prominent notice, such as a notice on the Sites or an email. Your continued use of the Sites after an update means you accept the updated policy. Keep your contact details with us current so we can reach you. ## Contact us If you have questions about this policy or want to exercise your privacy choices, contact us: YEC Global, LLC 177 Huntington Ave Ste 1703 Boston, Massachusetts 02115-3153 Email: privacy@yec.co We will do our best to respond promptly. --- # Terms (https://yec.co/terms) Legal ## Terms & Conditions Effective June 1, 2026  ·  Last updated June 17, 2026 These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the websites, including yec.co (the “Sites”), and the membership, content, events, and services offered by YEC Global, LLC (“YEC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). Please read them carefully. By accessing the Sites, applying for membership, or using any YEC service, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, do not use the Sites or services. These Terms work together with our Privacy Policy , which explains how we handle your information and is incorporated here by reference. ## 1. Who can use YEC The Sites and YEC membership are for adults. You must be at least 18 years old to apply, use the Sites, or hold a membership. Membership is intended for founders, owners, and operators who meet our eligibility criteria, which we may set and change at our discretion. When you apply or create an account, you agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information, to keep it updated, and to keep your login credentials confidential. You are responsible for activity that happens under your account. ## 2. Membership Application and acceptance. Membership is by application. We review each application and may accept or decline it at our discretion. Submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance, and acceptance may be conditioned on payment, verification, or other requirements we specify. Term and renewal. Membership runs for the term shown at the time you join. Unless you cancel before the end of your current term, your membership renews automatically for successive terms of the same length, and we will charge the membership fee then in effect using your payment method on file. Fees and billing. You authorize us, and our payment processor, to charge your payment method for membership fees and any other amounts you agree to. Fees are stated at the point of purchase. We may change our fees, and we will give you notice of a change before it applies to a renewal. Cancellation. You may cancel your membership at any time, effective at the end of your current term, by using the cancellation method we provide or by contacting us. Cancellation stops future renewals. It does not entitle you to a refund of fees already paid except where required by law or expressly stated by us. Refunds. Except where required by law or expressly offered by us in writing, membership fees are non-refundable, including for partial terms and for periods during which you did not use your membership. ## 3. Member conduct and acceptable use Membership in YEC depends on good-faith, respectful participation. You agree not to: Violate any law, or any YEC policy, code of conduct, or guideline we make available. Harass, threaten, defame, or discriminate against other members, staff, or third parties. Misrepresent your identity, affiliations, or qualifications. Use the Sites, the directory, or community channels to send spam, solicit members for unrelated commercial purposes, or harvest member information. Upload or share content that is unlawful, infringing, deceptive, or harmful, or that contains malware. Interfere with the operation or security of the Sites, attempt to gain unauthorized access, or scrape or copy the Sites or member data by automated means. Resell, share, or transfer your membership or access without our written permission. We may investigate suspected violations and take any action we consider appropriate, including removing content, and suspending or terminating membership or access. ## 4. Member content, promotion, and your license to us “Member Content” means anything you submit, post, or provide, including profile information, directory entries, posts in community channels, comments, survey responses, articles or other written contributions, and recordings or transcripts of interviews you take part in. You keep ownership of your Member Content. By providing it, you grant YEC a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, sublicensable, and transferable license to host, store, reproduce, adapt, publish, display, and distribute that Member Content, and to use your name, voice, likeness, title, company, and statements, in connection with operating, promoting, and marketing YEC and its programs, across any media. This includes the use of founder interviews, quotes, and testimonials in YEC content and marketing. You represent that you have the rights needed to provide your Member Content and to grant this license, and that your Member Content does not infringe anyone’s rights or violate any law. You can ask us to stop using specific Member Content going forward by contacting us, and we will make reasonable efforts to do so, though copies may remain in backups, in materials already distributed, or where we have an ongoing legal basis to retain them. Promotion and cross-promotion. Promoting our members is part of what YEC does and a benefit of membership. If you apply or become a member, you grant us permission to collect and review information from your public social media accounts, and to feature, spotlight, tag, mention, promote, and cross-promote you, using your name, likeness, title, company, statements, social media handles, and public content, across YEC’s Sites, member channels, newsletters, and social media. This includes resharing your content, collaborating with you on content, and speaking with you for interviews, profiles, and member spotlights. You can ask us to stop a specific promotional use going forward by contacting us, and we will make reasonable efforts to honor that, though materials already published or distributed may remain as described above. How we collect and handle social media and other information is explained in our Privacy Policy . We are not obligated to publish or keep any Member Content, and we may remove it at any time. ## 5. YEC content and intellectual property The Sites and all materials we provide, including text, graphics, logos, the YEC name and marks, course and program materials, and the selection and arrangement of content, are owned by YEC or our licensors and are protected by intellectual property laws. We grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the Sites and member materials for your own use as a member, subject to these Terms. You may not copy, distribute, modify, publicly display, sell, or create derivative works from our materials except as we expressly permit. All rights not granted to you are reserved. ## 6. Communications and call recording By using the Sites or holding a membership, you agree that we may contact you about your account, your membership, our programs, and our offerings, by email, text message, and phone, consistent with our Privacy Policy. You can opt out of marketing email and text messages as described in the Privacy Policy. We record our calls, including sales, onboarding, member, and support calls. We use these recordings to train our team, maintain quality, keep accurate records, improve our programs, and resolve disputes, and we may use them in a legal proceeding to the extent permitted by law. By speaking with us on a recorded line, you consent to being recorded. Text messaging program. If you opt in to text messages from YEC Global, LLC, you will receive messages about your inquiries, membership, events, and updates. Message frequency varies. