What to Expect at the 2026 Frontline Founders Experience
Every year, we hear some version of the same thing from first responder and veteran business owners: "I don't have time to plan. I'm too busy running the thing."
That's exactly why the Frontline Founders Experience exists.
This isn't a conference where you sit in a ballroom and take notes. It's a working retreat — built for founders who are protecting a mission and building a business at the same time, and who deserve the same strategic planning time corporate leadership takes for granted.
Here's what four days in Rockaway Beach actually looks like.
Who This Is For
First responder and veteran business owners, nonprofit founders, and executive directors who are ready to plan 2027 with real structure — not just intention. If you've ever ended a year without a clear read on what worked, this is built for you.
The Experience, Day by Day
Sunday, October 25 — Welcome Dinner & Fireside Chat ($150) Check into the Rockaway Hotel + Spa and kick things off with dinner on the rooftop as the sun sets over the skyline. You'll hear an advertising-industry panel unpack the frontline founder economy — how frontline families show up as a consumer segment, how frontline founders show up as brand partners, and where CSR teams are already looking to invest.
Monday & Tuesday, October 26–27 — Corporate Readiness Retreat ($1,799) The core of the experience. Monday is operational plan design: you'll leave with 90-day and 4-quarter goals, and the KPIs to actually track them. Tuesday shifts into panels and small-group breakouts on social impact financing, talent management, and social media strategy — space to ask the questions you don't get to ask anywhere else. Tuesday night closes with a keynote from Meredith Hudson, founder of SLB, who took her brand from zero to $1M in revenue in 18 months.
This ticket includes two nights at the Rockaway Hotel + Spa, all meals, access to the Frontline Founders Media Lounge, lifetime access to the Resource Library, and a full year of the Mission Control Dashboard.
Wednesday, October 28 — National First Responders Day Breakfast & Panel ($199) The send-off. Breakfast and a panel discussion with civilian and political leaders working on economic policy reform for first responder-owned businesses. Attendees are invited to join the inaugural Frontline Founders Economic Reform cohort — an ongoing group focused on CSR strategy, supplier diversity status for FROBs, and workforce development.
Who You'll Learn From
Meredith Hudson — Founder & CEO of SLB, former D1 athlete, sports mom — spent over 20 years as an advertising insider at Google, Snap, Amazon, and Roku. When she couldn't find the right gear for her daughter's athletic career, she started SLB instead. In 18 months, she grew it to $1M in revenue and sold 30,000 bags through a highly engaged community of 3,000 female athlete ambassadors. As Tuesday's keynote, Meredith will share how she leveraged her corporate know-how — and where, frankly, none of that mattered once she was building her own thing.
Meredith Hudson
Founder & CEO of SLB, former D1 athlete, sports mom — spent over 20 years as an advertising insider at Google, Snap, Amazon, and Roku. When she couldn't find the right gear for her daughter's athletic career, she started SLB instead. In 18 months, she grew it to $1M in revenue and sold 30,000 bags through a highly engaged community of 3,000 female athlete ambassadors. As Tuesday's keynote, Meredith will share how she leveraged her corporate know-how — and where, frankly, none of that mattered once she was building her own thing.
Matthew King II
Marine Corps veteran, Founder and Managing Director of NMG Ventures, and Chair of the NMGV EmpowerYou Foundation — brings over 30 years of cross-functional experience in finance, real estate, and venture creation. A former commercial real estate and business lending banker, Matthew has spent his career at the intersection of capital structuring and mission-focused execution, using that lens to fiercely support first responders, firefighters, veterans, and underrepresented entrepreneurs. For this year's Experience, he's focused on bridging frontline entrepreneurs with socially responsible institutional capital.
Will Ferguson
Chief Growth Officer at Razorfish (Publicis Groupe), Army veteran, and UConn MBA — spent eight years as a First Lieutenant before building a career across Accenture, Sprinklr, Dentsu, and now Razorfish, where he leads connected growth strategy across Media, Content, and Customer Experience. He's spent much of that career translating his military background into advocacy, founding and leading Dentsu's Military Business Resource Group for six years and making it a professional mission to recruit, hire, and promote veterans into the advertising industry. Will will bring that same lens to the Experience — how frontline founders can think about brand partnerships, growth strategy, and building a team, straight from a Fortune 500 growth executive.
More speakers to be announced — keep up to date on our social media as we round out the full 2026 lineup. https://www.instagram.com/invest_in_first_responders/
Why Rockaway Beach
The Rockaway Hotel + Spa sits in a neighborhood that shows up for first responders and veterans every single day — not just during a designated week. It's 30 minutes from JFK, walking distance from the NYC Ferry landing, and accessible by subway (105th Street) and the QM35 bus. "Locals summer" in Rockaway means an autumn coastline without the crowds — a genuinely restorative setting for work that requires focus.
What Founders Say
“I expected to learn how to run a better business, and I left learning how to be a better leader.”
“I’d never done something like this before. I was nervous going into it — but I felt totally comfortable in the room.”
“I learned so much more about next steps — that has always been my weakness. Here I feel I have the support to push forward.”
The Investment
The full package is $1,999 and includes all three events. Individual events can also be purchased separately. Payment plans are available and must be completed by October 15, 2026.
Ready to Plan 2027?
Registration is open now. Here's how it works:
Finalize payment
Tell us about your business
Book your complimentary Digital Sprint to prep for annual planning
Book your travel
Get packed and join us
Invest in First Responders (IIFR) connects corporate capital and foundation funding with trusted, peer-led organizations on the frontlines — turning pride into infrastructure, and awareness into action.
