Join a Mastermind Group to get the advice and accountability you need to grow your small business.
The mastermind group concept is sweeping the nation, and now the SBDC is bringing it to Greater Springfield, Ohio. Come discover how hanging out with and getting feedback from other driven entrepreneurs can transform your business.
What is a Mastermind Group?
Our Mastermind Groups are made up of driven entrepreneurs who meet in-person on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis to help each person move their business forward. The peer-to-peer mentoring framework we use allows small business owners to share their goals, challenges, hopes, and fears with a band of trusted friends who understand the unique aspects of being an entrepreneur. Here, every person has a voice, and everyone is on an equal playing field.
Why should I join a Mastermind Group?
You will find out that there are a ton of benefits to being a part of a Mastermind Group. Some of the ones we hear most often include:
- Accountability – You will have people in your life who know what you’re trying to accomplish, know how you plan to go about reaching your goals, and will make sure you’re sticking to your plan as best as possible.
- Networking – Your group members will most likely provide you with resources and make introductions that you need to grow your company.
- Personal Growth – The people in your group will drive you to maintain a proper work-life balance so that you can have a successful business, while still winning as a husband, wife, mother, father, and friend.
- Business Growth – Your group will give you valuable feedback and helpful advice that you can use to increase revenues, drive down expenses, and better position your company for future opportunities.
- New Perspectives – Because most, if not all, of your group members will be from outside your particular industry, they will be able to give you a fresh, outside perspective on your greatest business challenges. Sometimes, this makes all the difference.
- Support – The life of a small business owner doesn’t always feel like the dream you imagined it would be. Having other entrepreneurs walk with you through the difficult challenges will be incredibly valuable to you.
- Energy – Simply put, being around other driven, passionate business leaders who are excited about your company’s growth potential is going to be super-energizing.
What happens at a Mastermind Group meeting?
Although group facilitators have the freedom to set the agenda for their meetings, most will follow this time-tested prescribed outline:
- Each member shares a win from the previous week/month and/or an update on the goal they mentioned in the previous week/month.
- One member who is in “the hot seat” shares something they are working on, describes how that thing is going, and asks the group for advice and experiences that might help him or her.
- Members provide help to the person in the hot seat.
- Each member shares their goal for the next week/month.
Meetings typically last from 60-90 minutes
How are Mastermind Groups organized?
That is largely up to the person that created the group. Each facilitator will describe the goals of his or her Mastermind Group and what kind of person will be the best fit for the group. Some groups might be open to any small business owner. Other groups might focus on a particular industry or people with common characteristics (i.e. work-at-home moms). If you don’t see a group that fits what you’d be looking for, perhaps that’s your sign that YOU should start a new Mastermind Group!
“What has been so powerful about this specific mastermind group is the vulnerability of each member and the genuineness to help each other learn and grow. This group has been invaluable to me and my business. I highly recommend being involved with a mastermind group of people that you can trust, carry, and lean on.”
Ethan DewhurstWhat Local Business Owners Are Saying
“Rob has shown amazing vision in creating the idea of mastermind groups in Springfield. I have grown personally and professionally because of this group, and would recommend to every entrepreneur that a mastermind group is a must if they want to be more successful.”
Blake Shaffer“The mastermind group has been so valuable to us. To come together with other entrepreneurs and gain insight and unbiased help has helped us run our business better. We are so focused on the day to day of our business we have blinders on and getting others to give us insight an look at it from another angle, helps keep us balanced.”
Shannon Barker“The mastermind group I’m in appears to be very helpful to each of the participants–myself included. The format we use will be very helpful to new entrepreneurs, and even seasoned professionals, and I plan to recommend Mastermind groups to most aspiring business professionals. I think this is a great service to our business community.”
Scott Griffith“The mastermind has certainly allowed me to realize I have a group of sharp, local, seasoned individuals that I trust with sharing my business challenges (and successes), gaining their insight that I’d otherwise typically keep very close to the chest.”
Dana Akers