Coalition9 Community News - February 2026

Founder Message

Hi C9 Community + Friends!

Crazy momentum already going this year, and it’s only February! We had our first C9 Gives Jam Session, The Business Growth Setlist, at the end of January, and our C9 Well Pickleball + Courtside Connections event is next week. We still have spots available for that, and I’d love to see all of your pickleball skills! General admission tickets are available, and you can find more details below.

The C9 Gives Foundation is partnering with Junior Achievement North again this month for their Biztown event on February 20th, and we’re looking for volunteers. Those who joined our team of volunteers for JA Biztown’s October 2025 event had an incredible experience. This is an amazing opportunity to give back, share your insights, and help shape the next generation of leaders. And you don’t need to be a C9 Member to participate. Learn more and sign up below by Friday, February 13th.

And if you have C9 Gear, this month’s events are great opportunities to show it off! We’re doing our #C9InTheWild photo contest, winter edition, through February 28th. You’ll find entry rules in this edition of the C9 Community News.

Please join me in welcoming our 2026 C9 Community Supporters! I’m so grateful to them for believing in what we’re building here–many have been supporting our community for several years, and we simply couldn’t do what we do without them. I’m excited for a year of strong partnerships and shared growth with these folks.

I don’t know about you, but after the new year’s initial busyness as we transition to spring, I’m always inspired to discover new ways to grow. Hey, I live on a hobby farm, and winter is the time to plan your garden. We have a few openings in current C9 groups and are launching a new one in early spring. Let’s connect and find the perfect fit for you!

Cheers,

Aaron Eggert
Coalition9 Founder + CVO

Member Highlights

MEET SOME OF OUR MEMBERS ON THE POWER OF NINE PODCAST

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Check it out—and don't forget to subscribe. We would love a review from you as well! We take great pride in the community we’re building, and your reviews have a huge impact on welcoming new listeners.

COALITION9 ON YOUTUBE

MEMBER NEWS

TODAY ONLY! Special launch price for the new book The Reluctant Networker by Becky Amble.
-Kindle: $0.99
-Paperback: $7.99
If networking has ever made you feel awkward, drained, or like you’re supposed to be someone you’re not, The Reluctant Networker shows you a different way to do it. Built on 30 years of real-world research, it helps you break through the barriers that hold most people back and build connections that actually open doors. The author, Becky Amble, is a friend of C9 and a business strategist and AI consultant who helps companies and professionals grow through smarter strategy, stronger relationships, and practical use of AI. Enjoy!
Member Nathan Young announced that How To Be Second's next webinar, "Matchmaking for First in Commands: A New Way to your Next Great Hire," will be on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at 2:00 PM. They created Matchmaking (not recruiting) because the #1 factor in whether a First-in-Command and Second work long-term is the relationship—but traditional hiring is fundamentally broken for finding the right-fit person. They questioned the conventional process and asked, "What if we borrowed from an entirely different industry built around relationships first?" Contact Nathan Young or Kaitlin Strand at contact@howtobesecond.com with questions. Register here
C9 Community Supporter All In One Accounting has been recognized with the Best of Accounting Award from ClearlyRated. Congrats, AIOA Team!
The Notable series from Twin Cities Business features best-in-class executives across a range of industries in Minnesota. Congratulations to the C9 Members and Community Supporter team members for being recognized as Notables!
- Stacey Stratton, True Talent Group (C9 Member)- 2025 Notable Leaders in Recruitment + Talent
- Jenna Estlick, Versique (C9 Community Supporter) - 2025 Notable Leaders in Recruitment + Talent
- Tina Rosckes, Security Bank & Trust Co (C9 Community Supporter) - 2025 Notable Wealth Managers
Several businesses of Coalition9 Members and Community Supporters are participating in the Minnesota Polar Plunge in the Dunking Dealers team category as a fundraiser to support Special Olympics Minnesota. The event takes place on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Nevers Industries in Maple Grove. All funds raised go towards programming and events for more than 8,000 athletes statewide. Support Special Olympics Minnesota—DONATE TODAY! Check out the teams:
- The Fluid Freezers (Fluid Interiors) - Dick Nash, retired C9 facilitator (participant); Anton Newman, C9 Member
- iSpace Snowcial Club (iSpace Environments) - Nathan Pesch, C9 Member
- Nevers: Jump in Style (Nevers Industries) - Chris Evenstad, C9 Member (participant)
Do you have news you want to share? Submit the information through our C9 Member News Form, and we'll be sure to highlight you in future updates! Please note: This is exclusive to C9 Members, facilitators, and Community Supporters. Questions? Contact Brenda Harvieux, C9 Director of Marketing + Communications, at brenda@coalition9.com.

