Are you thinking about getting involved with other like-minded people? Do you want to network, to learn from each other on a fair basis? Are you willing to help other people as well to get ahead with their businesses? Are you also open enough to share your projects with a trustworthy group of people and ask for honest opinions?
Congratulations. You are the perfect candidate for a mastermind group.
No matter if you are a local entrepreneur or a digital nomad. Don’t wait too long and start your mastermind group with a handful of trusted people sharing the same mindset as you.
Follow these hints, and you will be amazed at how significant such a partnership will be.
1. Set your goal
What should be the foundation of your mastermind group? Do you want to meet like-minded entrepreneurs who want to push their business forward with the same drive and values as you? Maybe you also want to meet people who are concerned with a specific topic – for example, online marketing strategy or the digitalization of work processes. In this case, define the foundation for your collaboration.
2. Define the event format
Consider that your goal is the baseline for the format you choose. If you want to exchange information only, lectures and presentations could be a suitable format. Do you, however, want to work on a subject together, a workshop could be preferable. Meetings in manageable groups are an excellent way to ensure that everyone poses a question, e.g., about a business idea or a particular challenge, and everyone gives their opinion.
3. Set rules – because commitment is the heart and soul
Discuss the confidentiality aspect. Please do not assume that this is a self-evident fact, although it should be. Other rules concern regular attendance at meetings, punctuality, and reliability in general, as well as communication.
Identify together which channels and media are to be used for which purpose. If you intend to share documents, you should agree on an adequate solution for your document management. Finally, as the facilitator of the group, you want to make sure that the group follows the jointly chosen rules.
4. Plan the meetings
Collect the desired topics within your mastermind group in advance and plan your meetings realistically. When choosing the location and time, consider that all group members are able to attend.
A good tip for face-to-face meetings is to agree on a fixed location. It is also advisable to decide on the frequency of the group meetings. For example, you could agree to meet on the first Monday of each month at 10-12 and later have lunch together.
This way, all group participants could enter this time slot on their calendar in advance and give it priority over other appointments.
By doing so, you save a lot of administrative work.
5. Motivation is the magic word
Always approach the meetings with a positive attitude. Encourage each other, but also remain authentic. Providing feedback make sure to be constructive. If you have no good advice, you are overwhelmed or facing the same question, that is okay. Be honest and open. Maybe even your questions or statements will take the joint solving of the problem one step further or open up new perspectives or ideas for the others.
6. Equal rights
In a mastermind group, nobody should be preferred or disadvantaged. Equal rights should prevail. If possible, everyone should benefit from shared time and work. As a facilitator, make sure that the topics and questions are planned reasonably. Consequently, a mastermind group does not primarily serve the needs of the initiator – however, this too should be a given.
7. Celebrate your successes
In a mastermind group, it is all about networking, helping each other, and encouraging each other, especially in stressful situations. So if you support one another full of energy and from the heart, then you also should celebrate your successes. It is true that everyone is responsible for their own decisions and does the actual work. Still, everyone contributes to the success of each individual that should not be underestimated, both mentally and professionally. So feel free to share your progress. By doing so, you give something back to the group. Celebrating together also boosts the team spirit, the trust in each other and reinforces you for your further collaboration.
With this in mind, I wish you a lot of fun and success in your mastermind group. I certainly look forward to the next session with my mastermind group.
If you have any questions, then I will be here to provide you any possible advice.
Choose a time in my agenda, and let’s talk.
Best of success
Azadeh Eshaghi