Business Mastermind Groups — Your Key To Success
The idea of a mastermind group was first introduced in 1937 by Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich. And yet many entrepreneurs don’t join or participate in mastermind groups because the concept is still relatively unknown.
Mastermind groups, however, can help you overcome a lot of obstacles and discover new strategies for growing your business through the collective knowledge and experience of a group of like-minded individuals.
So what are mastermind groups and how do they work exactly? Moreover, how can you find mastermind groups and what are the best ones to join?
What You Need To Know About Mastermind Groups
A mastermind group is a monthly, weekly, or sometimes daily exclusive gathering of motivated, business-minded people to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions and ideas together. Mastermind participants get advice, share concerns, build relationships, network, and form partnerships when it makes sense.
“It’s very much peer-to-peer mentoring and if you’re lucky enough to get invited to one, you will most likely see a marked change in yourself and your business,” says Stephanie Burns.
Mastermind groups are often invite-only. Or, there may be an application process. Mastermind groups are very much a place of “I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine.” So you need to bring something to the table if you also want a place to sit at it.
What Are The Best Mastermind Groups?
A more appropriate question would actually be what is the best mastermind group for me? Entrepreneurs’ needs vary. So the best mastermind group for you depends on your specific goals and the expertise that you have to share and wish to gain.
But any good mastermind group you join should have a few characteristics in common, says Derek Little:
- “Every member is guaranteed a turn in the hot-seat
- Members are in non-competing industries
- There are group guidelines all agree to
- There is a non-disclosure agreement.”
How To Find The Perfect Master Mind Group For You
There are a number of places you can look to find mastermind groups. Here are a few…
Forums
Forums are a great way to connect with other small business owners, freelancers, and ecommerce experts. You can ask if anyone can recommend (or invite you to) a good mastermind group. Or if you build relationships with enough people on the forum, you could start your own mastermind group!
Here are three forums you should check out:
Facebook provides a treasure trove of opportunities for like-minded business folks to meet and converse in a variety of communities. Just search in Facebook groups for terms such as “business,” “entrepreneurs,” or “ecommerce.”
Just be on the lookout for groups that consist mostly of spammers or self-promoters.
Here are a few examples of good Facebook groups to join:
Follow business-minded folks you respect and can learn something from. Then, reach out to see if they’re interested in masterminding with you or if they might belong to any mastermind groups that they could recommend. You’ll be surprised by how often people are willing to share their expertise and resources.
Business Sites
Check out the blogs and sites you follow and see if any of them include a tab that says something along the lines of “Join our community.” Sometimes businesses set up their own forums or groups which they use as an opt-in for their website, and this can be a great way to find mastermind pals.
What do you think about joining a mastermind group? Are you already a member of any? If so, what have you learned from the experience? Visit ConversionFanatics.com and let us know!