February C9 Well Event - Pickleball + Courtside Connections

C9 Well: Pickleball
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
2:00 to 4:00 PM
Location: Pure Pickleball Club in Plymouth

Coalition9 has reserved 9 courts at Pure Pickleball Club for a fun afternoon of relationship building and friendly competition. Don't know how to play? We'll have some pickleball pros there to teach you the rules and coach you on technique. Paddles will be provided by Pure Pickleball, and we'll have some light food and refreshments to keep you energized and hydrated. And if pickleball isn't your thing, come anyway! There's a great seating area to relax, connect with other Members, and watch the action.

Footwear note: Athletic shoes only on the courts (no black-soled shoes permitted).

Limited to 100 attendees. Preregistration is required.

C9 Members attend for free and may bring 1 guest. The email invite with the C9 Member registration link was sent on January 21 and February 3 + 10, so check your inbox to sign up.

General admission tickets are available through Eventbrite for $15 plus fees and are nonrefundable.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE: Monday, February 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM

CLICK HERE FOR GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS

EVENT PARTNERS

March C9 SPARK Event - Improv

Ah, the art of improv-is-a-tion… In March (date to be confirmed), Coalition9’s interactive workshop will explore active listening and team work through improv!

Stay tuned for more details. C9 Members: Watch your inbox next week for the official email invite.

PARTNER + SUPPORTER OPPORTUNITIES

We have opened Event Partner and Supporter opportunities for our March C9 SPARK Event! Here’s what’s available:

Event Partner: 1 available for $1,500
Event Supporters: 2 available for $500 each

The deadline to become an Event Partner or Supporter is Thursday, March 5, 2026. Contact Aaron Eggert at aaron@coalition9.com today!

Thanks for your consideration and continued support of our community!

CLICK HERE FOR EVENT PARTNER + SUPPORTER BENEFITS

Coalition9 Subscribable Events Calendar

Stay up-to-date on all of our events + gatherings! Our events calendar is powered by AddEvent and supports all major calendar platforms, including Apple, Google, Outlook, Outlook.com (online), Office 365 (online), and Yahoo.

When you subscribe, all Coalition9 events will be synced to your preferred calendar (may take up to 24 hours to populate). You can find directions on how to subscribe on our Events Page.

COALITION9 EVENTS

Announcing Our 2026 Coalition9 Community Supporters!

Let’s Celebrate Our Amazing 2026 C9 Community Supporters!

LEARN MORE + CONNECT

C9 Gives Volunteer Opportunity - Junior Achievement North Biztown

About JA Biztown

JA Biztown is a vibrant, 12,000-square-foot simulated city where classroom learning meets authentic and engaging real-world connectivity.

About the Event

Prior to their visit, students dive into lessons on personal finance, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. At JA BizTown, they put that knowledge into practice—that's where you come in!

As a volunteer, you'll guide students through hands-on experiences like managing debit cards, running businesses, and collaborating as a team.

Your support helps students build confidence, leadership skills, and real-world understanding that will stick with them for years to come.

No teaching experience needed; training and support are provided by Junior Achievement staff.

If you’re interested in volunteering, fill out the form by clicking the button below, and C9 Gives Foundation board member Becky Lewis will follow up with all the details.

Sign up to volunteer by Friday, February 13, 2026

SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER

Coalition9 Annual Signature Experience - Capital Reef National Park

We are so excited to be partnering with 4 Corners Exploration and Coalition9 facilitator Matt Norman on our first ever C9 Annual Signature Experience!

Dates: October 21-24, 2026

Deposit due by March 31, 2026. Spots will be filled as deposits are paid. Limited to 10 participants.

Join us for a signature experience designed exclusively for Coalition9 Members, facilitators, and Community Supporters. This is more than just a trip; it's a foundational journey to strengthen our community, deepen our purpose, and create an unforgettable experience for the C9 Community.

This unique 3-day desert hiking adventure through Capitol Reef National Park is a purposeful journey into one of America's most stunning and secluded landscapes. You'll traverse challenging terrain (hiking difficulty level: moderate), travel overland through surreal rock formations, and summit a peak for panoramic views, all in the company of your fellow C9ers.

Don’t miss your chance to join the C9 Community on this incredible journey!

