Join us for Founder’s Day
Make waves in 2027
Start the year with intention at our annual Founder’s Day. Join leaders of every kind for a day on the Aileron Campus to reflect, recharge and set your course, so the impact you make in 2027 ripples out to yourself, your team, your business and your community.
Thursday, January 14, 2027 · 8:00 am–4:00 pm
Aileron Campus · Tipp City, Ohio
WHEN
Thursday, Jan. 14, 2027
8:00 am–4:00 pm
WHERE
Aileron Campus
Tipp City, Ohio
WHO
Any and all leaders
Business, nonprofit and community
COST
Founder’s Day is a free event
Our gift to you. in honor of Clay. Light breakfast, lunch and snacks included
WHY WE CELEBRATE
Every wave starts with a wavemaker
Founder’s Day is Aileron’s annual community gathering in honor of our founder, Clay Mathile. Clay believed that when leaders keep growing, the people and communities around them grow too.
Every January, near Clay’s birthday, we keep his personal mission alive: learn, do, give. Whatever you lead (a company, a team, a nonprofit, a cause), this day is for you.
AGENDA
Your day at a glance
Stay for the whole day or join for the parts that fit your schedule.
8:00–9:00 am
Coffee and connection
Settle in, grab coffee and a light breakfast, and meet the leaders you’ll spend the day with.
9:00–9:15 am
Founder’s Day kickoff
A warm welcome and a look at what’s ahead.
Joni Fedders
CEO and President, Aileron
Grace Jones
Chief Marketing Officer, Aileron
9:15–10:30 am
Making Waves in 2027: What Impact Will You Have?
Start the year with intention. This session invites you to step back, name the impact you want to have in 2027, and think about the ripple it can create for the people you lead, your organization and your community.
Dustin Shell
Chief Operating Officer, Aileron
10:30–10:45 am
Break
10:45 am–12:00 pm
Wavemaker Showcase: Stories from Community Founders
Hear from three founders from our community. Each will share a short story of what they built and why, followed by a panel Q&A with live questions from the audience.
Founder stories to be announced November 19
12:00–1:00 pm
Lunch and Campus tours
Enjoy lunch on us. Guided tours leave every 15 minutes, so you can see all the Aileron Campus has to offer.
1:00–2:30 pm
Breakout sessions
Choose one of three hands-on sessions.
Mapping the Systems of Your Life
Your results come from the systems behind them. Map what’s driving the outcomes you want, and the ones you don’t, so you can see where a small change will make the biggest difference.
Dave Allison
Aileron Business Coach
Speaking Truth Kindly
Hard conversations don’t have to damage relationships. Practice a simple way to say what needs to be said with honesty and care, so people hear it and act on it.
Erika Alessandrini
Aileron Leadership and Business Coach
The Art of Making Big Things Happen
Big goals stall in the gap between idea and action. Learn how to turn an ambitious vision into clear priorities and steady progress, and leave with a plan for your own big thing.
Dustin Shell
Chief Operating Officer, Aileron
2:30–4:00 pm
Clay’s Learning, Doing, Giving™ Lab
Our founder, Clay Mathile, embodied a philosophy that resonated beyond Aileron. His mindset of “learning, doing, giving” as a continuous cycle was a blueprint for building a meaningful life, thriving organization, and impactful community. This Founder’s Day, we invite you to join us in honoring Clay’s legacy by diving into this transformative cycle with the launch of a new immersive experience on Campus, “Clay’s Learning, Doing, Giving Lab.”
Follow your curiosity as you explore self-paced interactive installations and experiences throughout the Campus, then reconnect with your peers to exchange ideas, share discoveries, and build community over warm cocoa and light snacks.
The Lab launches on Founder’s Day and stays open on Campus throughout January, so you can come back to explore again or bring your team.
PHOTO GALLERY
Moments from past Founder’s Days
