Derek Coburn
Creating access to the best people and ideas are my core areas of focus.
As CEO, I focus on curation and culture. I personally vet every member because I believe that who you exclude is as important as who you include.
I design our content strategy around a simple principle: every session should deliver insights worth 10x of what members invest. And I protect our "give first" culture with an intensity that some find extreme—because without it, we're just another business group with name tags and small talk.
My philosophy is straightforward: you need to surround yourself with people operating at frequencies most business leaders don't know exist and build a business that enhances your life rather than consuming it.
I am the author of "Networking Is Not Working" and the USA Today Bestseller "Let's Retire Retirement". I've built my career around questioning conventional wisdom about success, connection, and fulfillment.
When I'm not facilitating breakthroughs for our members or getting people to rethink retirement, you'll find me with my family (and chosen family) enjoying life to the fullest!
I have been in the DMV area my whole life and believe that business success without personal fulfillment is just failure with money.
Melanie Coburn
Connection has always been my superpower.
As Chief Relationship Officer of CADRE, I spend my days advocating for remarkable CEOs and business leaders to help them build the kinds of relationships that actually move their businesses and lives forward. I serve as a strategic connector and trusted liaison, intentionally introducing members whose strengths, experiences, and values complement one another, and helping ensure those introductions turn into meaningful, mutually beneficial relationships.
Much of that work happens through CADRE’s in-person and virtual experiences, which I design and curate with care. I believe the right room, at the right moment, can change everything. My goal is always to create environments where members feel seen, supported, and challenged to grow, both professionally and personally.
I’m a Maryland native, former DC resident, and current Virginian with a deep love for the DMV and a strong commitment to supporting local and small businesses. I graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park with a degree in Marketing, and earlier in my career I was a professional cheerleader for Washington’s NFL franchise. In 2001, I became the Marketing Director for the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders - the first role of its kind in the NFL.
Over the next decade, I built a wide-ranging and deeply trusted network, and that experience shaped a core belief I carry today: when you invest in and deepen your existing relationships, you don’t just expand your network - you turn people into advocates. Into cheerleaders.
That belief became the foundation for CADRE, which Derek and I launched in 2011. We’re honored to serve this extraordinary community and excited for the many meaningful connections still ahead with our #ChosenFamily.