The backstory

Amplify is a founder-led community and event series for bold DTC, e-commerce, and retail brand leaders.

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What started as a simple post-COVID idea—to bring our Shark Tank Alumni friends back together for real conversations after a long year, and expand on that with Breakouts and Stage Sessions, quickly turned into something bigger.

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We didn’t set out to build a movement. We just knew founders needed something different. Sometimes, the most meaningful things grow out of necessity. Built by founders, for founders, Amplify was born from the belief that the traditional conference model was broken. As founders ourselves, we were tired of endless sales pitches, surface-level connections, an overall boring events. They weren't reflective of the current founder space. So we've created something better.

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Today, Amplify connects a growing network of early-stage and seasoned founders, Shark Tank Alumni AND beyond who are ready to scale with support, not noise. We believe strategy gets sharper when it’s shared across the table. That real connection happens offline at our IRL events. When founders come together, momentum follows.

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Why Amplify?

The name “Amplify” came from a whiteboard brainstorm for the very first reunion. After a life-changing accident shortly after, it took on deeper meaning—becoming a symbol of resilience and growth. Since 2022, it’s anchored our yearly themes:
Dream, Build, Amplify. (2022)
Connect, Amplify, Propel. (2023)
Connect, Amplify, Elevate. (2024)

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Each year, our Shark Tank Alumni friends would tell us how much they looked forward to the event, and how it genuinely changed their businesses. After three years, we realized it was time to share that same experience with a broader founder community. Choosing a name was easy: Amplify. Today, that word is more than a name—it’s a mission, and the driving force behind everything we do. From intimate VIP dinners and roundtables to regional activations and content creation pods, every Amplify event is designed to drive real insight, authentic connection, and lasting momentum.

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Whether you're navigating the messy middle, expanding into retail, or building toward acquisition—Amplify is your space to grow, faster, together.

If you’re looking for your people, you just found them.