Meet Eric Bell

Eric Bell's expertise is well diversified from running his own businesses to managing multi-million dollar P&Ls in corporate training, event management, market research and social media. He enjoys networking with thought leaders from around the world and helping them cross over to success at CEO CROSSING. 

He began his career in the United States Marine Corps. During his service as a US Marine he was decorated with multiple service commendations and three meritorious service promotions to the rank of Corporal. While serving in the Marine Corps he pursued his college degrees while serving full time. Earning three college degrees by 2004, he earned his Associate of Arts, Bachelor of Science and his MBA at George Fox University. Eric's career spans Corporate Career Training, Technology Event Planning, and Market Research before starting the world’s first and largest  Market Research Social Network called the Market Research Global Alliance (MRGA). He brings his expertise in community development and social media planning  to CEO Crossing, where he leverages partnering and consultation with leading Founders & CEO's to assist in growing their businesses.

The CEO Crossing Origin Story

Life Changed Over Lunch - Origin Story

Eric Bell sat in a restaurant with a mentor. During that meeting, Eric pulled out a napkin and scribbled out the blueprint to what would eventually become CEO Crossing. It dawned on him that there was no real way to give entrepreneurs the skills they needed to succeed other than just doing it and learning by failure. Back in 2005 social networks and blogging were just getting traction as the global business standard of pushing out content and networking for business, LinkedIn was just three years old and they had a feature called groups. He decided to try out the groups feature to have CEOs discuss business strategy and connect. The first iteration of CEO Crossing was born.

A Linkedin Group Disappointment

That LinkedIn group grew to over 12,000 members by 2012, but it still was not complete, and the group was not doing what he had envisioned. It was mostly a group for people trying to sell goods and services to one another. There was no real value as far as content and interaction with real founders and CEO’s. He took a step that was unprecedented at the time, especially for a group that was viewed as a success from the outside. He completely shut the group down and deleted it along with his profile on LinkedIn. It was a trying time for social media engagement and the entire process left him burnt out.

An Idea Burned On His Mind

CEO Crossing still burned in his mind as a concept that could change the world of startups and CEO mentor-based learning. The problem is small businesses fail 70% of the time within the first two years. That is over 1.6M businesses a month or 19.5M a year in the United States. Even with degrees in entrepreneurialism from some of the most well-respected universities on the planet, why is the failure rate still so high? Despite him having three degrees, including an MBA, it dawned on him that going to school for a college degree is like trying to learn how to ride a bike by reading the owner’s manual. It is helpful, but it does not get you up and riding properly.

Like Riding A Bike

What happens if you create a network that offers on demand expertise and learning from founders and CEOs that have been there and done it in a format that can be consumed almost instantly? You have a bike rider who will succeed with the balance of moving down his or her path with little resistance. So why is it arguably that no one has caught on to this concept within a community of founders, owners, and CEOs and learning from each other? Checking egos at the door and really digging in by helping one another succeed.

Vision Becomes Reality

What began as a napkin blueprint, after many years of planning and development, is now a platform worthy of Eric Bell’s vision. The platform allows founders, owners, and CEOs to cross over to success through networking, training, and collaboration, unlike other platforms. CEO Crossing was designed for rapid growth and transformation. His empathy and admiration for anyone building a business is the foundation of the product you have available. It starts with a simple click of a button. Join us on this journey as CEO Crossing transforms the world, one business at a time.

Join Eric's Journey

"CEO Crossing is a place where business owners, CEO's, Founders, and other such leaders must check their ego at the door. We receive because we give. And together we achieve greatness.

~Eric Bell, Founder of CEO Crossing