I Take The Lead

About us

A refreshing take on networking

I Take The Lead, Inc. is one of the fastest growing leads group organizations in the Vancouver WA/Portland OR metro areas, Seattle WA/Bellevue WA metro areas, Denver CO metro areas.

What membership actually means

  • Since 1999
  • One member per profession
  • $25/mo B2C · $50/mo B2B
  • 12 absences allowed — no fines
  • Guests attend 2 meetings free

How we got here

  1. December 1999

    Gene Hamilton founded Take The Lead Inc.

  2. 2000

    Becky Tengwall started a large referral group for a non-profit.

  3. 2005

    The organization was renamed I Take The Lead Inc., and Business-to-Business meetings were initiated.

  4. 2007

    National expansion — Gene and Becky founded I Take The Lead Franchise Corp.

Business-to-Business meetings

In 2005, I Take The Lead initiated Business-to-Business meetings for professionals whose primary target market is other businesses, rather than the consumer.

See the B2B groups

The people behind the scenes

Two people have run I Take The Lead since the beginning.

Gene Hamilton

CEO

Gene served in the US Air Force as a missile maintenance specialist and has owned multiple businesses, including an independent insurance agency.

Through Toastmasters International he earned Distinguished Toastmaster three times and served as District Governor in 1992/93. In 1991 he was the #1 recruiter of new Toastmasters in the world, recruiting 107 new members, and he has founded dozens of Toastmasters clubs.

He has served on the board of Mt. Hood Repertory Theatre and is a member of Tigard Rotary.

Becky Tengwall

COO

Becky was Membership Manager at the Gresham Area Chamber of Commerce, where she was credited with membership growth and retention.

She has served on the board of the East Portland Chamber of Commerce and is a member of Soroptimist International.

She holds a BS in Accounting/Business Administration from Portland State University and previously worked as an advertising and marketing account manager.

Lead With Heart

Lead With Heart is our community-giving branch. Every Valentine's Day our members collect and deliver food baskets — about 30 baskets to 30 local families.

Beneficiaries of our 2022 fundraiser were RockSolid Teen Center and Kindred Matters.

Want to see how a meeting runs?

Guests attend two meetings free before deciding. Pick a group and we'll get you in.

Find a group Call 503-691-9909 Text 503-691-9909 Contact us