2027 Program · Spring and fall cohorts

    Become a leader for principled capitalism.

    The PB Leadership Training Program is a 16-week, once-a-week program that turns students and young professionals into skilled Principled Business volunteers. You learn the moral case for capitalism, build leadership skills, and put them to work growing PB's network through members, events, fundraising and speaking.

    For undergraduates, graduate students and professionals roughly 18 to 30. Participants commit to all sessions plus about two hours of weekly work.

    Weekly sessions

    16

    Modules

    4

    Minutes per session

    75

    Register your interest

    Tell us you want in and we'll be in touch when applications open for the 2027 cohorts.

    Applications are a short form plus a 15-minute call. Members and advisors can also nominate a young person.

    What you'll learn

    Four modules. Sixteen weeks.

    MODULE 1PrinciplesPB principles and the moral case for capitalism · 4 weeks
    1. Week 1

      Why PB exists: engage, educate, activate

      Read: PB mission and program overview; Antony Fisher biography excerpt (Gerald Frost, Antony Fisher: Champion of Liberty)

      Do: Cohort intros; each person names one capitalist who shaped their life

      Deliver: Personal 'why I volunteer' statement (150 words)

    2. Week 2

      The moral case for capitalism

      Read: Leonard Read, I, Pencil; selections from 250 Great American Capitalists for 250 Years

      Do: Small-group debate: is profit moral?

      Deliver: Two-minute spoken case for capitalism, recorded

    3. Week 3

      How markets create value

      Read: Bart Madden, Value Creation Thinking (PB course module); Hayek, The Use of Knowledge in Society

      Do: Complete a Value Creation Thinking lesson together

      Deliver: Finish one PB online course module

    4. Week 4

      America's story through its builders

      Read: Selections from 251 Americans for 251 Years; Bastiat, The Law (excerpt)

      Do: Each member presents one profile from the books

      Deliver: One 300-word profile post for PB social

    MODULE 2LeadershipLeading yourself, persuading others and leading volunteer teams · 3 weeks
    1. Week 5

      Leading yourself

      Read: Peter Drucker, The Effective Executive (chapters 1 and 2)

      Do: Weekly priorities and time audit

      Deliver: Personal 90-day volunteer goal

    2. Week 6

      Communicating and persuading

      Read: Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People (Part 1)

      Do: Practice hard conversations in pairs

      Deliver: Answer three common objections to capitalism in writing

    3. Week 7

      Leading teams of volunteers

      Read: Drucker, Managing the Non-Profit Organization (excerpt)

      Do: Run a 15-minute mock team meeting

      Deliver: Draft a volunteer role description PB can use

    MODULE 3Volunteer skillsThe real work PB volunteers do: growth, events, fundraising and media · 7 weeks
    1. Week 8

      Membership growth

      Read: PB membership tiers and signup flow (the 250 and 251 book pages)

      Do: Map your network: 25 people who fit PB

      Deliver: Five free signups from your network

    2. Week 9

      Recruiting peers

      Read: Selected PB member stories

      Do: Write and test a peer invite message

      Deliver: Two peers recruited into the next cohort or as members

    3. Week 10

      Summit operations and registration

      Read: Summit run-of-show and lessons from Austin 2026

      Do: Walk through registration, check-in and speaker flow

      Deliver: Sign up for a 2027 Summit role

    4. Week 11

      Hosting local events

      Read: PB event-host checklist

      Do: Plan a 20-person book discussion or dinner

      Deliver: Event plan with date, venue and guest list

    5. Week 12

      Fundraising basics

      Read: PB donor and sponsor overview; The American Revelation as a cause example

      Do: Role-play a small donor ask

      Deliver: List of five prospects plus one practice ask

    6. Week 13

      Speaking and media

      Read: Friedman, Capitalism and Freedom (intro); clips of strong interviews

      Do: Mock media interview on camera

      Deliver: Three-minute talk on a capitalist from the books

    7. Week 14

      Writing and social media

      Read: Orwell, Politics and the English Language

      Do: Edit each other's drafts live

      Deliver: One op-ed draft plus a week of social posts

    MODULE 4CapstonePods build and present a project with a measurable result for PB · 2 weeks
    1. Week 15

      Capstone build

      Read: Working session

      Do: Teams refine capstone plans with a mentor

      Deliver: Capstone plan approved by PB staff

    2. Week 16

      Capstone demo day and graduation

      Read: None

      Do: Teams present results to PB leadership and advisors

      Deliver: Final capstone report and next-role commitment

    Format and cohorts

    Once a week, on video.

    Sessions

    16 weekly sessions, 75 minutes, on video

    Each session

    15 min reading discussion, 30 min skill or guest, 25 min activity, 5 min deliverable check

    Weekly work

    About two hours outside sessions

    Spring cohort

    Late January to mid May

    Fall cohort

    Early July to late October, so graduates can staff the 2027 Summit

    Full-year track

    Both cohorts back to back; the second as a peer facilitator

    Cohort size

    20 to 30, in pods of 5 with a pod lead

    In person

    Optional graduation at the Summit or a regional event

    Capstone

    Finish with a real result for PB.

    Each pod of 5 picks one project that delivers a measurable result for PB by demo day.

    • Membership drive. Run a campaign using the 250 or 251 book offer; target 100 signups
    • Local book event. Host a 20+ person event around one of the two books
    • Summit 2027 project. Own one piece of registration, volunteers or attendee outreach
    • Content series. Publish a run of articles, videos or posts on capitalists from the books
    • Campus or workplace chapter pilot. Recruit a founding group and hold a first meeting

    What graduates get

    Leave ready to lead.

    • Certificate. PB Leadership Program certificate and a LinkedIn credential
    • Summit role. Priority for named volunteer roles at the 2027 Summit
    • Mentorship. A mentor from PB members or advisors
    • Platform. Speaking, writing and media opportunities through PB
    • Next step. Path to pod lead, facilitator or chapter lead roles
    Register interest →

    Questions

    Who is it for?

    Undergraduates, graduate students and professionals roughly 18 to 30 who want to volunteer with Principled Business.

    How much time does it take?

    One 75-minute video session a week for 16 weeks, plus about two hours of work between sessions.

    How do I get in?

    Applications open about 8 weeks before each cohort: a short form (why PB, your time commitment, one reference) and a 15-minute call. We select for commitment and initiative.

    Can I do both cohorts?

    Yes. The full-year track runs both cohorts back to back, with the second half as a peer facilitator.