The AI CEO
Sips & Growth
Cocktail Party
An invitation-only AI event for CEOs of $3M–$1B+ companies
Join fellow CEOs from middle-market companies and innovative small businesses with 30 or more employees in this relaxed, high-quality evening for CEOs to connect, enjoy great food and drinks, and see how AI is being used right now to accelerate growth and increase productivity.
Request an InvitationLimited to executives running $3M–$1B companies. Application required.
An Executive Social.Not a Pitch.
The AI CEO Sips, Smoothies & Growth cocktail party is a social, peer-level experience, not a formal presentation or sales event.
Hand-crafted cocktails and wine, if you choose to drink
Fresh smoothies and mocktails for those who don't
The Capital Grille's signature appetizers, small plates, and hors d'oeuvres
A comfortable, upscale setting that encourages real conversation
Hosted at The Capital Grille — McLean's premier steakhouse destination.
What You Walk Away With
Most AI events run 90 minutes of slides and ten minutes of mingling. This one inverts that. One hour of substance — two peer CEO case studies, three executive Briefs, and four live AI tool demos. Two hours of structured and free networking with rotating tables. You leave with four things you can use Monday morning.
One Strategic Alliance Worth Pursuing
One CEO-to-CEO partnership idea, pre-vetted by the room and impossible to find on LinkedIn. The kind of alliance that becomes a referral channel, a co-marketing deal, or a strategic acquisition conversation.
A Strategic Lens That Can Move Your Valuation
Three executive Briefs from Samuel Salter — strategic alliances, data ownership, and AI agents. The thinking that separates a $10M exit from a $20M exit when a buyer asks who owns your data.
Four of the Hottest AI Tools, in Action
Live demos of OpenClaw, NeMoClaw, Claude Skills, and the database-reactivation play that converted dead leads into $600K in 90 days. You leave with the Human-in-the-Loop Workflow Map at the door to replicate them at home.
An Evening at The Capital Grille
The DMV's premier steakhouse hosts the room. Signature appetizers and small plates, hand-crafted cocktails, fresh smoothies for those who don't drink, and the right setting for the right conversations. Hospitality is curated. You focus on who you came to meet.
“No stage. No pressure. Just a well-hosted evening with the right people in the room.”
What You'll Experience During the Evening
Three hours. The first hour: two peer CEO case studies and three strategic Briefs from Samuel Salter — the kind of thinking that can change your business's valuation. The last two hours: structured and free networking with rotating tables. Here's exactly what the evening looks like.
You're a Fit If
You're the CEO (not VP/Director), your company does $3M–$1B in revenue, and you're excited about the potential AI offers to grow your business.
Arrival & Casual Networking
Kelli's Welcome
CEO Spotlight #1
Brief #1: The 2026 Strategic Alliance Thesis
CEO Spotlight #2
Brief #2: Own Your Business, Own Your Data
Brief #3: AI Agents — The Growth Lever of 2026
The Hottest Tools — 4 AI Tools, 8 Minutes
The Networking Block — Rotating Tables + Free Mingling
Generate Referrals From CEOs Targeting the Same Affluent DMV Customers You Do
This event is uniquely curated for CEOs of companies serving affluent consumers in the D.C. metro area, including automobile dealers and financial services, as well as law, accounting, home services, and more.
“When you put CEOs in a room who share a high-value client base, something powerful happens. You create a natural environment for building referral partnerships and exploring structured joint ventures.”
Imagine,
A luxury auto dealer connects with a solar installer, and they agree to co-market to each other's customers.
A CEO of a financial advisory partners or joint ventures with a top-tier home services CEO.
One alliance, struck on a Thursday night at The Capital Grille, can be worth more than every AI conference you'll attend this year. That's the math we're betting on.
Smarter CEO Introductions Powered by AI
We also use AI-powered matchmaking to introduce you to other CEOs based on industry, role, growth priorities, and personal interests.
“You spend less time on small-talk introductions and more time on the conversation that earns the evening back.”
Who This Event Is Designed For
Attendance is intentionally limited to 20 CEOs to ensure a personalized experience.
The Invitation Process
“Limited to 20 CEOs of companies with 30+ employees to ensure high-value, peer-level connections for all.”
Request Invitation
Brief Compatibility Review
Official Invitation Secured
If the timing for this session doesn't work, contact us to join the next event's waitlist.
Event Details
When
June 11
5:00–8:00 PM
Where
The Capital Grille 1861 International Dr McLean, VA 22102
Your Evening Host
Kelli Gilmore
Chief Operating Officer, MindFinders.ai
Kelli has spent over a decade at MindFinders, where she now leads operations for the firm's AI consulting arm. Her career has been built running large-budget operations and executive-grade programs — from $1.5M annual event budgets at Ernst & Young to corporate travel operations at BET Networks. At MindFinders, Kelli manages operations across budgets ranging from $550,000 to $25 million, with deep specialization in financial planning, contract compliance, and program delivery. She runs CEO Sips & Smoothies on the ground: she greets every CEO at the door, makes the introductions that matter most, moderates the CEO Spotlight Q&A, and keeps the program tight. If something at the event surfaces a follow-up worth having, Kelli sets it.
Your Co-Hosts
Tim Booker
Founder & CEO
Tim founded MindFinders in 2001 and has built it into one of the Washington D.C. area's most trusted staffing and AI consulting firms — recognized by the Washington Business Journal as one of the 25 largest staffing firms in 2022 and 2023. MindFinders.ai is GrowersCloud's local DC strategy partner and your on-the-ground execution team in the DMV.
Samuel Salter
Founder & CEO
Samuel Salter is the creator of the Growth2x.AI methodology and a Salesforce CRM and AI solution architect who has built systems for Boeing, SunPower, Kaiser Permanente, and Cision. He was honored by President Reagan in 1983 with the first-ever 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year' award from the U.S. Small Business Administration. GrowersCloud.ai is an AI-powered business operating system on a mission to help 100,000 CEOs use superior strategy, systems, and AI to build great companies — fast. Sam delivers tonight's three strategic Briefs live from Austin via the screen in the room.
“You came to this page because something on it caught you — strategic alliances, AI agents, the room, the venue, the chance to meet 19 CEOs you haven't met yet. Twenty seats. June 11. The Capital Grille.”
Invitations are reviewed within 48 hours. If the room is full, you go on the waitlist for the next event.