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to any message to opt out, or HELP for help; you can also contact us using the details at the end of these Terms. Consent to receive marketing text messages is not a condition of any purchase or of membership. Mobile carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle your phone number and opt-in information, including that we never share them with third parties for their own marketing. ## 7. Events We offer events, both online and in person. Additional rules, registration terms, or codes of conduct may apply to specific events, and you agree to follow them. We may change, reschedule, or cancel an event, and our responsibility for a cancelled event is limited to a refund of any fee paid specifically for that event, if any. ## 8. Third-party services and links The Sites may link to or integrate with services we do not control, and members may receive offers from third parties. We are not responsible for third-party services, content, or offers, and your dealings with third parties are between you and them. Review their terms and privacy policies before using them. ## 9. Disclaimers The Sites, membership, content, and services are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement, to the fullest extent permitted by law. YEC is a peer community and an information and connection resource. We do not promise any particular business, networking, financial, or other outcome from membership. Anything shared through YEC, whether by us, members, or third parties, is for general informational purposes and is not professional advice. You are responsible for your own decisions. ## 10. Limitation of liability To the fullest extent permitted by law, YEC and its officers, members, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages, or for any loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunity, arising out of or relating to the Sites, membership, content, or services, whether based in contract, tort, or any other theory, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. To the fullest extent permitted by law, our total liability for all claims relating to the Sites, membership, content, or services will not exceed the amount you paid to us in the twelve months before the event giving rise to the claim. ## 11. Indemnification You agree to indemnify and hold harmless YEC and its officers, members, employees, and agents from and against any claims, damages, losses, liabilities, and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising out of or relating to your use of the Sites or services, your Member Content, or your violation of these Terms or of any law or third-party right. ## 12. Dispute resolution, arbitration, and class waiver Please read this section carefully. It affects how disputes are resolved. Informal resolution first. Before starting a formal proceeding, you agree to contact us and try to resolve the dispute informally for at least 30 days. Binding arbitration. Except for the exceptions below, any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Sites, or your membership will be resolved by final and binding arbitration administered by a recognized arbitration provider under its rules. The arbitration will take place in Boston, Massachusetts, or by remote means, and judgment on the award may be entered in any court with jurisdiction. Class waiver. You and YEC agree that each may bring claims against the other only in an individual capacity, and not as a plaintiff or class member in any class, collective, or representative proceeding. Exceptions. Either party may bring an individual claim in small-claims court, and either party may seek injunctive or equitable relief in court to protect its intellectual property or to stop unauthorized use of the Sites. ## 13. Governing law and venue These Terms are governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. Subject to the arbitration section above, you agree to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the state and federal courts located in Boston, Massachusetts for any matter not subject to arbitration. ## 14. Suspension and termination We may suspend or terminate your access or membership at any time, with or without notice, if we believe you have violated these Terms or any YEC policy, if your payment fails, or if we discontinue the membership or service. You may stop using the Sites at any time and may cancel your membership as described above. Provisions that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including sections on Member Content licenses, intellectual property, disclaimers, limitation of liability, indemnification, dispute resolution, and governing law. ## 15. Changes to these Terms We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will change the date above, and if the changes are material we will provide a more prominent notice. Your continued use of the Sites or services after an update means you accept the updated Terms. ## 16. General These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any policies or additional terms we reference, are the entire agreement between you and YEC regarding the Sites and services. If any provision is found unenforceable, the rest remains in effect. Our failure to enforce a provision is not a waiver of it. You may not assign these Terms without our consent, and we may assign them in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets. We are not liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control. ## 17. Contact us Questions about these Terms can be sent to: YEC Global, LLC 177 Huntington Ave Ste 1703 Boston, Massachusetts 02115-3153 Email: privacy@yec.co --- # Blog (https://yec.co/blog/) Home / Blog YEC Blog ## The YEC Blog 372 articles  ·  2015–2024  ·  Page 1 of 15 ## 2024 July 19, 2024 · 5 min read Proven Ways To Boost Survey Response Rates Surveys are a powerful tool for gathering feedback and insights, but getting people actually to complete them can be a challenge. July 19, 2024 · 5 min read Innovations in AV: Staying Ahead of the Technology Curve We’ll be discussing five technologies: HDR support, wireless connectivity and smart home integration, AR/VR integration, AI, and cloud-based technology. July 19, 2024 · 5 min read 7 Essential Growth Hacking Tactics Entrepreneurs Should Know Growth hacking strategies may seem like groundbreaking and revolutionary tactics that have never been heard of before. 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