This editorial style guide is a tool for everyone who writes content for the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO). It provides guidelines and expectations so that we are consistent in our written materials.

If you have a question that this guide doesn’t answer, contact the Communications team at [email protected]. We will revisit and update these guidelines based on future needs and trends.

What is EO?

Entrepreneurs’ Organization is a high-quality support network of 14,000+ like-minded leaders across 61 countries. We help entrepreneurs achieve their full potential through the power of life-enhancing connections, shared experiences and collaborative learning.

EO has been helping entrepreneurs achieve transformational growth since 1987. Our member network is committed to learning and helping each other succeed. Gain access to the world’s top experts. Grow beyond your personal limits. Make breakthroughs as you redefine and realize your goals in life and in business.

Today’s EO members employ over four million people worldwide and the network continues to thrive and grow. For more information, visit www.eonetwork.org.

Building brand with content

How we communicate our brand affects its influence and ability to inspire. It’s important that all EO communications—whether from chapters, regions, staff, contractors or member leaders—are consistent. Our brand personality must flow through all internal and external communications.

EO’s tone of voice is guided by our purpose. Our purpose is to help entrepreneurs achieve their full potential. We do this by enabling transformational growth in the lives of entrepreneurs.

• Our tone is conversational, not formal. It is clever and confident. It’s never condescending, and it’s always inclusive. It’s clear and direct, without being too serious. It’s personal, without being judgmental.
• EO’s tone is authentic, energetic and innovative, just like our members. It inspires and draws people in. We make the complicated sound simple. Our voice is serious, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. EO’s personality is outgoing and curious—always ready to embrace meaningful, hands-on adventure.
• We emphasize the value in defining your own version of success—both business and personal. Thus, our voice must be intimate, conversational and uplifting.
• EO’s tone is experiential. Just as Forum works—sharing personal experiences instead of giving advice—our greatest successes in communication feature EO members sharing experiences. The organization is built on trust and respect. We learn from one another.

House style

EO uses an international form of English, which reflects that we are an international organization even though our head office is in the USA. This means that we do not conform to “American” English or “British” English, but instead use Oxford spelling. This is a common approach used by international organizations including the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Amnesty International and the World Economic Forum.

In practice, this means we use a “z” in ize (and-ization) instead of –ise (and-isation) (organize and organization instead of organise and organisation, for instance). In most other cases, the Oxford spelling standard follows the British spelling standard in that it uses centre and not center, enrol/enrolment rather than enroll/enrollment, programme not program, colour instead of color, analyse not analyze.

The online version of the Oxford English Dictionary is the current authority for spelling at EO (ensure it is set to British and World English). If more than one spelling is given in the dictionary, use the form listed first unless otherwise indicated in these guidelines.