When Ryan Wilson took the main stage at AFROTECH 2026 with his business partner, TK Petersen, he spoke about community building. During their session tagged “Third Spaces & Building Real Community with The Gathering Spot,” he also shared how he started ‘The Gathering Spot’ with co-founder Petersen and the story behind the early days.
Wilson’s passion to create spaces where Black entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals can meet, share ideas, and build meaningful relationships could be seen during the conversation. Through ‘The Gathering Spot’, a private membership club founded in 2016, the entrepreneur has brought together people from different industries and backgrounds.
This year makes it 10 years since ‘The Gathering Spot’ was established, and it has become a place where people feel welcome, find their people, and discover opportunities they might not have found on their own. It has grown into a meeting point for some of the most influential voices in business, entertainment, politics, and culture.
At its heart, ‘The Gathering Spot’ is about belonging, a place people can feel comfortable enough to be themselves. Wilson was just 24 when he and Petersen founded the club. At the time, Wilson was studying law at Georgetown University and watching the events surrounding the Trayvon Martin trial unfold.
The moment made him think more deeply about the importance of spaces where Black people could come together, share experiences, and build a sense of community. He wanted to create somewhere people could feel at home, even when they were away from home. A place where professional ambition and everyday social connections could exist together. It was a straightforward idea, but turning it into a business required plenty of work.
Wilson came from a family with an entrepreneurial background, so he had seen what it meant to build something from the ground up. His family believed in the idea early on, giving him and Petersen a support system as they worked to get ‘The Gathering Spot’ off the ground. They also relied on recommendations and relationships to build credibility and bring people into their growing community.
Looking back on those early years, Wilson’s understanding of entrepreneurship goes beyond having a good idea or finding the right investors. He believes a lot of what makes a business work comes down to understanding people.
In Wilson’s conversation with Rolling Stone Africa, he spoke about learning some of his most useful lessons through everyday interactions, including conversations with taxi drivers. Rather than limiting his learning to business leaders and traditional mentors, he made a habit of asking questions and listening to people from different backgrounds.
That curiosity shaped his approach to leadership. Understanding what motivates people, how they work, and what makes them feel valued was important as he built his team and managed the growing business.
Of course, having a good idea and getting people excited about it does not automatically make a business successful. The financial side of ‘The Gathering Spot’ presented its own challenges, particularly during the early years. Wilson recognized the importance of understanding what it would take to keep the business running, and he credits his partnership with Petersen and their ability to manage those demands as an important part of getting through that period.
Over time, however, people began to see what ‘The Gathering Spot’ could become. What started as a space for people to connect gradually attracted influential personalities who wanted to be part of the community. Among the notable names associated with the platform are Usher and former U.S. President Barack Obama, alongside business leaders, founders, and cultural figures.
For Wilson, attracting famous people was never the entire point. What mattered was the trust people had developed in the brand. He believes that trust comes from the people behind the business, including the employees who keep things running and the members who continue to invest their time and relationships in the community.
‘The Gathering Spot’ is located in Atlanta, which has a long history of Black political leadership, entrepreneurship, music, and culture. It’s also home to a strong network of Black professionals and business owners who continue to shape its economic and creative landscape.
According to Wilson, Atlanta is a place where Black ambition and creativity are part of everyday life, and that environment has influenced the way he thinks about building businesses and communities.
Wilson’s appearance at the 10th edition of the AFROTECH conference came at the right moment because this year marks 10 years that ‘The Gathering Spot’ was launched. The AFROTECH conference is an important gathering point for Black technology professionals, founders, investors, and creatives. It offers people an opportunity to meet, share ideas, and discuss the future of technology and economic empowerment.
For Wilson, who has spent years building a platform around bringing people together, the connection is natural. He has long been interested in technology and its potential to create new opportunities for Black entrepreneurs and businesses.
Technology continues to change how people work, communicate, and build companies. But even with all the tools available today, relationships remain important. A young founder still needs an introduction to the right investor and access to people who understand the value of what they are trying to build, and that is the kind of opportunity Wilson believes spaces such as AFROTECH and ‘The Gathering Spot’ can create.
Wilson’s work also extends beyond the company. He is involved in initiatives around entrepreneurship, civic participation, and philanthropy, using his experience and networks to support conversations about economic opportunity and community development.
He has served on several Atlanta boards, including the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the King Center, and the Carter Center. His contributions have earned him recognition from organizations and institutions, including the Phoenix Award, Atlanta’s highest civic honor, and Goldman Sachs, which named him one of its Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs. The Atlanta Business Chronicle has also recognized him as Small Business Person of the Year.
When asked about his advice for young entrepreneurs looking to follow his path, he said they should ask questions. This reflects his own experience of learning from people, listening to different perspectives, and being open to knowledge from unexpected places.
We are able to learn from him that entrepreneurship doesn’t always begin with a completely new invention. Sometimes, it starts with noticing something people need and finding a way to provide it. For Wilson, that need was a place where people could feel welcome, meet others, and build relationships that could lead somewhere.
Today, ‘The Gathering Spot’ has more than 12,000 members, three physical locations across Atlanta and Washington, D.C., and wider communities in cities including New York, Detroit, Charlotte, Houston, and Chicago. What began as an idea between two young entrepreneurs has grown into a platform with a reach that extends across industries and communities.