LEARN MORE + SIGN UP

January Event Recap - C9 Gives Jam Session: The Business Growth Setlist

On Thursday, January 29th, the C9 Gives Foundation hosted its first-ever Jam Session at Groove Capital in Minneapolis. Nearly 100 small business owners and entrepreneurs gathered for an interactive day focused on revenue growth, legal foundations, tax strategies, and financial insights.

Attendees built their own "setlist" by choosing two of four expert-led breakout sessions. This allowed participants to customize their learning experience based on their most pressing business needs.

Boulay tackled "Tax Minimization Strategies for Small Business Leaders," exploring techniques to reduce tax exposure and prepare for M&A opportunities. Seiler Law guided attendees through "Mitigating Risk & Building Strong Foundations," covering everything from strategic risk mitigation to Minnesota PFMLA compliance. All In One Accounting delivered "Actionable Financial Insights for Growth," helping leaders turn financial reports into strategic decisions. And Pivotal Advisors led "The Secret Sauce to Revenue Growth," diving into how well-defined sales processes drive growth and increase close rates.

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees appreciated the interactive format and the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with other business leaders facing similar challenges. Each round had unique discussions, with different questions and insights emerging based on the group dynamic. The chance to learn directly from peers while gaining expert guidance proved invaluable.

Between sessions, attendees enjoyed relationship building over a taco buffet lunch from Fuzzy's Tacos—great conversations happen over great food!

A huge thank you to:

-C9 Gives Foundation for making this event possible
-Groove Capital for hosting us in their beautiful North Loop space
-Boulay, Seiler Law, All In One Accounting, and Pivotal Advisors for sharing their expertise

This Jam Session was a collaboration between the C9 Gives Foundation and Coalition9, united by our shared vision: Changing Business Nine Leaders at a Time™.

EVENT PARTNER

EVENT LOCATION PARTNER

C9 In The Wild Photo Contest - Winter Edition!

C9 In The Wild: Show Off Your C9 Gear + Win!

You've got the gear—now it's time to show it off! Whether you received your C9 Gear in your Member welcome package or picked it up from our C9 Fall Pop-Up Store, we want to see you rockin' it. Bundle up and join our #C9InTheWild photo contest from February 1-28, 2026.

📸 Share a photo of yourself sporting your C9 Gear on LinkedIn with the hashtag #C9InTheWild. Whether you're embracing the winter chill, hitting the slopes, cozying up by the fire, or braving the cold for your morning coffee run, we want to see your C9 style! Make sure you're following the Coalition9 company page to be in the running for a chance to win:

-One month of free C9 Membership

OR

-One free item from our Spring 2026 Pop-Up Store

We'll announce the lucky winner on March 10th via a video of the random selection process on LinkedIn. Post your pics and let your C9 pride shine—even in the frostiest of temps!

View the full contest rules by clicking the link below.

LEARN MORE

Become a Coalition9 Member!

Now is the perfect time to invest in your growth and development. We're continually building a community of Members who are serious about growth, committed to showing up, and willing to invest in one another for the long term. That's how deep, transformational relationships are built. That's how real evolution happens.

Current Openings + New Groups

We have a few openings in current groups and will be launching a new group this spring.

If you've been considering joining, this is your moment. Let's find the right group for you!

Contact C9 Founder + CVO Aaron Eggert at aaron@coalition9.com to learn more about the C9 Member experience and apply online for C9 Membership.

About Coalition9 Membership

Do you want to connect with others who share your mindset? Coalition9 isn't a networking group—it's a business community focused on building long-term relationships with good people like you.

We provide a community where a diversity of experiences in business and life is celebrated. You'll build lasting relationships with fellow Members through authentic conversations and a focus on leading with intentionality. Our memberships are designed to promote interactive learning regardless of what stage you’re at on your journey while connecting you to the resources and people that will help you be your best.

Leadership is lonely. But it doesn't have to be. Build your tribe in the Coalition9 Community!

2026 C9 Community Supporters!

PROSPERING LEVEL

THRIVING LEVEL

EVOLVING LEVEL

Cece: Coalition9's Concierge Service

Cece is Coalition9's concierge service. C9 Members can text Cece with questions, current needs, and connection requests, and Cece will take it from there.

Want to learn more about this revolutionary new way to engage with our Members? Visit our Cece page or send us a message. We're saving Cece for Members and Supporters 😉.

Follow Coalition9 on Social Media

If you haven't already, follow Coalition9 on social media! We post fun Coalition9 Community event photos, The Power of Nine Podcast episode releases, C9 Community news, content recommendations, and a bunch of other good stuff.

Changing business nine leaders at a time.™

THE POWER OF NINE™

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