Lowering the barrier of entry for Peer Groups
With more than 30 years of combined experience
Our Founders Cam Mochan and Brandon Giles know first hand the power of high functioning Peer Groups.
Leveraging his more than two decades of involvement in executive and entrepreneurial Peer Groups, Cam launched Ascendeur in 2016 driven by his passion to deliver a meaningful Peer Group experience to an underserved segment of the entrepreneur community.
Brandon shares Cam's enthusiasm for Peer Groups. As a serial entrepreneur with a history of building and growing multiple technology businesses including Common Forge Ventures, a software venture studio committed to launching businesses for the common good, Brandon knew he could help.
Having both served as the leader for their respective Peer Groups, Cam and Brandon know the responsibility as well as the hassle that comes with the role. The time, energy, and effort required was frustrating but both knew without putting in the work, the value delivered to all Group members suffered. They knew there was a better way. That's why they built Peer Group Tools together to uplevel the impact for existing Groups and expand the availability of Peer Groups to companies and associations that would benefit by implementing the power of Peer Groups in their organizations.
Our CEO, Brian Holtz, was inspired to become the Peer Group Tools leader by the energy and commitment of both Cam and Brandon. With a business background in consumer facing technology products, he was new to the peer group experience. After weeks of speaking with Cam and Brandon, he became enamoured with the value of peer groups and their potential to help everyone in multiple facets of their lives. He subsequently joined the team, merging his expertise with Cam and Brandon, all mutually aligned in the goal of making high-functioning peer groups more accessible to everyone. Brian often comments that joining Peer Group Tools was his “first peer group experience,” to which Cam reminds him that, despite the name, our company does not officially count as a peer group.
A Growing Crisis and the Rise of Peer Support
The CDC reports a 24% increase in U.S. suicide rates (1999–2014). Suicide rates begin accelerating, signaling mounting emotional strain and social disconnection long before it enters mainstream conversation.
Cigna’s U.S. Loneliness Index finds nearly half of Americans feel lonely. Loneliness is reframed from a personal feeling to a population-level health issue.
Mental Health America publishes Evidence for Peer Support, demonstrating reduced hospitalizations, improved outcomes, and strong cost-effectiveness, establishing peer connection as a credible intervention.
CDC reports sharp increases in anxiety, depression, substance use, and suicidal ideation.Isolation becomes a daily reality, accelerating trends that were already underway.
The U.S. Surgeon General identifies social disconnection, disrupted routines, and digital overload as key drivers of historic levels of youth distress.
The U.S. launches the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, acknowledging the magnitude of need. Yet reinforcing a system centered on emergency response rather than ongoing connection.
With loneliness officially recognized as a public-health emergency, two close friends deeply involved in peer groups identify a growing gap between the proven power of connection and the absence of modern infrastructure to sustain it.
As peer groups gain mainstream legitimacy and peer support is elevated to national infrastructure, PGT begins to quietly build alongside real groups, adding structure, continuity, and intention to human connection without replacing it.
In April 2025, PGT officially launched with a dedicated CEO to support peer group leaders through better preparation, structure, and sustained connection at a critical moment, as 2025 data shows 40% of adults ages 45+ experience chronic loneliness.
The Future of Meaningful Meetings
Our mission is to help groups create more meaningful, connected meetings through simple, intentional tools that elevate every meeting experience.
We envision a world where every person has access to a high-functioning peer group. As such, our goal is to make peer groups more accessible, impactful, and sustainable for all organizations everywhere.
Meet the Team
.svg){kind=small}
.png)
