At the end of last year, I launched my CAPTIVATE Mastermind — a few weeks after shutting down my signature group program.
Over the past five years, I’ve worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs across 17 different industries to find their brand message. Each business has been completely unique.
Some have had ten different audiences in five different languages. Some have gone from hundreds on their list to thousands across 12 countries. Some are inventing all-new vocabulary for important social movements like #MeToo.
All of them required a message that would help position them in front of the audience that needed them most.
I’ve found that the best stories, the ones that truly resonate, are formed when there is more input than just my own — from their market research and from their peers. The more experiences we hear from our audience, the more powerful our message becomes.
I wanted to translate the same power of community and collective story-building into a group offer for my audience.
And that’s how I landed on creating my mastermind.
I’ve now run and filled up three rounds of CAPTIVATE, and I am in love with the mastermind format. I love seeing groups form lifelong friendships and partnerships, share resources, and genuinely support one another.
So if you’re looking to offer a mastermind to your audience this year, here are four questions to help you launch it successfully.
1 – What specific outcome will your mastermind group offer?
To run a successful mastermind, clarity is key — both for yourself and for your audience.
My Captivators know we’ll be working on one thing over six weeks: increasing their visibility to grow their audience online. For some, that may be getting published in Thrive Global. For others, that may be starting and growing their email list from 10 to 100.
Without this clarity, members of your audience won’t be able to self-select and see your mastermind as the offer they need. And you won’t have the clear structure you need to create something that delivers what you’re promising your audience.
2 – Who is your ideal member?
You want your group to be diverse, but united around a clear purpose and mission.
All of the members of my mastermind group are focused on growing their online platforms. Some are coaches, others are authors, and others still, photographers, but we have a unifying theme.
So decide for yourself who your ideal member is and start speaking to them in your marketing, your outreach and your sales calls.
3 – How can you select members to benefit the whole mastermind group?
After speaking to peers, this is where most masterminds struggle. Instead of just offering spaces to everyone, I look for strengths that complement each other.
Think of it as if you were hiring for your company. Do your due diligence and survey potential members. Get on the phone with them. Accept members who show a proven history of commitment and a willingness to benefit the team. Select applicants who will really gel together.
One of the key things I focus on is making CAPTIVATE feel like a safe space and choosing members accordingly. People are sharing their most intimate stories, so it’s important to me that every member honors that trust.
4 – How can you moderate the mastermind group with care?
The biggest difference between a group coaching program and a mastermind group is that everyone is giving as much as they receive.
In group coaching programs, it’s a coach to commoner paradigm. You teach the content, participants absorb it, and ask questions as they go.
In a mastermind like CAPTIVATE, it’s not just me talking and them learning; it’s about having a space to get a collective mind to give each member feedback on their business, their challenges, and their goals. It’s about combining the power of many into one perfect storm where all of our businesses benefit from the creative energy.
So although you’ll be facilitating this mastermind and teaching amazing content, the most valuable part for your members is having access to everyone’s brains. It’s up to you to facilitate with care.
Connect members to one another based on experiences. Encourage them to provide input for one another before, during and after your group calls. This way, everyone feels like they benefit from the magic of the collective.
Why Mastermind Groups Are Great for Your Audience
Your audience is craving community more than a “know-it-all expert.” Hanging out with like-minded individuals is one of the most effective ways for them to grow. And the different perspectives and ideas they can get inside a mastermind is truly unique.
So if you’re thinking of starting a mastermind, choose the clear outcome, determine your ideal member, carefully select participants, and moderate it with care.
You might just create something that will change their lives (and businesses) forever!
Want to learn all the secrets to choosing the best mentorship or mastermind groups to move your business forward? Get our Ultimate Guide to Mentorships and Mastermind Groups here.
Plus, 5 more posts you might like:
How to Choose Between a Mentor or a Mastermind Group
5 Signs You Might Need a One on One Mentor
4 Ways to Determine if a Mastermind Group is Right for You and Your Business
Business “Lifelines”: Finding the Help You Need
I tried a business coach, a monthly mastermind, and a mentor: here’s what I learned
