A Letter From The President
When I was a kid, my best friend lived across the street from me.
A bit later, when I was in high school, my best friends were on the football team with me. We traveled to games together, chased girls together, and did a bunch of stupid high school stuff together.
It was the same pattern in college and during my summer jobs.
Back then, I became friends with the people who were physically close to me – whether or not we actually had much in common.
But, as an adult, all that has changed.
As I’m sure you’ve experienced… as you grow more successful, the demands on your time expand exponentially. And ironically, at the same time, what you’re looking for in your core social circle shrinks.
You find it harder and harder to find people who share your perspective on life.
That’s because, in percentage terms, there simply aren’t many people like you -- You’re different. It’s these differences that have helped you become successful.
Your goals, your values, and your ambitions are completely foreign to most of the people you grew up with.
The older we get, the more selective we become about whom we share our life.
We’re looking for a very narrow set of shared values. Perhaps even more difficult, we need comparative levels of success. Like-minded world views. And… the hardest quality of all… we’re looking for a very rare passion to experience the best that life has to offer. Not just material things… we spend our time very carefully doing things that are challenging and rewarding for our businesses, families, and friends.
And, as you know… most people never even think about these things. They don’t have time. They’re overwhelmed with making ends meet. Or simply getting through their week.
But not people like us. For us, the challenge is making our lives better each day.
Back in 2009, a group of my friends – a dozen successful folks from around the world with a tremendous passion for life – took these core ideas and started a global wealth and travel club.
We created The Atlas 400.
What started as a small, private club — just a few close friends and colleagues — has evolved into over a hundred members in 17 countries.
Ever since we started meeting and traveling the world together, our very best experiences, our best memories, and our best new friendships have happened through The Atlas 400.
Our idea hasn’t just inspired a few people… it’s taken off and become something even bigger than any of us ever expected it would become.
The idea of The Atlas 400 – to bring self-made people with a tremendous passion for life – together from all around the world has brought dozens and dozens of the world’s most interesting and successful people together. These are the world’s best writers, movie producers, oilmen, executives, speculators, entrepreneurs, hedge-fund managers, and rocket scientists.
But, regardless of profession, everyone shares one major similarity… they got there by hard work.
We all know what it’s like to start at the bottom.
And we all know how it was a combination of skill, luck, and opportunity that led us to success.
That’s probably the thing that members like the best about the club. There’s nobody here trying to draw attention to themselves. All that nonsense is stripped away. That initial barrier is removed, paving the way for building real relationships.
You see, there’s a whole world of friends out there… people who are like you… who love ideas, who love adventure, who have never conformed… or settled… and who don’t want to be like others but instead want to be more fully themselves.
They’re not looking for recognition. This isn’t about status. Or fame.
It’s simply about finding out how good life can be, together.
That’s The Atlas 400.
So, how does it work?
We’ve found the best way to build new relationships is through travel. Travel gets you out of your routine. It gives you the time to get to know new friends. And nothing creates a bond between people like a shared adventure.
That’s why The Atlas 400 sponsors amazing adventures around the world several times per year.
In the past, we’ve fished the waters of Panama for monster marlin. Members spent ten days on a luxurious, guided safari through Botswana and Mozambique, walking alongside two-story-tall giraffes and enjoying some of the world’s most beautiful terrain.
At the beginning of 2014, members embarked on a seven-day excursion through South America’s Patagonia region. They journeyed from the Argentine grasslands to the glacial lakes of Chile. The world’s foremost eco-lodges served as base camps throughout the trip. The vistas, sunrises, and sunsets were straight out of National Geographic.
In 2015, members enjoyed a sojourn through Bordeaux. Thanks to members’ connections, we were able to visit chateaux that are rarely open to the public… Like Petrus and Smith Haut Lafitte. We took an idyllic champagne cruise through the Bay of Arcachon. The entire trip was a well-curated selection of the best chateaux, restaurants, wines, and experiences that Bordeaux has to offer.
The club has now visited every major wine region in the world – Napa, Tuscany, Bordeaux, New Zealand, and South Africa.
In 2018, members reached the lowest latitudinal point on Earth — The South Pole.
This is not the Antarctica trip that 37,000 tourists enjoy each year.
It’s the South Pole adventure that fewer than 75 people in the world experience each year.
The itinerary was completely bespoke. Only a few hundred people in history have had the opportunity to explore Antarctica in such a fashion.
We flew from Cape Town on a Gulfstream V. As we descended, we watched night turn to day as we passed into 24 hours of sunshine.
Our camp consisted of twelve “sleeping pods” … heated fiberglass domes with bamboo headboards, Saarinen chairs, fur throws, and en suite bathrooms. Wooden skis adorn the walls, and thick parkas for each guest hang from freestanding coat racks.
And each suite stands alone on a rugged strip of land in the interior of Antarctica, midway between a frozen lake and towering walls of ice.
Drama is in no short supply.
Our professional polar explorers are guided through each day’s custom itinerary… gentle treks and picnics overlooking ice waves… adrenalin-fueled activities like kite-skiing and ice climbing.
This is just a sample of our adventures. We’re already planning for 2024… Thailand, Scotland, Monaco — that’s just the beginning. It’s going to be our busiest year yet.
Keep in mind, though, that these trips are merely the best way to facilitate the true meaning of Atlas…
Our mission is to bring people together to help them build relationships in pursuit of “the best of life.” Travel does this by getting people out of their daily routines and into a shared adventure with like-minded people.
It’s easy to open up when you’ve spent the day in a race car with someone or zip-lined across Patagonia. It’s different from your typical business conference interaction.
We’re looking for people who can add value to Atlas – through your willingness to help fellow members.
Relationships take work… And Atlas is no different. But if you’re willing to add value to this relationship, then Atlas is a perfect fit. And that’s how our current members view it as well.
In short, we want members who are positive… who see the value of building great relationships with other extraordinary people… and who are willing to help us make it one of the world’s best and most exclusive groups.
I’d also like to share the opinions of some of our current members (who must remain anonymous for obvious reasons)…
One successful entrepreneur who has taken several companies public said,
“I’ve found Atlas to be one of the best groups of people to ever interact with.”
Another member, a leading surgeon with multiple device patents, said his fellow Atlas members are “real, honest, wonderful people that are truly genuine… They’re intelligent, stimulating, and kind.”
We aren’t looking for a lot of people to join Atlas. We’re looking for the right people.
This club is for successful people. The initiation fee to join is substantial ($35,000), and our excursions aren’t cheap. But if you’re at a point in your life where meaning is paramount and you’re in a position to enjoy the fruits of your labor, I urge you to apply.
If you have questions and want to speak with a member of our team, please fill out the form below. We’ll respond within 24 hours to schedule a time to speak at your convenience.
The people with whom you share your life, spend your time, and trust influence you in profound ways over time.
I can honestly say almost everything good that has happened to me in my life happened because of someone I knew… a relationship I had made.
We hope to hear from you. And who knows what adventures we may share in the future…
Best regards,
Gray Zurbruegg
President, The Atlas 400
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