Inside TIGER 21 from the Founder Perspective | Business Insider 

Michael Sonnenfeldt shares his entrepreneurial journey in this Business Insider article by Charissa Cheong. At the age of 31, he had achieved extraordinary success in real estate development. After developing and selling his first company, he felt the satisfaction of having “made it in life.” But his next venture didn’t go as planned—he lost money. It was a wake-up call that made him realize he needed to safeguard his hard-earned capital. 

In 1999, Michael Sonnenfeldt founded TIGER 21 with that simple yet profound goal: to learn how to preserve wealth from those who had already built it. Today, that vision has evolved into the world’s premier peer network for ultra-high-net-worth entrepreneurs and executives, with over 1,600 Members navigating the complexities of wealth, legacy, and family dynamics. 

At the heart of TIGER 21 is an exclusive, confidential forum where Members openly discuss their investment portfolios, family matters, and personal growth. Michael, who considers himself “Member No. 1,” recognized early on that wealth creation and wealth preservation require two entirely different skill sets. Many of TIGER 21’s Members—entrepreneurs and executives who have successfully built and sold businesses—face a unique transition: shifting from an active leadership role to becoming stewards of their wealth. 

The TIGER 21 experience is defined by monthly, full-day Group Meetings, where Members engage in world updates, deep dives into key personal and financial issues, and a signature Portfolio Defense®—a rigorous peer review of investment strategies. But beyond the numbers, one of the most pressing concerns among Members is how to ensure their wealth strengthens, rather than burdens, their families. Conversations about estate planning, family governance, and instilling financial literacy in the next generation are just as critical as investment discussions. 

At its core, TIGER 21 is about more than just wealth—it’s about wisdom. Michael’s founding insight holds true today: ” It doesn’t matter how much money you have, if you do something smart, it’ll pay off. And if you do something stupid, it’ll kick you in the butt.”

Read the full article (behind a paywall).